Weight of a Name
by GambolMuse
Summary: With powerful Magi and storied Hunters, the Schnee family is known throughout the four kingdoms. Weiss has been endowed with remarkable magic and an illustrious heritage, blessed even by a Magi's standards. When her world begins to open up and questions are brought to light, however, Weiss will be forced to make a decision.
1. Chapter 1: Weiss and Ruby

**Here we are, the reboot for _"Weight of a Name!"_ Welcome back to anyone returning from the original, and welcome to anyone new!**

 **The tl;dr is that the story I had been writing deviated so far from my original script that I was honestly bumbling a bit with my plot. I saw that people still liked it, and I'm very grateful for that. Even so, I don't want to be giving people something I'm not proud of myself, so I felt renewing it was the best course of action!**

 **Going to be following my original plot this time around, which means events are shifted around, or changed entirely. If this first chapter isn't immediately obvious to long time readers.**

 **Enjoy, and as always, thank you for reading! Love you all!**

* * *

 _Left foot forward. Shoulders straight. Head up. Not that forward!_

Weiss drew a sharp breath and exhaled, letting her frustration leave with it. Over the noise of other initiates sparring and the shouting of instructors she was having a dreadful time of keeping herself in order. Above everything else though…

Her eyes snapped to the initiate charging her, a pair of emerald eyes shining, a toothy grin daring her to make a move. The young fighter dragged his shortsword and swept at her, a move that couldn't have been more obvious if he'd tried. Pressing her hand against Myrtenaster's edge she stepped back, catching the sword and letting the boy's momentum carry him, punishing the over-extension with a rasp on the back. He stumbled and nearly tripped on his own feet, the dolt.

Above everything else that could be distracting her in the moment there was one noise above all else that grated on her nerves. Narrowing her eyes, she took up another stance and readied herself, eyes locked on the initiate's as he twirled his sword. All for show. If he'd actually any ability, then he'd have landed a strike by now. Weiss was much more concerned by…

"You got this, Weiss! Kick his butt!" A squirrely voice interrupted her thoughts again, driving a wedge like a pickax into stone.

Weiss spared Ruby a sideways glance before shutting her out again. Or trying to. The boy lunged, wooden sword missing her head by a wide margin, arm pushed aside. Graceful as a dancer Weiss pirouetted and slapped the back of his knee with her padded rapier. She stepped back, and an errant swing missed wide. Exposed, she capitalized on the mistake, pushing Myrtenaster into the boy's leather vest, forcing him down and kicking his chest. On his back and defenseless she held her weapon to his clavicle, a satisfied smile appearing when he released his weapon, hands raised.

"The winner of this match is Miss Schnee!" Proctor Oobleck's voice somehow carried over all others. Wild green hair bounced about with a will of its own as he gestured wildly, a jumble of words spilling forth from his mouth. Weiss paid them no mind, extending a hand to the boy and frowning as he bat it aside.

"I don't need help from no bastard…"

Anger spiked, and a spiteful remark clawed at her throat, begging to be released. Weiss refused and instead stepped back and nodded, her hand dropping to her side. She watched as the boy gathered his training sword, their eyes meeting for a second before he stormed off of the ring. He didn't look back, pushing through a few of their fellow initiates and throwing his training weapon into a bin before leaving the hall.

Now she allowed herself to vent, a quiet, frustrated sigh slipping through barely parted lips. He had challenged her. He had demanded she allow him to spar against her, so she had. And now she was somehow at fault? Was she supposed to let him win? Weiss tightened her grip on Myrtenaster and turned on her heel, making it only three steps until she was called for.

"Wait! Weiss!"

If it was Ruby again she'd have glared daggers. Fortunately, the one calling her wasn't an over excitable brunette, but a redheaded Mistralan whose disarming smile helped chase away Weiss' irritation. Smiling back at Pyrrha she placed her hand on her hip, playing coy. "Yes, Pyrrha? Whatever could you want?" She tilted her head and smiled, eyeing the sword and shield Pyrrha carried.

"Would you care for one more sparring session? I understand if you'd prefer not to," Pyrrha's smile widened. "Though… Perhaps you'd like a proper match?"

Weiss let Myrtenaster bounce in her palm, pursing her lips. "Well… I could end on a sour note, being insulted, or I could let the prestigious Miss Nikos make a fool of me." Her compliment made Pyrrha's cheeks flush and she giggled at the sight. For a young woman who could handle some proctors she was as meek as a mouse at times. "I suppose losing to you isn't such a bad thing. Very well."

"Oh come now, you act as though you've already lost!" Pyrrha twirled her sword preemptively in one hand and tapped the ridge of her shield, wood echoing dully. She lowered her stance, feet shoulders width apart, knees bent. "Give yourself a little more credit."

"Aren't you the one who always preaches humility?"

"I just expect a little more fight from the 'Ice Queen'," Pyrrha jabbed with a wink.

Oobleck cleared his throat and clapped his hands, silencing the girls' exchange. "Ladies, do I understand correctly that you two are going to be dueling then? Or are we here to trade compliments?"

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Duel, sir."

"Very well. You know the rules! No magic, and the match stops when one fighter surrenders, or when I call for it. Are we clear?" Both girls nodded at once. "Excellent. Then you may begin at your leisure!"

Sparring against the nameless boy - he had a name, Weiss just didn't care to know it, was one thing. Pyrrha ranked top of their class in combat, and in the top five when it came to academics. Weiss topped that list, yet unless they were about to have a pop quiz that strength would do her no good here. She welcomed the chance to pit her own skills against her friend's, and it wasn't as though either would truly be upset should they lose.

Weiss drowned out Ruby's incessant cheering, now split between both of her friends. She ignored the crowd slowly gathering around their tiny ring in the hall, ignoring the murmurs of their peers. Pyrrha continued to smile. It was friendly, but it was also one that exuded confidence. Pyrrha was good and she knew it. Weiss would have to be just a little bit better.

Light armor clinked and Pyrrha's leg pivoted, and in an instant Weiss closed the gap. Myrtenaster scraped across the face of Pyrrha's shield, her sword catching Weiss' cloak. Why hadn't she removed it before this duel? Stupid mistake number one. Lowering her weapon, the Schnee jumped over a low sweep, feet catching Pyrrha's shield. Weiss curled herself up, crouching on the shield and being thrown back, ducking under another slash, wood searing through the air. Myrtenaster deflected a backhanded swing, and Weiss' own thrust missed when Pyrrha spun on her heel.

It wasn't enough to deflect Pyrrha's sword. A shield was a weapon if one knew how to make it one, and Pyrrha's command was impeccable. Weiss caught the blade with Myrtenaster's handguard, air rushing from her lungs as the wooden buckler slammed into her stomach. Staggering back and ducking under another swing, Weiss struck the underside of Pyrrha's shield, knocking the redhead off balance. Scoring a strike on Pyrrha's thigh, Weiss clicked her tongue as she felt the edge of a sword rack against her hip.

Like waves on a shoreline the duel ebbed and flowed. Weiss was pushed back, rapier desperately twisting, rising and meeting Pyrrha's relentless blows. With the precision of a seamstress with a needle she exposed every hole Pyrrha allowed, however few. A thin, narrow blade found gaps in her defenses, though rarely connected.

Cloth and leather armor afforded minimal protection. In exchange Weiss could move freely, uninhibited by plate or even chain. Not that either seemed to slow the Mistralan. When Myrtenaster did connect, and it did, its padded blade scraped harmlessly against bronze and chain. Even if a hole in her defenses was found Pyrrha redirected her attacks every time.

Dancers wished they could move with the fluidity the girls did. Weiss hardly ever felt her feet touch the wooden stage, light as air as she bounced, never standing still. She stepped in, her foot between Pyrrha's, her rapier screeching beneath the other girl's arm. Pyrrha punished by sweeping her leg out, though in a surprising effort Weiss wrapped her own around her friend's, sending both girls to the floor. Before Pyrrha could retaliate Weiss had scrambled away and was back on her feet. With the fervor of a nest of hornets she stung Pyrrha again and again, hollow strikes pounding against buckler, even more being parried. Bangs dropped into Weiss' vision and she whipped her head to knock them away, blowing beads of sweat as they dripped down the bridge of her nose.

Pyrrha's sword scored a strike on her bicep, and Weiss' blade found her friend's hip. Both girls backed off to regain their breath, hearts working overtime to try and replenish spent oxygen.

When the voices of their peers became salient again Weiss allowed her eyes to drift away from Pyrrha, her friend's doing the same. If other duels continued they went unnoticed as it seemed near everyone in the hall now played spectator. Among the crowd she caught Ruby's elated expression, silver eyes impossibly wide and mouth agape. Beside her was Nora, a one-girl cheer team, flailing and nearly knocking over anyone unfortunate to be close enough to her, Ren included. Behind them and just a head taller stood Jaune, mouthing something that failed to reach Weiss' ears.

With no sense of urgency, the pair began to circle around the ring. Cheers and shouts echoed off the high walls and ceilings, loud enough at points that Weiss worried the arched windows, clear as a pristine spring, might shatter from the sheer volume. Wooden pillars meant only to support the roof now held over excited initiates climbing to get a better view. Eyeing the dark charcoal outline of the ring Weiss debated trying to force a ring out. Could she put Pyrrha on the back foot long enough to accomplish it?

Pyrrha noticed Weiss' wandering eyes and laughed. "Fancy the building more than our fight?"

"Just taking in what a spectacle we've become," Weiss laughed. If she were something of a dramatist she might have taken a bow for their audience. Instead she smiled, standing straight and holding her offhand behind her back, raising Myrtenaster once more. "As if anything could be more thrilling than this."

"I don't know. A meal sounds delightful right about now!" Pyrrha smiled bashfully and pat her stomach, breastplate rattling. "How about we finish up and go eat?"

"Wonderful idea. I was just thinking the same."

Weiss was ready for a sudden attack, eyes locked on Pyrrha's feet. She was ill prepared for a buckler flying at her head. Narrowly ducking beneath the shield, she gasped and leaned away from an upward strike, the air before her eyes hissing as a blade cleaved through it. Batting away another attack her foot caught the buckler and she wobbled, raising her blade and deflecting another blow. Her arm nearly went numb as both Pyrrha's hands gripped her sword, adding an extra punch behind her already heavy swings.

To unsteady her opponent Weiss slipped the toe of her boot under the shield and kicked it up at Pyrrha. She bat it aside, but that brief window Weiss sidestepped a swing of her sword, thrusting forward. Myrtenaster froze inches before Pyrrha's heart. Weiss bit her lip feeling the kiss of a wooden blade at her neck, eyes drifting to the corners and seeing nothing but brown. She could make out the twists and grains of the blade, light wood stained by years of use. What kind of wood was it? Oak?

Both girls remained motionless and exchanged smiles, chests heaving as they caught their breath. Weiss' heart pounded wildly, her trembling hand making Myrtenaster's tip rattle on Pyrrha's breastplate. Before Oobleck had called the match, she stepped back, finally having a moment to brush her bangs from her eyes, shaking her hand and flicking sweat from her palm.

"That will do, ladies! Wonderful job!"

The gathered students seemed to think so too. Pyrrha pulled at her brown corset, fanning herself. Weiss suspected Pyrrha's 'fatigue' was for show - she could no doubt have continued on. If she had the breath to do so she'd congratulate her friend, but instead she bowed her head before busying herself with removing the leather padding on her weapon.

"We'll call it a draw, excellent work, both of you!" Oobleck shouted over the applause, motioning for everyone to settle down. It took a moment but settle down they did, and with a few stern glances at students hanging off pillars the hall was in order once more. "Students, take this duel as a chance to learn! Everyone here is capable of this, you only need to apply yourself and give it your all. Remember, the sky's the limit! In a manner of speaking… Technically we've never been able to go higher than a few hundred feet…"

Ignoring Oobleck's tangent Weiss slipped Myrtenaster into her belt, meeting Pyrrha halfway and hugging the taller girl. "You were splendid as always," cheered the shorter girl.

"Please, I did everything I could just to keep up!" Pyrrha smiled warmly, hands clasped on Weiss' shoulders. Her emerald eyes drifted to something behind Weiss and she let go, stepping back and holding her hands behind her back. Weiss glanced back when a flurry of red and black crashed into her, nearly knocking her onto the floor.

"Weiss, you were so good! I knew you could do it!"

Trying not to choke as arms wrapped around her neck Weiss grabbed Ruby's elbows, pulling until the brunette released her. Gods, was she trying to kill her?! Rubbing her neck just to make certain Ruby hadn't somehow broken it she narrowed her gaze and put a finger in the other girl's face. "Ruby Rose, how many times have I told you not to do that?"

"Aw, but I'm just showing you how happy I am!" Ruby grinned, unabashed even as Weiss continued to glare. Wiggling her hips and sending her skirt aflutter Ruby snatched up Weiss hands, silver pools shining in delight. "You beat Pyrrha and it was soooo cool!"

"It was a draw." Try as she might Weiss still smiled, freeing one hand and flicking Ruby's nose. Her friend squeaked, covering her face before sticking out her tongue. "And I hardly consider a draw to be a victory."

"Against Pyrrha? I'd say that's a win!" Jaune said, smiling apologetically from behind Ruby. He gave Weiss a wave that she halfheartedly returned, rolling her eyes as he missed Pyrrha's delighted smile and muted thanks.

Ren joined them in the ring, half-walking, half dragged by his eccentric teammate. Much to his delight and Jaune's chagrin Nora released Ren's hand, leaping onto Jaune's back and wrapping her limbs in a vice. "You. Guys. Were. Awesome!"

Content to let Jaune deal with Nora, Ren smiled and nodded. "You were both exceptional. I'd expect nothing less from the top fighters in our class."

Pyrrha's cheeks mirrored her hair and she waved a hand. "You honor us with your praise. You're not bad yourself, Ren."

"But you two are like, the bestest ever! Of all time!" Unbridled enthusiasm returned as Ruby grinned, stepping past Weiss and throwing herself at Pyrrha. She took the affection in better stride than Weiss had, laughing and catching the excitable brunette.

Thankfully Oobleck ushered students from the hall rather than let them swamp the two fighters, having correctly assumed neither girl wished to contend with their 'fans' right now. Their friends were the exception as everyone in the the Cathedral, or in Vale probably, knew how close they were. Plus, it was easier to let Nora do as she pleased rather than try to control her. Within reason.

They were a motley bunch, that much was certain. Ren tried to coerce Nora down from Jaune's shoulders, sighing as his friend hissed at him. Jaune for his part could only try to maintain his balance and whine as his hair was pulled. Two orphans from Mistral and the son of a local Magi family, one of modest renown. Unlikely friends anywhere else, yet here they were acting as if they'd grown up together. Then there was Pyrrha Nikos, a prodigal Magi from Mistral, a different region than Nora and Ren. She'd come to Vale to 'see the world and its wonders' - and Weiss wondered what in the world Vale had to offer that Mistral didn't. But here she was, another addition to the unlikely cavalcade.

Weiss smiled as Ruby bounced her way over, unable to make herself annoyed for long. She might be obnoxious, immature, naive and even a bit dim at times, but no one had a kinder heart than Ruby Rose. She was Weiss' first friend upon arriving in Vale, a chance encounter as they traveled into the city for initiation. She'd screamed at the other girl back then, furious that Ruby, in an effort to get to the Cathedral on time, had flown through the streets with her speed magic. It had almost worked until the dunderhead collided with Weiss, knocking them both off the street and into a ditch.

Furious as she'd been she couldn't deny the girl's sincerity in her apologies. Nor could she make Ruby leave her alone two weeks after the fact as she desperately tried to set things right. At first she'd agreed to have Ruby around out of pity, deciding if she let the girl settle her guilty conscience then at last she'd be allowed peace.

Somewhere along the lines though they became friends. 'Bestest friends ever' if Ruby's childish claims were to be believed. Weiss smiled as she followed alongside her 'undisputed bestie', another ridiculous title Ruby gave herself. Their ring stood in the very center of the hall, one of many dotting the space. Natural light poured in from a dozen windows and flooded the room. Nora's voice echoed off the high arched ceiling as she screamed in delight. Shame, the silence that had settled in moments ago was rather nice.

"We can get pancakes?! Really?!"

Ren blinked once and nursed at his ear, checking his fingertips for blood. Poor Jaune nearly toppled over, having had the displeasure of still carrying Nora who now skipped along beside her own partner while Pyrrha half-carried hers.

"Pancakes? We can have pancakes for dinner?!" Ruby echoed Nora's enthusiasm, giggling in delight. Weiss deadpanned when Ruby clutched her arm, bouncing along. "Can we Weiss? Can we?"

"You're an adult, I don't see why you need my approval." Why was Ruby pouting now? She'd said yes!

"I think she's asking for you to come with us," Pyrrha pointed out with a giggle, gasping when she nearly dropped Jaune, then did when her hand brushed against his rear, staring wide eyed and uttering a string of apologies as she helped him up.

Oh. That made a bit more sense. Why couldn't Ruby just say that instead of being a dolt about it? Weiss wanted to say no because pancakes with her friends meant copious amounts of sugar and nothing of nutritional value. Ruby's pleading eyes made that immensely difficult, as did the put-on sniffles and quivering lip. Weiss knew it was all for show and her friend was just trying to trick her.

"Oh… Very well, I guess I'll tag along." Damn it. Weiss reeled when Ruby lifted her off her feet in a hug, squeaking and kicking her legs in protest. Once set down she couldn't even berate her friend before she zipped ahead of the group with Nora hot on her heels, the two girls singing about the 'joys of pancakes'. If one could call that singing. It sounded more like cats fighting.

Still, it was music to her ears. Most people in Vale - particularly those in the Church, had one of two reactions. Either they recognized her for her name and treated her with undue respect, which was ironic given her status. Or, just as common, many viewed her as the bastard child she was and were content to either deride or ignore her. People like her sparring opponent from moments ago were common enough that she should be used to it. _Should._

No one here cared about any of that. To them she was simply 'Weiss', another initiate among a group of forty. They didn't gawk at her name, throw flower petals at her feet as she walked - Ruby and Nora had done so once as a joke while Jaune tried to serenade her. She was positive the mark from where her ice disfigured the wall was still there in the main hall. They were friends and nothing more. They were loud, at times crude, obnoxious, goofy and clumsy, but that only made them more endearing.

A pair of heavy wooden doors separated the training hall from the outside world. Wood and tiled floors stopped at the arched frame, stone slabs buried into the earth leading them from the belly of the building, out into a finely trimmed lawn with beds of tulips, lilacs and sunflowers; the gardens were at the behest of Proctor Peach's demands that they 'give the dreary cathedral some color.' And so flower beds adorned many of the facility's landscapes, as if the numerous trees, statues, fountains and sitting areas didn't already seem excessive.

Brown and gray stone ended at a low brick wall and Jaune managed to get his bearings enough to hold open the wrought iron gate that Ruby and Nora zipped through seconds before. That dopey smile he wore whenever he was doing something nice was endearing. He was a lot like a puppy, Weiss had decided. Awkward, at times more than a handful, but nice. Did that equate him to being the pet of the group? Weiss giggled behind her palm, smiling knowingly as she passed by Jaune.

Nora skipped circles around the group while Ruby spun on her heel, face split by a wide smile and arms held out at her sides. "Alright everyone, time for Operation Get Deliciousness Into Our Tummies!"

"Wouldn't a shorter name be better…?" Pyrrha snickered.

"Operation Fill Our Bellies!" Nora stopped in her tracks, conveniently right beside Ren, fists trembling as she drooled.

Weiss scoffed at the ridiculous names. "Let's focus on getting there before we start drooling, hm?" Nora caught herself and wiped her chin, throwing a salute and nodding. She'd likely have taken off down the street if Ren didn't grab the back of her shirt, running in place before realizing and stopping, folding her arms with a huff.

Before them, lining the cobbled streets of central Vale City, were homes for the clergy of the Church. Tall homes of brick and stone with red tiled roofs, each one two stories tall. From memory Weiss knew they were well decorated, the one she'd visited having polished wooden floors, the latest amenities, furniture imported from Vale's most renown craftsmen and food aplenty, given to the clergy as gifts from the local farms. The Church provided spiritual guidance and protection and in turn the city's denizens provided for the Church. It was a symbiotic relationship, one that they had become intimately familiar with.

Weiss glanced up at the clear sky, an ocean of blue gradually fading as the flames of evening chased it away. It would be light out for a while longer as Vale's summers always did have a tendency to drag on. With luck they'd get to have their meals and be back before nightfall. Not that she was particularly concerned about traveling Vale's streets at night. Not when they had a Nora with them.

"Let's get going before it gets much later." Weiss nodded and returned Pyrrha's smile, joining her and Jaune while Ren was left to try and reign in Nora. Ruby skipped along beside them with a grin that was going to end up stuck if she kept it up. Incorrigible dolt.

Someone's stomach grumbled, and Weiss flushed realizing it was her own, putting a hand over it and sticking her tongue out at a snickering Ruby. Pancakes were _not_ a food fit for supper, but right now they sounded like the most delectable thing on Remnant.

/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/

Sprawling cities like Vale needed some kind of rhyme or reason to their layout. From history lessons Weiss understood that Vale had been smaller once, many, many ages ago. Shops sprung up alongside homes and the nobility lived among the commoners. Well, not _among_ them, as she was certain any noble would have a stroke having to share a living space with common folk. At one point in time though Vale City had been like any other small, tight-knit community. Then it expanded. And expanded some more.

Before long the village had become a town, and the town a city. Walls were built and, in an effort to make some sense of the sprawling space, districts were formed. The Grand Cathedral stood as the heart of Vale City, resting at the fork of the River Tyne, nestled between the four major districts - Commercial, Residential, Industrial, and Agricultural all met. Housing for clergymen and the Church of Remnant's proctors surrounded the immediate area, and like spokes of a wheel the roads fanned out further still, Church grounds giving way to commoners'.

Their destination was the Residential district. Just off the main plaza and nestled in between a bookbinder's shop and an herbalist stood a three-story building of brick and wood. The ground floor's walls, white and gray brick interlaced with strips of dark spruce wood trim. Small rooms were attached to the three-story central hub, the closest of which had rectangular windows, glass yellowed with age. A smokestack rose up out of the red tiled roof, white smoke fleeing from within. _If memory serves that would be the kitchen_. Weiss could feel her mouth watering just imagining the goods being made within.

The plaza itself was circular, with cut brick buried in the dirt, providing solid footing for the carriages. A small garden in the center broke up a sea of gray, and in the center of the garden stood a massive oak tree. Oil lanterns lined the plaza and cast long shadows, the only source of light as the sun was slowly beginning to fade beyond the horizon. Weiss stopped beneath one and watched as a pair of children raced around in the garden, smiling as their mother beckoned to them. They giggled and ran off to join her, hand in hand as they left.

"Weiss?" Blinking and turning back around she smiled at Pyrrha, giving her a questioning look. "Are you ready to go in?"

She'd zoned out, hadn't she? Weiss flushed and nodded, noticing the rest of their group already gathered by the door, save for Pyrrha and Jaune who waited dutifully by her side. "Of course, sorry."

To the right of the main door was a side entrance, one intended for employee use only. Weiss smiled as she recalled an instance of Ruby rushing through the door in an effort to be the first inside, only to collide with a poor worker and cause a bag of flour to explode. Thank the gods the owners liked them, otherwise she could see them being barred for the accident.

Pausing briefly at the steps to the inn she craned her neck, gazing up at the second and third floors. Wooden balconies adorned the top levels, one directly overhead. Planters hung off the edge and flowers added color to the otherwise bland structure, small dots of pink, yellow, blue and gold. The second floor was filled with guest rooms, and the topmost floor housed workers and the owners alike.

Just to the left of the main door and on the corner of the building stood a tower. Weiss wouldn't have paid it any mind if she didn't hear one of the windows open, spotting a familiar face leaning out the window and shaking out a bed sheet. The woman noticed her, and she smiled, waving alongside Pyrrha and Jaune. "Good evening, Mrs. Oum!"

"Evening, girls! Jaune!" Drawing the sheet inside the black-haired stewardess leaned on her window frame. "I'm guessing those are your friends who just came in? I can hear them from up here!"

Even over the music? Weiss smiled apologetically, then threw out a quick verbal one when she realized their gracious host wouldn't see it. Mrs. Oum waved and disappeared inside, no doubt rushing downstairs to tend to their patrons. Deciding they'd lingered outdoors long enough Weiss followed the lingering members of her group inside, passing through the red door and beneath the placard that read "Monty's Corner".

Why was it called a 'Corner'? Weiss never knew exactly. Unless the name referred to the fact that the building had corners, a very mundane naming convention, she'd always thought 'Inn' or 'Tavern' would be more fitting.

Wall lanterns basked the room in a gentle glow, orange flames tinting the space in a welcoming light. Over the sound of a minstrel and bard performing in the far corner she could make out the sounds of glasses clinking, voices laughing and melding together in cheerful banter. A handful of workers stood before the musical duo and danced - horribly, Weiss might add.

Opposite the door was a lengthy bar, a single, large spruce log that had been carved into a countertop by one of the city's carpenters. A gift for their marriage, Mrs. Oum had told them. The same could be said for the numerous glasses set out across the countertop and tables, large mugs with a sun and birds flying across its face. Presents from the local glass smith.

Much of what was inside the building was gifts. The Oums weren't particularly wealthy, their inn not being among the most affluent in Vale City. Their wealth came from being so beloved by so many. It was a smaller place, yet Monty's Corner was home to many people, particularly after a hard's day labor. It was only natural then that when the owners officially tied the knot many of their regular patrons were eager to provide for the place which brought them so much joy.

That was the story Weiss heard from another patron one evening. Mrs. Oum would later insist they had paid for most of it, though a few pieces were gifts, she admitted.

Scouring the busy room her eyes drifted over other patrons in search of her friends. A Meera staggered past them and Weiss pressed against the wall to make room for the man. Her eyes caught the feline ears atop his head, black as his mane of hair with gray fur adorning the very tips. Unfocused orange eyes stopped on her for a moment and she wondered what he was staring at, leaning away when he reached out behind her, grabbing a toothpick from a small cup.

"'Scuse me, little girl…" he slurred, hiccuping and stumbling out of the building.

Little girl? Weiss' cheeks flushed while Pyrrha and Jaune politely looked away. She'd half a mind to trip the drunkard for that! Before she could exact her not at all petty revenge though he was gone, leaving her to stew. Clearing her throat, she resumed her search for their friends.

She spotted Nora first, her bright orange hair doing its best impersonation of the lanterns adorning the walls. Weiss wove her way through the crowd and joined her friends at their shared table. A padded booth run along the wall, a wide window above it looking out over the adjacent street, slivers of natural light slipping through the glass. Black leather bound over wooden seats and stuffed with wool they were the most comfortable spots in the entire establishment. Also, their regular spots.

Ruby smiled innocently as she wiggled in place, taking up the last few inches of the booth. "You guys found us! We saved you some seats!"

 _Yes, the more uncomfortable options._ She wasn't at all jealous. Not as her bottom rested against a stiff wooden chair, the knotted, braided back digging into her spine. Why would she be jealous she got to sit in a rickety, aged, uncomfortable chair while Ruby and the others rested on heavenly, cushioned seats?

How odd that something struck Ruby's shin. Weiss smiled innocently as the silver-eyed girl stuck her tongue out. "Does everyone know what they'd like to get?" she asked, expecting Nora to have declared her meal as soon as she entered.

"Nope! We were being good and waiting on you three!" The news came as a surprise to Weiss and Nora pouted dramatically, folding her arms as she slouched. "Ren said it wasn't nice to order without you."

"The food isn't going anywhere, Nora," Ren gently chided, patting his partner's shoulder and blinking as she groaned and drooped against him.

"We are getting pancakes still, right?!" Ruby wiggled, forgetting Weiss' assault on her shin and beaming once more. "I want a whole pile with maple syrup! No, sugar! NO! Strawberries!"

"For the love of…" Weiss buried her face in her hands and sighed, masking her smile. "Get whatever you'd like, but I swear to gods if you end up being a nuisance when we try to sleep tonight, I'll make you sleep in the hall."

It wasn't a bluff, she'd done it before. Or she'd tried to. Once Ruby began to whimper like a scorned dog and pad at the door Weiss hadn't the heart to make her friend stay outside any longer. Hm… Maybe Ruby was the group's pet and not Jaune?

"There you are! I was wondering where you kids got off to!"

Mrs. Oum's smile was as warm as the oven she used to bake her desserts in. Perhaps not quite _that_ warm, otherwise it would be uncomfortably hot. With a youthful face, chestnut eyes set under a thin brow and dark brown hair tied neatly back in a bun she looked more like a woman half her age. Her slender figure was clad in a green gown, an apron caked in flour and chocolate tied at her waist. Ruby muttered something about cookies and Weiss quickly kicked her friend's shin again, wincing when Ruby kicked her back, a violent war of shin-kicking erupting under the table.

"It's nice to see you again, ma'am," Ren greeted kindly. He had the decency to do so while Weiss and Ruby raged their silent war, each girl wearing smiles he knew were forced.

Mrs. Oum didn't mind, more than used to the group's antics by now. "Let me guess… We're here for dinner, and judging by someone's constant bouncing…" All eyes went to Nora and the ginger girl merely grinned, continuing with her excitement. "I'm thinking it's pancake night again?"

"Pancakes!" Nora declared, leaning forward and reaching out towards their hostess. "Give. Pancakes. Now!"

"What she means to say," Pyrrha interrupted, smiling apologetically while Ren chopped Nora's head with the flat of his hand. "Is yes, we'd love pancakes tonight. If it's available."

"For some regular customers like yourselves? Of course! Though I'm not sure there are enough in this kingdom to sate your hunger." The playful jab was aimed at Nora and everyone knew it, Nora included. She owned it, snorting and patting her stomach.

"Then make them really good and I'll go easy on ya!"

Weiss rolled her eyes, thanking the powers that be their gracious hostess was able to tolerate Nora's… Nora-ness. Everyone at the table ordered for themselves, from the modest two cakes Weiss asked for to the obscene eight and ten Ruby and Nora requested respectively. They'd have gone higher, no doubt, but both herself and Ren reeled in their partners voraciousness. Drinks were ordered, simple glasses of water; they had a weekly stipend to spend in the city, no sense in blowing it all in one meal. Mrs. Oum excused herself and disappeared into the kitchen.

At the far end of the table to her right Jaune let out a groan, his chair mimicking the noise as she shifted. "I'm so sore after today…" Laying on the table his arms dropped to his sides, cheek flat against the surface.

"We're all a bit tired today," Weiss pointed out.

"Yeah, but I'm the only one who had to fight Cardin. He hits like a stinking bull!" Pyrrha rubbed Jaune's back, drawing her hand back when he winced. "Aw man… I think my butt broke from that fall earlier too."

Okay, one, you couldn't break your butt. Or… Not exactly your butt. Your tailbone yes, not the butt. And if that had happened Jaune would be in considerably more pain than he was now. Secondly, and Weiss nearly blurted this aloud… She'd fought Pyrrha! Sure, Cardin didn't hold back against Jaune where Pyrrha had with her, but it was Pyrrha. The best fighter among them. And Jaune wore armor!

Weiss felt a foot tapping her shin and shot a warning glance at Ruby, daring her to start up their war again. They'd had an unspoken truce, she'd thought, a peace brokered over pancakes. But she'd gladly take up arms again if… Oh, she was patting the seat beside her after making room. Weiss didn't hesitate, squeezing into the space and smiling sheepishly, shifting to try and get more comfortable. "Thank you, Ruby."

A peculiar expression swept over the brunette's features, a cheeky smile and a mischievous gleam in her eyes. Weiss' eyebrow rose at a stifled giggle and Ruby leaned closer, winking playfully. "You can sit in my lap if you want…?"

Weiss pinched Ruby's nose between her thumb and forefinger, cheeks lightly flushed as she narrowed her eyes. "Absolutely not."

"Ow, ow, ow, ow! Weeeeeeiss, it was a joke! Let me go!" Ruby whined nasally. Her flailing arms caught Nora on the cheek and made the ginger-haired girl gasp in surprise, then grin madly.

"Ruby wants to fight!"

"Nora! Not at the table!"

"Ren, stop her!"

Nora laughed in delight as she leaned across Ruby's back, tugging the girl's hood over her head. Ren wrapped his arms around her middle and attempted to peel her off while Pyrrha reached across and grabbed Nora's wrist, trying to pry her hold from Ruby's cloak. Jaune, meanwhile, remained draped across the table, knowing better than to get involved. Ren gave a harder tug and fell back with Nora, gasping for breath as she somehow ended up sat on his chest. Pyrrha uttered frantic apologies and stood, uncertain of what to do to help. And Jaune, somehow, was on the floor, seeing stars after one of Nora's hands somehow knocked him upside the head.

Weiss had long since released her hold on Ruby's nose, blinking as she watched the chaos before her unfold. Pyrrha helped Jaune back into his chair and Nora finally moved off her partner, oblivious to his plight as he still fought for breath after sitting up.

Somehow that catastrophe went unnoticed by other patrons, too engrossed in their own business or drink to care. Maybe they were all just used to the group's nonsense too. Weiss recognized enough faces even without having names to them to know many of the people here now were regular customers. At some point the unruly group of kids had melted into the more mature crowd. No one bat an eye seeing a group of teenagers in a tavern anymore.

A tall, slender man made his way to their table with a wide tray balanced on one arm. He smiled at the group as he approached, smile turning to a curious and concerned glance seeing Jaune still reeling and Ren out of breath. "Um…?"

"Please don't mind it, they're fine." Well, Ren was fine, if winded. Jaune could have a concussion after being walloped by Nora. Weiss let Pyrrha tend to her partner and smiled at the tall man, his eyes barely visible under long, tawny hair, with green streaks that, like Ren's pink, somehow occur naturally. "Pleasure to see you again, Mr. Oum."

"Likewise, Weiss. And you know you can call me Monty by now." With a smile as warm as his wife's, Mr. Oum went about setting out their glasses, five of clear liquid, and one with milk. The latter went to Ruby along with a knowing look, and after letting out a giddy thanks Ruby promptly began to nurse her drink.

The rest of the table raised their glasses in a cheer. "Business seems good tonight," Pyrrha commented after relieving her parched throat. "As usual. I'm so happy for you two."

"It wasn't always this steady, but a bit of hard work and good fortune helped us get to where we are." Weiss nodded at Monty's words. She could easily recall a time where half the building would be filled, sometimes not even that. Then word spread like wildfire and before anyone knew it Monty' Corner had become a regular respite for workers all throughout the city. And a group of initiates too.

"Of course, none of this would be possible without your generous patronage," Monty went on. "For a while it seemed like we'd made a mistake, but we didn't give up and I'm happy to say our efforts have paid off."

"Keep moving forward," Ren said. It was the same phrase scrawled into the placard outside, and the motto of the building itself. Good advice, if a bit philosophical for a place that saw more drunks than scholars.

Monty allowed himself a proud smile and hearty laugh. It was a laugh befitting a man twice his size, and like his smile, it embodied warmth. "Glad to see its stuck." The barmaid called over the crowd, signaling to an empty keg. Excusing himself and bidding them a good evening Monty wove through the tables with ease to get to work.

Their meals didn't take much longer to come out after that. Due to sheer volume it took not only Mrs. Oum, but the cook the assistant cook, and another woman to deliver the food. The cook, a burly man with soot and various foodstuffs covering his apron, carried Ruby's and Nora's absurd bounties, one in each hand. Grinning, he set the two stacks down before them, dusting his hands off on his soiled apron. "How'd I know you two ordered those monstrosities?" he asked with a laugh. Ruby smiled sheepishly while Nora began cutting into her mountain, pouting when Ren made her wait.

Mrs. Oum set the last of the plates down and smiled, taking a pitcher from the other woman and setting it out of Nora's reach, much to the ginger girl's chagrin. A small plate with butter was produced as well. "Fresh from the farms this morning," she explained. "Anything else you kids need?"

"Other than a healer once Nora and Ruby go into a coma?" Weiss smiled and shook her head. "That will be all I believe. Thank you very much."

Ruby was the lone exception in expressing her thanks, busy staring at the woman beside their hostess. She had the most quizzical look on her face, brow pinched and mouth agape. When Weiss prodded her cheek, Ruby blinked and realized she'd been staring, and everyone was staring at her, gasping and turning bright as her cloak. "O-O-Oh, heh, uh… Sorry! I just kinda… Spaced out there!"

Possessing far more social graces than Ruby, Mrs. Oum laughed. "I'm more surprised you weren't fixated on your pancakes. Have you not met my sister before?"

Sister? Weiss glanced back and eyed the other woman carefully. Same face, with hazel eyes instead of brown and with short hair that hung down to her shoulders, the two women were remarkably similar. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure, no."

"Well then, everyone, this is Eileen. Eileen," Mrs. Oum giggled and waved to the table. "This is everyone."

"Nice to meet you!" came a chorus of replies, Ruby's voice joining in this time.

Cooks and matrons alike excused themselves, leaving the group to enjoy their 'dinner'. Weiss would still argue pancakes, and certainly pancakes loaded with preposterous amounts of sugar, did not a dinner make.

Left to their own devices everyone began to dig in, even Weiss. Nora inhaled one cake after another and Ren spent more time making sure she wasn't choking than feeding himself. Jaune and Pyrrha chatted among themselves, slowly enjoying their meal and their partner's company, though Weiss suspected one more so than the other. _Honestly, if he doesn't realize before we finish training…_

Weiss expected Ruby to be halfway through her stack by the time she glanced over. Instead she saw half of one cake gone, a piece still stuck to Ruby's fork. She looked forlorn, silver eyes staring at the food and nowhere at the same time. Gently placing a hand on Ruby's shoulder, she gave her friend a patient smile. "Hey… Are you okay? You seem... Lost?"

Ruby blinked a few times before smiling back, big and bright as ever. "Oh, me? Yeah, totally fine! A-okay, Weiss! Just uh… Thinking about how good these pancakes are!" A not at all convincing giggle preceded a mouthful of pancakes and Ruby wiggled in her seat.

Weiss wasn't convinced, but a pleasant dinner with friends wasn't the place to pry. "I see… Well, don't eat too slowly, otherwise Nora might steal some." A more natural smile formed when Ruby gasped and began to eat quicker, and Weiss laughed watching her cheeks expand to make space for the sudden intake. Something was clearly bothering her, but she'd ask later tonight. For now, she could be her dorky, cheery self.

/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/

Sisters, huh? Ruby didn't know Miss Oum had a sister. She didn't see why the lady _wouldn't_ have one, but they'd just never met her before. She seemed… Nice. She had to be nice if she was part of that family, and she certainly wasn't going to assume someone she just met was mean, so Ruby decided she was nice. Working with her sister, getting to see her every day, probably even have dinner with her every night…

Ruby rolled over, hugging her pillow tighter and opening her eyes. Sleep refused to come as her mind was busy tripping over itself. She was happy that Mrs. Oum had family with her, because family was important. Everyone had family, and if they weren't super close, then at least you knew where they were! She had her dad back on Patch, and… Well, that was kind of it, really. Her mom was gone, a thought that no longer reduced Ruby to tears and just made her chest ache dully.

It wasn't the loss of her mother that was making tears well up in her eyes. And it wasn't the over-abundance of pancakes and syrup she'd eaten for supper, though Weiss had seemed convinced she and Nora would end up ill.

She missed her sister.

How long had it been since she'd seen Yang? At some point she'd been counting and was pretty sure she'd gotten to two years before she stopped. It had been two years, four months, seventeen days and about… nine hours? Ten hours? But who was counting?

Ruby whimpered, the sound muffled by her face buried in the pillow. The last thing she wanted to do was wake Weiss and worry her friend. She missed Yang though, so badly. It was getting to the point where she didn't even really recall her voice, or what it felt like to get a hug from her. She was forgetting things. That was the worst part of it. Was she going to forget Yang? Would she ever see her again?

Was she alive…?

Ruby's chest constricted painfully, and she released a choked sob into her pillow, hands desperately clutching at it for comfort.

She needed to become a Hunter, so she could travel. She needed the training to protect other people, sure, but more selfishly, she needed to train so she could find Yang. Was that wrong of her? It felt wrong, but she couldn't help it. She needed to know if Yang was okay. Where would she even look though? Where would she ask? Who could she ask?

No one, which was why she needed to hurry up and finish training. Yang was out there, she had to be, and she'd need Ruby's help. She'd finish her initiation, complete her training and become the best Hunter Remnant ever saw. Then, and only then, could she track down her sister. Right now, fighting Grimm was the furthest thing from her mind. Right now, curled up in bed and embracing her pillow, Ruby was busy battling the raging thoughts plaguing her.

As she slowly found sleep amidst whimpers and quiet crying, Weiss lay awake in her own bed, her face scrunched. They each had sisters that were out of their reach, after all, and it was that common bond among everything else that had enabled them to become so close, so quickly. There were other reasons they were friends too, obviously, but their shared pain had been one of the first.

As the moon hung high in the sky a subdued light flooded the small bedroom. A pale glow illuminated the floorboards between the beds, causing the potted flower beneath the window to shine. Vale had grown silent, yet only a few hours from now the workers would rise again, ready for another day of labor. And the girls? Another day of training, lessons, and whatever shenanigans they found themselves in.

They needed sleep, and sleep eventually did come. It wasn't restful though. Between Ruby's fitful cries and Weiss' own sorrow it had taken ages for either of them to drift off. Even once asleep it was unpleasant, as bad dreams and sodden pillows made for miserable experiences.

* * *

 **So, a few marked differences this time around!**

 **\- No "books". Chapters are going to have names, though things that carry over between chapters may have numbered parts (Fight pt. 1, for example.)**

 **\- We're starting much earlier in the timeline. This will allow me to establish more of the lore/innerworkings of this version of Remnant as we go, rather than trying to naturally integrate explanations in the middle of other events.**

 **\- There's another big difference, but you'll all have to wait and see what that is. Not long though! It's coming in the next chapter.**

 **Thanks for giving my story the time, and extra thanks to people who I may have disappointed yet still see fit to read along. You're the best, guys!**


	2. Chapter 2: Yang

**So, a bit different from the initial Weight of a Name! Someone referred to this as a prequel of sorts and... You're not wrong, but you're not right either. You'll see.**

 **For people who have read before, you might recognize some terms thrown in here. For those who haven't don't worry, I'll be expanding on them in the first few chapters to help ground them a bit!**

 **Oh, and the new things? Aside from shifting perspectives, which is going to be a thing... I can't say without spoiling things for new people ;D Folks who've read might notice something different though!**

 **Big thanks as always to those who read, and with Christmas right around the corner I just want to say... Happy Nondescript Holiday!**

* * *

Settlements in Vale were weird. And not just the 'people out here are probably sleeping with their own family' kind of weird, though Yang suspected that was the case. When there was nowhere else for miles and you only had so many people to pick from you took what you could get.

The thought made her shudder and her face wrinkle with disgust. No, it wasn't any incestual weirdness that gave her an off-feeling, though that was _definitely_ funky. What had her rolling her glass between her palms were three men huddled around a table together. From where she sat she couldn't make out what was being said, and with the dim lighting of the tavern their faces were largely masked in shadow.

What troubled her about them was how they kept looking around the tavern. At the barkeeper and the barmaids; two young girls who had to be a few years her junior and an old man with more hair on his face than head, he owned the joint. Even more worrisome was how they kept looking at her. Yang pretended not to notice, fingering the rim of her glass and whistling to herself. Inconspicuous? Probably not, but if she just feigned ignorance they would leave her alone.

Maybe. Or perhaps they were waiting for a chance to catch her unawares and bury a blade in her back. Paranoia was a dangerous thing, sure, but it was healthy too. When you dealt with the things she did on a daily basis Yang couldn't help but express a little caution. Tugging her hood down a bit she shielded her eyes behind the orange-trimmed brown hood. A yellow heart, burning as brightly as her glorious mane was sewn just above the brim, glowing whenever the lanterns caught it just right.

Yang waited for the men to become engrossed in their conversation again before glancing over once more. They were all armed, one with a mace, the other with a pair of knives. The man facing her had a bow, though she was certain she'd seen a blade on his hip when he walked in, too. Remnant was dangerous what with Grimm and bandits prowling everywhere, so weapons weren't that unusual. And there had been a Grimm incursion in town within the last few days, so a few Hunters weren't that out of place, all things considered.

Lifting her glass, she sloshed the amber liquid around and listened to ice cubes clink against glass. Fire slipped through her lips, her taste buds coming to life as her throat burned from the liquor. Not the strongest she'd ever had, but strong enough that she coughed as it slid down, wrinkling her nose in disgust. She didn't particularly care for the flavor, but it sure did help keep the edge off.

Seeing a few Hunters around when Grimm had been active wasn't concerning. What _was_ concerning, however, was the fact they'd shown up so late. A handful of Grimm had lingered, and they'd dealt with them as usual, nothing strange there. Except that was two days ago. Hunters should move on by then and instead these three were lingering, always coming to this tavern. Always watching her.

Yang knew her mind wasn't playing tricks on her. She watched as the man with the mace stood, lilac trained on him carefully. A blue set found hers and she smiled, raising her glass in a silent toast to the man. He smiled back and nodded before approaching the bar. No stumble in his walk despite being there just as long as Yang had been. Three hours, if she was keeping track. Plenty of time for them to get good and hammered, if they'd been drinking. The half-filled glasses still on their table showed they hadn't been.

As if on cue the duo rose from their table and started to make their way over. Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Those were their names, Yang had decided. The one with the mace was just Jackass. He had a face that screamed it. Tweedledee, the one with the knives, smiled and dragged a chair over to her table, spinning it around and draping his arms over the back as he sat. _Power move, eh? Alright, hotshot._ Tweedledum elected to stand. Just as Yang had thought, there was a sword on his hip.

"Hey there, missy. Couldn't help but notice you keep looking our way." Dee - because Yang was already sick of thinking the guy's entire name, smiled and cocked his head as he spoke. Probably about her age if she had to guess, with a sharp chin and eyes the same color of dirt. And what the hell was that green thing on his head supposed to be? A sorry excuse for a mohawk?

"What can I say? I like interesting people." Yang smiled easily and twirled her empty glass in her hand, ice slapping against glass. "I like people who buy me drinks even better," she added with a wink.

Dee smiled before nodding, snapping his fingers. Normally Yang doubted anyone else would hear it but since it was just her, the three assholes and the staff, the tavern was quiet enough that the noise carried. "Get our friend here another drink, would you, old man? Make it a good one!"

"Aw, buying me top shelf? You sure know how to treat a girl right." This time Dumbass, or Dum… Maybe she'd just call him Tweedle. _Ugh, too many names._ Dum smiled and she returned it readily, winking as another drink was set before her. Yang nodded in appreciation to the barmaid, maintaining the smile even as she noticed the fitful look of the girl. Something was spooking her, and unless she wasn't a fan of girls with hoods, it was these three bozos.

Wasting no time in accepting the gift Yang raised her glass, grinning and flashing her elongated canines before throwing it back. Like before it burned on its way down, the strange combination of honey and oak making her tongue tingle and go numb. "Wa-hey! Now that's some good stuff!" Yang snorted and laughed, slamming her glass down.

Dee and Dum continued to smile, neither saying a word. Jackass rejoined them and had a mug in his hand this time. Whatever was in it was clear, almost like water. Yang doubted it had any alcohol in it and was just for show. "Hope you don't mind the gift. Rare we see such a beauty in these parts."

Placing a hand on her chest Yang gasped, leaning back and flashing the trio another smile. "Me, a beauty? You boys really are charmers, huh?" Allowing herself a snicker she leaned forward, one arm folding on the table as her other gestured at the empty space around them. "What about the barmaids though? They're pretty cute too, don't you think?"

"Hm. I don't know; the Kanin looks a little dopey. Plus, those long ears of hers would get in the way." Living up to his name Dum made the most ignorant comment Yang had heard all night. Jackass, not living up to his name, swat the back of the man's head.

"Hey, it doesn't matter what a girl looks like." That's right, you tell him! "So long as she's good in bed who cares?" Okay, nevermind, 'Jackass' was a really fitting name.

Yang smiled as the trio laughed among themselves, much louder than anyone sober had a right to be. Her eyes drifted from the group and found the Kanin standing beside the counter, close to the barkeeper, her face hidden. Poor thing couldn't be any older than sixteen, her hands pulling her rabbit ears down as if trying to hide them. The other girl, a regular old Muran with regular round ears like most of the people in Remnant stood by and rubbed her back, muttering reassurances to her coworker.

"Hey, you there, blondie?" Yang drew her attention back to the Triumvirate of Idiocy. She smiled sweetly, tilting her head to prompt them to repeat whatever drivel they'd just spouted. "We asked what's got you here? Lyne's not the type of town that generally gets many visitors."

"Oh, you know, just traveling. Enjoying the sights, seeing what Vale's got to offer." Yang picked an ice cube from her glass and tossed it into her mouth, crunching loudly as she chewed.

"You've been here a while, huh? Swore we saw you a few days ago when we arrived," Dee said.

"Well there _were_ Grimm around. Kind of hard to go anywhere else with 'em hanging out," Yang drawled, smacking her lips and wrinkling her nose. Maybe she'd overdone it by chugging that last drink.

Jackass nodded and finally dragged over a seat for himself, the legs of the chair scraping loudly across the floor. He sat heavily, his drink sloshing out of the mug and staining the floor. He ignored it. "Sure, sure. Well you can rest easy now, we took care of them. No more scary monsters to terrify a fair maiden like you."

Yang giggled and waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, stop, you." No seriously, stop. If the liquor didn't make her throw up first, then all of the brownnosing and ass-kissing would.

"It's true though. Like we said it's rare we get to see a beauty like you." Dum sat himself and smiled. Propping his elbow against the table and his chin in his palm he chuckled. "Rarer still we see a Dimuran. Especially one so well to do."

Off to her right Yang heard the bartender cough meaningly. Her eyes drifted to the corners and she watched both girls scurry into the back kitchen, ushered in by another woman, probably the barkeep's wife. The old man looked away and quickly began to polish a glass, the same one he'd been working on for fifteen minutes.

Sighing to herself Yang leaned back in her chair, scratching at the black scales on her her cheek. Rolling her neck, she exposed more scales that ran down the length of it, disappearing under the earthy-toned, twin-tailed jacket that she wore. The leather girdle around her midsection crinkled, the red sash tied around it, and Yang flashed her sharp canines at the trio once more. "What can I say? I've had a good life." Face otherwise free of scales she beamed, eyes twinkling.

"To dress like that? I'd say so!" Jackass laughed, then flashed Yang a smile that made his blue eyes close a bit, making them harder to read. "Don't suppose you've paid for it with all your mercenary work?"

Dee and Dum had stopped smiling but Yang kept hers up for appearances. Grabbing another ice cube, she rolled it between her fingertips, melting a bit before she tossed it into her mouth. "Mercenary? Me? I'm just some girl," she said coyly. "What makes you think I do anything like that?"

"Well, you're a Magi for starters. And apparently a good one at that." Yang felt her smile wane, redoubling her efforts as Dee studied her. "Only natural someone with talent like you would take up work like that though. Fighting bandits, protecting caravans…"

"Killing Grimm," Dum added meaningfully. "Seems you're pretty good at that."

Yang clicked her tongue and pushed her foot against the floor, rocking back and forth. Tapping one finger on the table she let silence fall, eyes flickering over to the barkeeper again. The old man happened to look up at the right time and frowned, eyeing the trio before getting back to his work.

"You know, usually Hunters are called in to take care of Grimm." Jackass set his mace on the table, shaking it with the weight of his weapon alone. He smiled, running a hand back over his burnt-orange hair.

"What can I say…?" Yang shrugged and smiled playfully, pulling back one of her leather bracers. The metal plate sewn into it made it difficult to peel back but she managed, scratching at the sweaty skin beneath. "I'm wondering where you boys are hearing such tall tales about me though. I'm just some girl…"

"The villagers here, mostly. You put on quite a show killing those Grimm." Jackass grinned and waved his hand through the air. "You should see the looks on their faces when they talk about it. It's like they've never seen magic before!" He laughed and shook his head, finally taking a drink of his mug. Yang watched as he chugged a quarter in one go, holding up a hand when he offered to share.

"They're calling you all sorts of things, you know. The 'Girl on Fire', or 'The Fire Queen'." Were people really calling her that? She knew the townsfolk were grateful for what she'd done but they hadn't spoken a word about any weird nicknames. Then again, she was kind of avoiding them for that reason. "They've got all kinds of names for you, but there was one that really stuck," Jackass continued, pausing and tapping his chin. "Damn, what was it again…?"

"Wildfire, boss," Dum answered.

Yang couldn't keep herself smiling any longer. Rolling her tongue across her lips she busied herself with studying the grains of the table, all while feeling the trio's eyes on her. Letting her own gaze wander up she started to take stock of them. Jackass was the biggest and the only one wearing real armor: plate with chain, and leather, fingerless gloves. Dum had on some combination of leather and chain, which was better than nothing, but hardly as good as plate. Dee just wore leather and cloth, which made sense, she supposed, considering he used knives. _Nice and quick, like an assassin. Or a fly._

The bartender was now at the far end of his workspace and watching them, hands empty. Yang smiled at the man, allowing her gaze to drift around the room. It wasn't a big place, the tavern. Maybe half a dozen tables with nowhere near enough chairs, a dark wooden floor that showed its age, with numerous scrapes and stains. The walls were mostly barren, save for one or two paintings and a tapestry signifying the hold the town belonged to. A blue cloth with yellow inlay and set in the center were two vines flanking a barrel and a flagon. Vindemia, the hold, the city, and the noble family that ran it. _Really lousy naming convention,_ she mused.

"Any plans for tonight, Wildfire?" Jackass made a point of using that name again, drawing Yang's eyes back to his. She smiled and shook her head, still rocking in her seat.

"No-pe," Yang answered, popping the 'p' loudly and grinning. "Why? You three looking for a good time? I'm a handful, but even I can't handle that much at once!"

"I'd be down to try it," Dum quipped, groaning as Jackass slapped the back of his head.

"Shut up, idiot!"

At least she knew who the leader of this three-ring circus was. Yang smiled disarmingly and leaned across the table, her fingertip tracing circles in the wood. Mirroring Dum's posture earlier she giggled, resting her chin in her palm. "So, you want to tell me what this is about?"

Jackass placed a hand over his mace, not lifting it, and smiled back. "I think you know. Only question left is how you want to do this."

Yang couldn't keep herself from rolling her eyes. The only way that could have been any worse was if he'd asked if she wanted to 'do this the easy way, or the hard way'. Heh, hard way. She was blaming the liquor for that one. "Awww… Come on buddy, we were getting along so well! Are you sure we can't just be friends? This is so sudden…"

"You could take us seriously, you know," Dee snarled.

"Oh honey, I _am_ taking this seriously!" Yang beamed and leaned back in her seat, throwing her arms out to her sides with a laugh. "This is a pretty nice place, and I'm sad I'm going to be breaking it!"

Jackass grabbed his weapon, Dee drew his. Before Dum could even consider it Yang grabbed the table and flipped it, throwing it at the trio and jumping to her feet. A mace smashed into the table and cracked it, liquid and pieces of wood into the air. Yang darted around and grabbed Dee around his waist, driving and slamming him into another table. His spine crashed into the corner and Yang grinned hearing his daggers clatter to the floor, letting him join the blades and grabbing a chair. Dum's sword was caught between the legs and she twisted, wrenching the weapon free and kicking him right between the legs. She'd feel sympathy pain if she didn't think he was a total jackass.

No wait, he was Dum. There's Jackass! And there's a mace! Yang ducked and jumped away, whistling as another table had its life cut short. Then again, the tables looked about as aged as the floor, so… Retirement? The leader of the Three Idiots was much more persistent than his subordinates, chasing Yang across the tavern with swings that would shatter bone like glass. If they ever connected. Yang laughed and egged the boy on, grinning as he shattered one of the glasses on their old table.

"Woah, that's one way to quit drinking!" The mace cracked a chair, dragging it and hurling the furniture across the room. Yang watched it break and whistled, scrambling from an overhead swing. "Aw, I really _chair_ -ished that one!"

Dum and Dee gathered their weapons again and decided to join back in on the fun. Three on one might be an issue… If they had any coordination. The small space of the tavern, combined with Yang's tendency to dodge into blows, meant one of them couldn't attack without striking the other. Her bracers caught Dee's knives, pushing back and wincing as Dum nearly ran his friend through. Jackass pushed them both out of the way and heaved his mass at Yang's skull.

"Fight back already!"

"Nah!" Yang chortled as she wove between the trio, skipping away and winking as she turned and sat down in a chair. Grabbing one of their old drinks she sniffed at the liquid inside and gasped. "You like fruity drinks too? We're practically best friends now!"

Jackass fumed, his dopey face red as a tomato. Or… Maybe a cherry? It wasn't really the same shade as a tomato. "Argh! Get her, you idiots!" he yelled, slamming his mace against a table.

"Hey now, no need to get angry! Let's just _Yang_ out!" She didn't know what that was supposed to mean, but when people were trying to gut you coming up with jokes was hard, even for her.

Dum lunged with his sword and Yang caught his arm between the bars of the chair. With a twist she wrenched his arm and made him drop his weapon, pulling him forward and headbutting the bridge of his nose. Blinking from the impact she smirked and kicked him, watching the sandy-haired swordsman topple backwards over a table. Dee somehow ended up behind her and her head whipped around, arm reaching back and catching a wrist. A dagger pin pricked her skin, the very tip pushing through the back of her coat. Yang winked and pushed him back, whipping a leg around and striking his chin. Dum left his feet, twisting before landing in a heap several feet away, face in the floor and ass comically stuck up.

"Got you!" Jackass roared, mace overhead, both hands on his weapon. The head of the weapon shattered floorboards, driving further down and striking the dirt below. Blue eyes widened, and he looked around for Yang, gagging as arms wrapped around his neck. Dropping his weapon and clawing at them he tried to shake her off, coughing as legs wrapped around his middle.

"Shhh, go to sleep, big guy!" Yang cooed, smiling as Jackass continued to thrash about. He began to backpedal, and Yang braced, grunting as he slammed her into the wall, again and again. Pain raced up her spine and she kept her grip, gritting her teeth when he drove her into a table. Hissing, she yelped as a hand grabbed her hair, pulling hard and nearly ripping it out of her skull.

Yang saw stars as his head slammed into hers, losing her grip and falling onto her ass. On reflex alone, she rolled to avoid his boot as it crashed down where her head had been, kicking out and knocking Jackass off his feet. On her own again she smiled and dancing between the balls of her feet, giving her head a shake and rolling her shoulders. "Alright, just man on man. Or… Woman on man." Yang made a face and raised her fists. "You know what I mean!"

"Oh my GODS, would you just shut up already?!"

Someone was angry. That was good. Yang grinned and winked, curling a finger. Jackass took the bait and charged her, completely forgetting the weapon laying just a few feet away. Like the mace before his fists could probably cause some serious damage. Testing the waters Yang let one strike her shoulder and gave an 'oof!' as she stumbled back. Her limb tingled and there would probably be a bruise later.

"I've had worse," Yang taunted, winking and raising her fists again. With the coordination of a drunken Ursa, Jackass came at her again. The armor he wore was heavy and could no doubt protect him from plenty of weapons. In a fistfight though? All it did was slow him down. Weaving between strikes Yang smirked and flattened her hand, slamming its heel into Jackass' jaw, splitting his lip. He spit blood out before redoubling his efforts, an axe-swing missing completely.

Yang rolled her wrist before connecting with a jab to his jaw, grinning as his head snapped to the side with satisfying results. She followed up again with another, stepping closer as he stumbled back. Another wide punch was punished, a jab to the exposed chest just below the breastplate. Her bracer caught another punch, brushing it aside and trading one of her own, probably breaking the poor guy's nose. As he reeled back Yang grabbed his collar and held him up, another punch spilling fresh blood from his split lip. She shook her hand and watched Jackass reel, eyes fluttering and hands at his sides. With a small smile she let him go, blowing on him for extra measure and watching as he fell like a tree, slamming into the floor.

Neither Dum nor Dee had moved from earlier, and Jackass was too busy trying not to see double to bother her anymore. Satisfied, Yang went to their table and glanced at her reddened knuckles. Not her blood, fortunately. Finding a bag, she dug through it, pulling out a spare tunic and using it to wipe herself down. Then, digging further she found a pouch of Lien, smiling as she approached the counter.

"Hey, how much for those drinks I got…?" Yang didn't get an answer and so she leaned over the counter. Poor old guy was sat on the floor and clutching a little knife, pale as a ghost. Clicking her tongue loudly she smiled when he noticed her, waving and backing up when he stood, weapon held out. "Easy, I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to know what we owe for the drinks," she explained, glancing back and wincing seeing the two shattered tables, and three broken chairs. "And… For repairs…"

The old man blinked and finally seemed to notice the damage, lowering his knife which Yang realized wouldn't be good for much beside spreading butter. "Uh… The d-drinks…?"

Right… Yang sighed and set the entire pouch of Lien on the table, smiling apologetically. "Just take this, I'm sure there's enough in there. And if not…" She paused and dug into her coat pockets, fishing around before producing a few more Lien. "That should cover it all and then some. Sorry about the place!"

A moment passed where Yang and the barkeeper stared at one another, the former smiling, the latter looking about ready to lay bricks. Finally, he calmed down and looked at the money before him, carefully gathering it together and counting it. His eyes widened at the sum, looking up and seeing Yang fishing through the trio's belongings again. "This is… Y-You're sure…"

Yang was half listening, only realizing she was spoken to after a few seconds. "Huh? Oh, yeah, all yours, pops! Considerin' they started this I think it's only fair they pay to fix it!" Clicking her tongue, she grabbed the bag from the bottom and emptied its contents out across the table, scanning over the items.

A compass, a map that was now stained after being set in a puddle of alcohol, oops. There was a roll of bandages, some kind of foodstuffs wrapped in paper and bound by string. Yang grinned and pocketed that, patting it for safekeeping and browsing whatever else was of use. A canteen which, after sniffing at it, had nothing but water. She had one of those and without backwash. Pass. A knife that needed some sharpening, its leather grip worn and beginning to unfurl. A few other odds and ends that were of no significance passed her by and she was about to write off the bag as a bust until a rolled-up parchment caught her eye.

Sure, she could only make out the letters 'ed' on the edge but combined with what was obviously a sketch and some number, it didn't take a genius to figure out what it was. Yang rolled the paper open and whistled seeing the image inside. It was a… Reasonably accurate picture of her, though she didn't scowl like that, did she? It made her look so… Angry. Frowning as she examined the drawing she stepped over Dum, ignoring Dee as he groaned, and stood over Jackass as he was beginning to come to.

"Hey, where'd you get this…?" Yang showed the poster and leaned over, practically shoving it in Jackass' face. He groaned before coughing, covering the paper in spittle and blood. Grimacing, Yang dropped it on his face and left it there. "Fine, don't answer. I've got a good idea anyways."

Her own belongings somehow managed not to end up damaged in the brawl. A worn leather bag with frayed drawstrings sat right beside her chair where she'd left it, and after accounting for everything Yang slipped her pilfered meal inside, tossing it over one shoulder with a smile. "Sorry about the place again, sir! And uh…" Yang glanced at the three men strewn about on the floor, chuckling as she scratched her cheek with one finger. "Maybe just… Call the guard? Tell 'em they got into a fight or somethin'?"

However, the barkeep decided to handle things was his prerogative, Yang wouldn't be around for much longer anyways. By the time the two barmaids and the barkeep's wife emerged from the back room they were surprised to find the Bumbling Boobs - that was Yang's latest name for them, bound together and sat in the middle of the room. She'd have left a note with them but the old man served just as well to pass along a message. It wasn't the most eloquent or appropriate message, and the elderly owner flushed when he repeated his words to the three girls.

"Pretty sure I broke one of their dicks…" the barkeep recited, grimacing as the three girls looked on in shock. "You won't have to worry about them harassing you anymore."

/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/

A few things sucked about being on the run. For starters it was _murder_ on the feet! Occasionally when she had the Lien for it Yang could charter a carriage and ride it some good ways, inevitably hopping off before reaching her destination; guards might recognize her meaning the only way to get into towns was usually to sneak in. Usually though she just had to suck it up and walk everywhere.

Then there was the whole issue about never knowing exactly where she'd sleep. After the scene she'd caused last night at the tavern, a scene she'd argue the three idiots had started, returning to the inn probably wasn't a safe bet. Instead she'd gone to the stables, found an empty bit of hay that didn't reek of horse piss and passed out.

Sleeping on hay was rough. Yang woke with more aches than she'd gone to bed with and slivers of hay poking into places she'd never wanted it. After rubbing sleep from her eyes, she took stock of exactly where she'd ended up. Between her lack of food, the alcohol and general fatigue she scarcely remembered entering the barn. And it was a barn, not just stables. Glancing around at the red walls she groaned and crawled to the edge of the loft… Which somehow in her drunken stupor last night she'd managed to climb into.

Below her a young boy was busy putting out feed for animals. He was oblivious, thankfully, as was his sister who came bounding in afterwards. Yang watched with mild interest as the pair chatted animatedly, giggling and joking as they went about their morning routine. The boy's blonde hair was messy, still bedhead, and his white wool shirt already sported a number of stains. His sister's blue gown fared a little better and her auburn hair was tied back, braided into a ponytail. The pang of familiarity struck when the boy, in his dorky, prepubescent voice, thanked his sister and hugged her before racing out of the building. The girl lingered only a moment longer before following suit, having finished feeding the animals.

"Sis, huh…?" Yang smiled ruefully and waited, letting the minutes tick by. When she was certain no one else was around she climbed down, cringing as the ladder creaked and groaned with each step. Feet back on solid ground she raised her arms and popped her back, stretching before grinning as a horse whinnied at her.

"Woah, easy girl…" she cooed, walking over and slowly reaching out. The brown and black-speckled mare stomped its feet and shook its head, though settled once she began to stroke its mane. Noticing something between the animal's legs Yang sputtered, looking away and stifling her own laughter. "Nevermind! Easy there, boy!" Guy? Man? What should she call it?

As much fun as a petting zoo might have been it would only be a matter of time until the kids came back. Yang pat the stallion's head - not a mare and smiled before heading for the door. It was just a stereotypical barn with red walls and white trim, and boy did it reek of animals. No doubt she smelled awful too, though being inside with them it was hard to say what stunk more: her or them.

Yang eased open the door and peeked out, drawing her hood back up. A dirt road led from a single-story farmhouse to the barn, and further beyond the house she could make out a glowing golden field. Wheat, which probably meant fresh bread, which also meant other food. Yang's stomach growled, and she wiped drool away on the back of her hand, making a mental note of the stolen food sitting snugly in her bag. _Not yet, little friend. Your time will come._

The kids were stood on the porch and talking with someone just inside. Giving it a moment's hesitation Yang sprinted from the barn, feet kicking up clouds of dust as they slapped into dirt. The edge of the forest rushed to greet her like an overexcited in-law and she jumped over a fallen log, lowering her head as a low branch dragged across her hood, scraping against cloth. If anyone had seen her she was already long gone, and within moments the barn and any sight of it was well behind her.

Much to Yang's chagrin it wasn't just the barn that had stunk. After slowing down she took a moment to sniff herself and pluck strands of straw from her clothing. She itched, badly, and there was a dampness on one of her pant legs that she knew hadn't been there the night before. Not urine, hopefully. She'd made sure to find clean hay to sleep on. Well… She was pretty sure she had!

Fortunately for her Lyne wasn't terribly far away from a river, and not fifteen minutes after leaving the barn did Yang find it. The crunch of leaves and twigs under her feet was replaced by the rush of water. It was loud, much louder than any simple currents. As Yang drew closer she felt a thin film of water striking her face, eyes widening along with a smile as she realized where the sound, and spray was coming from.

Early morning sun struck the water's surface and made it shine like… Shiny things. She wasn't poetic, get off her back. Yang stopped just inside the tree line and toed the sodden shore, allowing herself some time to simply take in the sights. Reeds and cattails grew along the water's edge, the plants tall and vibrant. Though the ground immediately alongside the water was dark the water itself was clear as a blue, cloudless sky. Mossy rocks dotted the river, poking up and breaking up the surface.

Off to the right was the waterfall itself, not terribly large as Yang could see blades of grass sprouting from the ground above. The falling water had carved into stone and earth alike, slapping loud as thunder against the rocks and settled water beneath it, kicking up white foam and forming a small rainbow that shimmered whenever spurts struck it.

Yang's boots sank into the sodden earth as she moved towards the waterfall, reaching out and running her fingers along cold, mossy stone. Her fingertips sank into the soft growth, water leaking out and dribbling down her hand. With a smile she shook it off and chuckled as spray lapped at her face, stepping back and wiping herself with her sleeve.

She stunk like hell and needed a bath badly. In lieu of using an actual bathhouse - another downside to being on the run, it wouldn't get much better than this. Finding a low tree branch nearby she began to strip down, unabashed in the absence of anyone else. First, she removed her coat, inspecting the long garment for any serious tears. The brown cloth, interior fixed with thin leather, was in one piece. She held the coat by the hood, using her fingers to inspect it, finding the spot where Dee...Dum, the idiot with the knives had tried to stick her last night. Not a bad tear, one she could easily ignore.

Her fingers crested the orange trim that lined the entire piece, plucking a strand or two of hay from the yellow drawstrings used to fix her hood. It was a sleeveless piece which saved her having to inspect those for any bits of hay. Her pockets were free of it too, and after draping it over the branch she set her girdle and sash with it. Next came the yellow corset, and after untying the article she simply shook it out and set it with the others.

Yang took a moment and carefully inspected herself for injuries. Twisting and feeling her back she was relieved that the dagger had managed to pierce her skin, barely, and amounted to little more than a miniscule nick. Her fingers coasted over her hips, tracing the black scales that covered them and acted as a natural armor. She followed it where they circled around to her spine and rose up along it, like a sheath to a blade. Nothing on her back. Her arms were devoid of injuries as well, her forearms a bit red from where the bracers had been bound, but fine besides. Black scales on the back of her hands itched and she relieved them with a sigh.

No wounds on her stomach, not where her black scales stretched just below her navel and met with the patches on her hips, or where more still covered the sides of her chest. Yang reached up and cleared her dry throat, rubbing at her neck, her palm grazing against the blackened ridges on the sides and her shoulders. With how sparsely the scales were distributed across her body she almost looked Muran. Paid to be half and half!

Rolling her neck she leaned over, removing her brown leather thigh boots with black leggings that reached just above the knee. Purple cloth wrapped around the boots to bind leather shin guards in place and she undid those last. Stepping out of her boots, the last thing she removed were her black shorts and pantalettes, laying both across a nearby dry rock.

With her feet sinking into muddy earth Yang padded over to the water, reaching out and gasping. It was cold and prickled at her skin, chasing away any lingering slumber. Turning her hands over she cupped them together and caught falling water, greedily sipping at it a few times until her thirst was quenched. Satisfied, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, walking into the falling water and immediately regretting it.

"F-Fuck!" Despite being midsummer it felt like she'd fallen through ice on a lake and taken a plunge. Yang's muscles tensed and she nearly scrambled out for warmth, forcing herself to remain even as she shivered. Folding her arms under her breasts she closed her eyes, channeling her magic and waiting for warmth. For a long while she stood shivering while water hammered down upon and around her, the sound deafening. Up to her waist she stood, teeth chattering until at long last her magic kicked in.

Almost instantly the water hissed as it struck her, then slowly began to turn to steam. The water below which rose up to her waist began to bubble and hiss too, the sound almost loud as the gallons upon gallons crashing around her. Yang let her magic run its course and when she stopped she'd warmed up to the point she had begun to sweat. In comparison to earlier the water now felt heavenly, and with a relieved sigh she began to clean herself off, singing off-key all the while.

Had the water actually been warm she would have kept herself under longer. As soon as the shivers began to return, and any semblance of comfort fled Yang decided she had enough, splashing and squealing as the cold chased her from her respite. Blonde hair, now sodden, clung to her shoulders and back, bangs covering her eyes. Yang brushed them back as she stomped out and onto dry land, taking a hop and a skip to avoid sinking into mud and dirtying herself once again.

When people thought of fire magic they usually assumed one of two things: big fireballs or… No, that was pretty much it. Most of the folks Yang had met were always amazed whenever she did anything other than just hurl flames. Sure, that was the simplest use, but there were others, and turning herself into a heat source was among her favorite. Yang grinned as a familiar warmth washed over her, starting at her stomach and slowly spreading. Heat reached her chest and breaths became less strained. Feeling returned to her toes and feet as the fire licked its way across her skin, color returning along with it. Finally, Yang's face regained its usual radiance, her wide grin accompanying it.

"Nothing like a good bath to feel like a new woman!" Leaning over she wrung her hair out carefully, always certain not to make too many knots. She couldn't use her magic on her hair, not without frizzing it or, gods forbid, burning it. So, she'd have to wait for it to dry naturally. Satisfied that the rest of her body was dry enough though she grabbed everything but her corset and coat, sliding on her pantalettes and shorts, then her leggings and finally her boots. Flipping her hair over her shoulder she fetched her bag, digging through and finding the wrapped food.

"What do we have here…?" With all the excitement of a child on their birthday she unwrapped her ill-gotten gift, lilac shining excitedly as she was greeted with a telling scent. As soon as she saw marbled beef inside, fresh from Lyne, she knew she'd hit the jackpot. She also knew the boys would be extra pissed when they realized she'd stolen some of their stuff, but tough luck. "Snooze ya lose," Yang snickered.

What else was totally awesome about fire magic? Not needing to make a fire to cook! Yang sat down on a nearby rock and held the piece in her palms, channeling another spell and giggling while the piece began to brown before her eyes. Turning it over and repeating the process she easily ignored the heat of the steak, licking her lips and wiggling in anticipation. Once she was positive the beef was cooked enough she tore into it without a second's hesitation, sharp teeth making short work of it. The food melted in her mouth and Yang groaned; she'd be eating a squirrel right now if not for this. Best. Breakfast. Ever.

Despite wanting to inhale the beef Yang took her time with it, humming as she chewed each savory mouthful. A saltiness to the meat told her it had been cured and judging by just how tender it was she wagered the animal slaughtered hadn't been too old at all. Before she knew it she'd devoured the entire piece, whining and licking her palms clean, wishing for more. She had some preserved fruit and nuts she'd found in her bag, but it was best to save those for a pinch, meaning breakfast was officially over. After washing her hands in the river and refilling her canteen she deemed her hair dry enough, sliding her corset, coat, girdle and sash back on, in that order.

The waterfall continued to roar nearby, a larger rainbow forming closer to the point where water made a leap of faith to the river below. The sun was higher now and coated the forest around her in brilliant sunshine, reflecting off leaves and stone, saturating the already vibrant landscape around her. Yang hummed and padded over to a nearby rosebush, plucking one and avoiding the thorns carefully, lifting and giving it a sniff.

 _Rose, huh? I get it, universe, I get it._ Yang smiled ruefully and looked at the flower, watching as flames began to dance up its stem. Brilliant red petals wilted and darkened, curling in on themselves as fire stole what little life remained in the plant. With a somber sigh Yang threw the burning flower into the river and watched as the stream carried it before disappearing beneath the surface.

First the siblings in the barn, then a rose bush. The only way the universe could be any more obvious was if Ruby herself suddenly appeared and said "Hey, remember me?" Yang turned around and smiled, half expecting to find her little sister standing there. A frog croaked, blissfully unaware as black eyes stared back at Yang, chest swelling.

"Yeah, I didn't think she'd be there either," Yang chuckled sadly, running a hand through her damp locks. Watching as the frog hopped away and dove into the water she took it as her sign to get moving on again, finding no reason to linger by the waterfall, no matter how pretty it might be.

With her bracers back on and her bag slung over her shoulder Yang spared one final glance at the waterfall, noticing how water seemed to fork at the top. She hadn't realized it before, but something was protruding from the river above, disrupting the flow until it rejoined as it fell to the earth below. Curious, she circled around and found a slight incline where the ground rose up, using trees to help haul herself along. The river continued ahead and she spared it a passing glance, taking a gander at what was obstructing the water.

Just a log. Not even the most interesting log in Remnant, just a stinkin' old log. Yang stared at the piece of wood, a branch sticking up, the source of disruption, before bursting out into laughter. The sudden loud noise startled a bluebird nearby and it took off from its perch, a streak of sky vanishing among the leaves.

How sad had her life gotten that she was curious enough to look at a log? How sad was it that she now looked forward to bounty hunters, if for no reason other than to have someone to talk to? Pretty sad, if you asked her. Yet with how sad it was Yang continued to laugh, chest and shoulders trembling as she made her way back down the hill, moving away from Lyne.

On her way down an old, abandoned path Yang slowed to a stop. Tears that had been threatening had long since dried up and the hollow sadness turned into ambivalence. Smacking her cheeks, she nodded, forcing ambivalence to shift into happiness, then molding that like wet clay into enthusiasm. "Onto the next adventure!" she declared boldly to no one, breaking into a brisk jog.

 _Look out, Remnant. Yang Xiao Long is on the move again!_

* * *

 **Oh Yang... I was torn between how to introduce her, but a bar fight against some wonderful people just seemed to be the way to go. And if it didn't come across in the writing, which it might have because I purposefully omitted their names:**

 **Jackass = Cardin, Dum = Dove, and Dee = Russel. 3/4s of team CRDL, relegated to fodder for Yang's introduction. I think they deserve at least that much!**

 **As an aside I do want to mention that Yang's outfit isn't just heavily inspired by, but very much reflective of Mikururun's RPG AU of Yang, which can be found on her Twitter. And as someone mentioned before, yes, Weiss' image IS inspired by the Skyrim mage robes!**

 **Another new perspective coming up next chapter. Stay tuned to find out who!**


	3. Chapter 3: Blake

**Happy belated Christmas/Hanukkah/Nondescript Winter Holiday! If this chapter took a while to come out then, well, there's the reason. Holidays! But now that things are somewhat settling down its back to the grind!**

 **If the title of this chapter coupled with previous ones isn't any indication, this iteration of Name has shifting perspectives. Will it be a constant during the entire story? We'll see! I know the answer, I just like being coy.**

 **Blabbing aside, here we are. Enjoy!**

* * *

Ambient sounds made for the best alarm clock, Blake had found. Birds were quick to rise, and their melodies stirred the rest of Remnant into action. A pair just outside her tent exchanged harmonious caws, the volume gradually rising with every note. For a time, she allowed it, content to remain in her sleeping roll, eyes closed and focused on nothing but the music.

It was nice. A little bit of natural beauty did wonders to help soothe a troubled mind. One feline ear flicked and twisted as he noticed another song beyond her own personal duet. Another joined in the chorus and before long the forest around her came alive. Amber orbs greeted the world as her eyes fluttered open, blinking blearily as sunlight pierced the green canvas of her tent, small rays splashing warmth across her face. Warm as she was it would have been easy to remain laid down for a while longer, but the world was moving on with or without her and she had much to do.

Blake groaned as she sat up, rolling her neck and lifting her arms overhead. Joints popped, her back cracked, and with a huff she blew bangs from her eyes, brushing them aside when they stubbornly refused to remain in place.

Voices began to join the orchestra outside. Not as harmonious as the birds' songs, people greeted one another gruffly, their words slurred as slumber clung to them like mud to a boot. Despite not wanting to Blake flicked her sleeping roll open and whined as cold, crisp morning air washed over her, prickling her skin with goosebumps and doing a splendid job of spurring her along.

A loose pile of clothing laid together just beside her pillow and she wasted no time in throwing it on; undergarments were comfortable for sleep but terrible for keeping out the cold. Slinging on a pair of well-worn gray trousers she curled her lips in displeasure at the holes dotted throughout. She'd have to replace them before long, though with warmer weather coming perhaps she'd keep them. Finding a strand thread, she clicked her tongue and gave it a tug, pulling and scowling when it created a larger hole.

 _That's what I get for skimping on clothing._ The next town they visited she'd have to get some, especially if these ones were coming undone so easily. So much for saving them.

After turning over her black leather boots and shaking them - it wouldn't do to find a surprise waiting inside, she pulled them onto her feet. Immediately the warm fur lining helped soothe her chilled toes, wiggling the digits appreciatively. With practiced ease she pulled the straps across, sliding them beneath buckles before fastening them in place. Giving her leg a shake, she tapped her heel against the ground for good measure, swiftly placing on the other.

Since they were in camp she could allow herself to dress a little more casually. Forgoing her cloak and scarf, Blake retrieved her doublet and gave it a quick shake before sliding it on. Black as her hair, it was a woefully boring article compared to what she'd seen some wealthy individuals wear. It served its purpose however, and even with the material being thin she enjoyed the immediate warmth having an extra layer on brought.

Combing her fingers through her hair Blake finally rose and stretched once more, groaning as her back popped. Hunched over as not to hit her head on the tent's roof she made her way outside, shielding her eyes as sunlight assailed her. The world turned in an instant, from subdued and murky shadows to vibrant greens, browns, blues and yellows. Many tents not dissimilar to her own were strewn about the area, its inhabitants either still resting or already up and about. She greeted a woman with a small smile, nodding to the man who joined her before they went on their way.

With the camp coming to life it meant the end of the songs that had so gently woken her from her slumber. The faint pattering of wings drew her gaze up and Blake watched as two bluebirds, the very same whose melody had stirred her, took off and disappeared further into the forest. Other birds followed suit and before long the sounds of nature were replaced by the chatter and banter of her peers. Altogether not an unpleasant sound.

Finding a small crowd gathered around a basin Blake waited before washing her face, clearing away any lingering grime and fatigue along with it. Shaking her head and flicking her ears she dried herself off. What was next was food. Not that Blake had _planned_ on eating just yet, but with her stomach mimicking a Beowolf she decided it best to satiate the gnawing. Someone should have fires going already, and assuming it wasn't her turn to hunt - she knew it wasn't, there ought to be food ready.

"Hm… I wonder where the food is." As if the crowd gathered around the center of camp didn't make it obvious enough. Smiling at her own joke Blake joined the other members, patiently waiting as people were served in turn. It wouldn't be much, as it rarely was when they traveled. A simple plate of rabbit meat and berries plucked from nearby bushes made up her breakfast. Paltry and hardly a feast yet it made her mouth water regardless.

Her peers sat anywhere they could find open ground, some in groups, others enjoying their meals in silence. Blake fell into the latter category as she settled herself beneath a low tree. Apple tree if she remembered from the book she'd read. That… And the apples hanging above her head. Blake chuckled and let herself lean into the bark, the thin material doing just enough to mitigate the bark's bite.

The rabbit meat was plain and tasteless, the berries too tart for her liking, but a meal was a meal. She could always eat one of the apples, though judging by how most of them sported more holes than her jeans perhaps not. Worms weren't really her thing.

Camp would soon be cleaned up and they would be on the move again. Always on the move. Traveling from place to place was necessary when no town welcomed you. Living off the land, while not overly difficult, did have drawbacks. Unless they wanted to force themselves upon a settlement, and some members did, they had to make do with what they were given. That meant moving to ensure a constant supply of prey, and to avoid anyone who might not appreciate their presences.

Tart juice flooded Blake's mouth as she threw back a few berries, nose wrinkling. The two foods mixed terribly, and she was tempted to spit it out, yet without knowing when their next meal would come she soldiered through it. An old man sat nearby, rabbit ears folded, and short, grey cropped hair tousled, fresh from bed. One of the ears was missing the tip, an old wound. His wrinkled face lifted, and a deep, joyous laugh erupted as he watched a younger gag on a handful of berries, feline ears flattening and face crumpling to resemble his elder's. He turned and spat out mush, earning a slap from his twin sister.

Their life could be hard, but it was difficult because of their own choosing. There were the joys of celebrating another birthday, the sorrow following loss, and experiences borne of their unique situation that brought them closer together. Despite few of them having actual blood relations they were still a family.

A family that was currently arguing over who was going to get the last few pieces of rabbit. Bless the woman who was serving the rabbit meat, she was doing her best to negotiate with the men bickering before her. One man with biceps as thick as her neck loomed over the other. Bull horns protruded from his forehead and pressed against the scaled man's skull. Were they trying to fight with their heads? Or was it just some dumb man thing? Blake couldn't decide which.

As enjoyable as it might be to watch the pair brawl over what equated to scraps; their day had only just begun, everyone wanted more food, and the prospect of moving always left people disgruntled. Blake flicked the berries from her plate and polished off the last of her rabbit meat. Handing her empty dish to a random man as she walked by her joined the bickering duo at the fire, clearing her throat loudly to get their attention.

"What are you two arguing about…?"

The Toro whipped his head in her direction, blue eyes going from angry to surprised in an instant. He opened his mouth, unintelligible sounds all that came in reply. Blake's eyes rolled before settling on the curved horns upon his head, wondering when in the world he ever cleaned them. Unless brown and green were the natural colors.

"This git's trying to get the last of the rabbit!" Huh… The scaled man's voice was much deeper than the living mountain. Funny how that worked. "I'm still hungry, and the oaf's already gotten more than his share!"

"Who're ya calling an oaf?! And 'course I need to eat more, I'm the guard! You try lugging around armor and weapons all day!"

Not backing down the shorter man scoffed. "So? You volunteered for that!"

"And that means I've got to go hungry?"

"It means don't complain, you giant arse!"

 _I am so not in the mood for this right now._ Blake flicked her wrist and tendrils coiled their way around both men, restraining them just as their fists were raising. Amber trained on them as she held them in place, staring both down until they stopped wriggling. "Finally… It's barely past dawn and you're already arguing?" Sighing, she shook her head before looking at the woman still sat by the fire. "Have you eaten already…?"

"Um… No, I was going to eat once everyone else had."

One leg was shorter than the other, twisted just below the knee. The woman's pale complexion and equally pale hair remained bleached regardless of how much time they spent out in the sun. Bony hands shifted the platter she held and either her hips or the log on which she sat creaked while she moved.

"You two are fighting over the last bit of scraps… And yet she hasn't had any yet?"

The Toro blubbered uselessly as he looked between the elderly Canis and Blake. "I-I… I assumed she'd eaten! A-And there's plenty there for her and I to share, I didn't…"

"She'd insisted we could have it!" protested the Dimuran, his face now every bit as red as the scales adorning it. Purple eyes widened when Blake glared at him, shrinking back.

"You told them they could have it…?" The woman nodded, and Blake felt guilty for how crestfallen she appeared. Rubbing the bridge of her nose she sighed and released her spell. Both men stumbled and rubbed their arms where the tendrils had clutched the firmest. "Opal, you need to eat too…" Her eyes softened watching the elderly woman shake her head.

"I'm quite alright, Blake. I don't eat as much as they do."

"No, but you do much more than they do," Blake pointed out, glaring meaningfully at the Toro and daring him to protest. When he didn't she folded her arms. "Please eat. We'll be leaving before long and it's a shame to let food go to waste. These two have had their fill," she gave both men a stern look. "Right…?"

"Yes ma'am!" they shouted in unison. Did they have to shout? She was three feet away from them at best.

"Good. Then please go help get things ready. Liam, you can gather the other guards and make sure the area is clear. Dunst? Please see if we have enough water for our trip." Missing food was one thing, but they could make do without it if need be. Water was another story and given their nomadic lifestyle there was no telling when they'd find another body of water. Rather, one they could drink from without getting dysentery.

Given a sloppy salute that would make others bark like a Beowolf, Blake simply waved the pair off before returning her attention to Opal. Despite being given permission to do so she'd yet to touch the food, having set aside the plate and refusing to even glance at it, perhaps out of guilt.

"Opal…" Blake placed the food back in the woman's lap and caught her hand when she tried to move it, gently wrapping her fingers around it. "Please eat?"

"Both of them were so hungry though, and goodness knows their jobs are more taxing than mine."

"It's not a competition. Besides, you know the rules, everyone gets their own meal," Blake reminded. That Liam and Dunst had tried to swindle Opal out of hers made punishment deserved. Whether she'd actually implement it was another question. "And if we're going to be traveling then we all need our strength. You included."

A moment passed where the Canis looked ready to feed the meat to the flames rather than herself. Finally, though Opal relented, nodding as she bit into the gamey meat, pale flesh tearing like wet paper in her sharp teeth. Satisfied, Blake smiled and stood back to give the woman space.

"Gods bless you, Blake."

"For what…?" the ravenette asked.

"Taking care of an old woman like me. Not everyone would do what you do." Opal smiled wistfully, grey eyes shining brightly as the morning sun. There were tears in them, though to Blake's relief, they didn't appear to be sorrowful. "We are so fortunate to have you leading us."

She wasn't leading them though, not technically. At best she was a stand-in until they rejoined with the larger group. Everyone respected her authority regardless though she suspected that had more to do with the consequences, not from her, but from other less… Patient types. "It's an honor to be able to lead," Blake answered, scoffing despite herself. "Though I'm reminded of just how many children are in this group…"

Not literal children, though they did have a few of those. Just like family, the group traveled together, slept together, ate and bathed together. And just like any other family they bickered. Constantly. Either someone took a spot another wanted for their tent, or a member might 'borrow' someone else's shirt and never return it. They were petty squabbles yet incessant enough to make them a headache for Blake to deal with.

 _It will only be too soon once I can step down from this post…_

"They mean well, and I can't fault them for being hungry," Opal laughed. The elderly woman turned her rabbit over in her fingers, slick with juices and caked in grease and fat. Blake felt her own stomach growl at the sight, though if the woman heard it she had the grace not to say anything. Perhaps another hunt before setting out wouldn't be such a bad idea. "Oh? Speaking of children…" Opal's voice pulled Blake from her musings. "It seems like a few are looking for you."

A dozen little eyes watched them from behind a tent. Six little heads poked out from the edges, and Blake silently pondered how they weren't all toppling over, leaning like that. "You'll be okay?" Opal waved her along, seeming eager to be rid of her. She knew that wasn't the case, the woman would just be keen to tidy up her workstation.

Eyes went wide, and Blake smiled as excitable, nervous squeaky voices called out to her. As if she wasn't already abundantly aware they were trying to get her attention. When she drew close enough six children rushed out to greet her, none taller than her hip. The group only had a handful of children with them, most had remained with the main contingent, and Blake was grateful for that. Handling people was stressful enough, but children?

"Miss Blake! Miss Blake!" one of the children squealed, an endless ball of energy as they hopped on their feet. "Can you teach us that spell you used?!"

Blake expected the children to ask her to play. Not that tag or hide and seek with children was exactly a challenge. She'd find them within minutes every time, yet they insisted on playing with her. Why? She hadn't a clue. "You want me to teach you a spell…?" Emphatic nods all around.

"Nevermind the fact that some of you can barely walk in a straight line…" Blake's lips curled, and she squat, eye to eye with the children. "But you want to use magic? What's brought this on so suddenly?"

"We saw you wrap up those two! We want to try it!" a young girl chimed, beaming so brightly the sun above should be jealous.

"It looked so cool! You were all _whoosh_ and the shadowy stuff was all _wriggle wriggle_ and… and…"

Shame the little Meera couldn't seem to think of other amazing onomatopoeias. Did 'whoosh' describe shadows? Blake wasn't even certain what noise 'wriggle wriggle' was supposed to be. Looking between the smiling faces she sighed, standing up again and folding her arms. "Okay, though you know you can't simply use magic just because you want to. Magic is complicated."

"Nuh uh! All you did was wave your hand!" A little Kanin hopped in place and clapped her hands. "We can do it too, watch!" She tried, gods know the girl tried. She attempted it with one hand, stretching out and focusing intently on a small rock. When nothing she tried two, and for good measure threw in a shout. Aside from looking adorable, and a bit funny, it accomplished nothing.

"See? It's a lot more than just hand gestures. Most of the time you don't even need that." For some the gestures helped, for others it was simply for show. Blake found movements telegraphed her own spells and tried to limit them whenever possible. Meeting the gazes of her expectant students she smiled, tilting her head and chuckling when mirrored. "Right… Let's start with basics. Where does magic come from?"

Answers came immediately, though not even one was correct. "The moon!" one child shouted, seeming more certain than anything in their life. "Um… Magic flowers?" Not quite, though Blake would give the boy points for creativity. They tried to answer and quickly their responses devolved into silliness. How anyone thought an enchanted pair of trousers was responsible for all the magic on Remnant…

"Magic comes from the gods, children. Not from the moon, or the oceans," Blake's eyes drifted to a cheeky Dimuran boy. "And certainly not from magical pants. It's gifts that the gods give us Magi, and it's a very precious gift." Not to mention not one that everyone had. Were these children all Magi? Potentially, though she wasn't about to test them and potentially crush someone's dreams before they started.

Someone else would do it before long.

"Spells aren't something you can just flick your wrist and conjure up, either. Do you know what spellcasting requires…?" Blake pointed to the nearest child, smiling encouragingly when he seemed hesitant to answer.

"Uh… Do you have to ask the gods for it…?"

"No, but good guess. The gods have little to do with us casting spells." Well, a lot, but that was something else entirely and the children hardly seemed to notice the discrepancy. Blake smiled and held her palm out, leaning forward and motioning for the children to gather around. Black mist pooled into her hand and a thin trail of black grew from her palm, twisting and stretching.

"Spellcasting requires you to understand your own magic, to know how to manipulate it," Blake held out a black rose, smiling as the children took turns passing it among themselves, awestruck.

"Uh, miss Blake…? What's manipulate mean…?"

Right. Kids. Blake smiled and folded her arms, tapping her elbow as her ears flicked in thought. "It means… Think of it like clay. You need to know how to shape magic into what you want it to be. Without you forming it, magic is a lot like a lump of clay. A useless mass of nothing."

Thankfully that analogy seemed to get through to them. Were they going to start playing with clay in hopes of casting spells…?

"Can I make shadowy stuff too?!"

"I want to shoot fireballs!"

"I want to fly!"

Oh gods, she'd created a bunch of little monsters, hadn't she? Blake chuckled and plucked her rose back from the children, waving a hand over it for show. The flower was reduced to black petals which were carried away on the breeze, crumbling and disappearing as they met sunlight. "You need to practice a lot to use spells, children. Understanding how to form them is only half of the process. You need to be strong enough to handle it too."

"But you're tiny, miss Blake!" one girl oh so helpfully declared. Blake's eyebrow twitched, and she stared at the bushy-eyed toddler before smiling.

"Not in the sense that you need muscles. Think of it more like… Conditioning." More blank stares. Anyone a few years older wouldn't have these problems understanding her. _Note to self, suggest the children read more. A lot more._ Blake scratched one ear before nodding to herself. "You know how when you run a lot, you end up out of breath? Well… If you run more often, you can run longer and longer. That's what conditioning is. It's like building muscle, only… Not."

"Oooooh." Wait, they understood that? That was an awful explanation! Blake had half a mind to try again before giving up on the idea instantly. Why try to fix something that wasn't broken?

A young Dimuran boy clenched his fists at his chest and beamed up at her. "We just need to run around a lot then we can cast spells!?"

Gods help her. Blake shook her head, leaning down and petting the boy when he began to pout. "It's not quite so simple, but you have the right idea. Tell you what… When we get back to the main camp, let's see about getting you children some lessons. It won't be anything serious, you need to understand the fundamentals, but you can get a head start if you think you're ready."

Blake doubted the children were. Magic was difficult to get a handle of even for Magi, and it was harder still to master. Could a toddler perform spells? Potentially. Could the moon also plummet from the sky and collide with Remnant? Both were just as likely.

Disappointed they wouldn't be hurling spells just yet the children hung their heads, only to pep up and bound around Blake enthusiastically. "We're going to be Magi!" they sang, voices shrill and off key. How she missed the delightful duets of the birds. Thankfully, Opal had finished snuffing out the fire and came to collect the children before they could drive her mad. _Just make a mental note to suggest training for them. Though… Maybe just books to start._

Distractions aside she could get back to making sure camp was wrapped up in a timely manner. Already several tents had been bound and prepared; a small cart filled with weapons, tools, and medicine and materials alike was ready for transport. Perhaps for being so rude earlier she'd task Liam with pulling it for the first half. Petty? Perhaps, but he was more than up to the task. Or at least he would be after she assigned it to him.

Blake cringed as a crate smashed against the ground, frowning seeing Dust strewn everywhere. A pair of men pointed at each other with no hesitation before devolving into bickering and pushing. "For the love of…"

The sooner they got back to camp the better, otherwise she was liable to cocoon everyone and drag them back herself.

/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/

Blake never did mention that the children were interested in training magic. They would be tested for their ability sooner or later whether she pushed for it or not. Everyone was screened and if found capable, trained to 'be of use'. Every Magi was necessary, every asset they could think of.

Her face twisted in scowl, fingers digging into her arms. 'Assets', that's what those children were to everyone. They needed more able Magi, always more, and if a few children wanted to get started early her superiors would be only too happy to ferry them along.

 _They should be children, not fighters._

Blake pulled a half face mask up and fastened the straps in place. Black as the rest of her attire, a set of vicious fangs painted on the surface. She'd never understood why the standard mask covered the eyes. It hid your identity, yes, but it was also terrible for peripheral vision.

 _I'm still better off than the others._ Fingerless gloves strapped in place, a cloak dark as the evening sky fixed to her shoulders, Blake let her fingertips graze a length of chain fastened to her waist. A warm wind shook her hair and she stubbornly fixed it in place, pulling up her hood for good measure. Pools of pure amber peered out from the brim, the rest of her face either covered by the mask or cloaked in shadow.

Clouds parted overhead, and moonlight illuminated the land around her, forcing Blake to press harder into the side of the building. Her ears flicked as she listened to the movements of guards beyond the wall. Idle chatter and complaints, completely oblivious to her presence. If things went the way she planned it would remain that way. She strained her senses and listened until the sound of boots on the ground faded, and even then, she waited a moment longer. When the only noise she could make out was the sound of her own repressed breath she peeled away from the wall. Inching her way around the corner of the building she held her breath and waited yet again as clouds began to conceal the moon, robbing Remnant of its light. In the time it took for them to part again she raced across the open road, darting into another alleyway.

Fingers gripping steel she pulled herself up a post, pressing her foot into a wall and surging further up. In scaling the wall Blake managed to get herself onto the roof of a shop, testing the strength of the sloped wood before silently padding across it.

Most people never looked higher than a forty-five-degree angle. Unless one of the guards randomly decided to stargaze, she'd remain well out of their view. From her newfound perch Blake crouched and surveyed the area, silently cursing herself for not scouting out earlier in the day.

Going into towns during the morning wasn't impossible, though it brought a slew of challenges with it. First and foremost was the risk that someone might recognize her, rendering any reconnaissance impossible. If she wasn't recognized by name or reputation, then often times her race was enough reason to shun her. Concealing her feline ears wasn't easy, not unless she wanted to subject herself to discomfort for hours on end. Someone had suggested once tying them into a bow as a means of hiding them. What a stupid idea, as if that would fool anyone.

In a no-name, backwater town she could have wandered in with little cause for concern. Galloway though? Galloway was a large port town, more a city really, and held too many chances for her to be discovered. And so, she'd bided her time, surveyed the city from afar and waited for the cover of night. It was safer, and with her night vision she wasn't hindered in the way Murans or other races might be.

Safer, but she still needed to learn the layout on the fly.

If memory served then her target would be in the center of the city, away from common rabble and disgruntled citizens. Nobility sure liked to hide themselves away behind their wealth. From where Blake sat she could just make out where the residential ward became commercialized, taller buildings with a multitude of banners fluttering in the wind. More telling were the lights that illuminated a city otherwise cloaked in darkness. It was said Galloway never slept, and that was partially true. The man who owned the herbalist's shop below her was most certainly out.

Silent as can be Blake jumped from building to building, the cloth wrapped around her boots doing wonders to muffle sounds. She paused every so often and would listen for the guards below, or the occasional drunkard stumbling through the streets. They were of no consequence and come morning they would carry on without ever knowing she was here.

Rather, they would know _someone_ had been here, and perhaps suspect her. Blake smiled ruefully as she peered over a low wall and watched a pair of guards' playful jaunt, pushing at each other and laughing loudly. Some would suspect it was her, which was fine. They could suspect all they wanted. They'd never catch her.

Finding a gap too expansive to simply leap across Blake paused and moved along the edge of the rooftop. A lovely stretch of shadow stretched from behind a chimney, permanent even as the moon's light threatened to swallow darkness itself. Concealing herself in the dusk she splayed her hand out against the roof and funneled magic into the void, marking the spot with a simple brand: a circular seal with an 'x' cut through the middle. It wasn't runic and she'd no need for anything quite so complex.

Separated by a canal and several dozen feet was the mercantile ward, and just beyond that, the nobles ward. The streets below were well lit and heavily traveled as townsfolk and visitors alike took part in Galloway's nightlife. A cacophony of voices mixed with disjointed musical numbers, each loud and vying for supremacy. No one cared that she was there in the moment. Not a single person cared about what she was there for.

Or perhaps they did, though if anyone cared then it would be purely for selfish reasons. Blake felt anger bubbling in her breast and allowed a scowl to form behind her face mask. Crowds of people, Murans and Ydrans with hardly a care in the world gathered below. Their only concerns? Buying the latest fashion, or a warm meal, or perhaps less scrupulously, finding someone to take back to their inn room for the night.

A malcontent rumble rose from her chest and she forced herself to tear her eyes from the ignominious gathering below. They were people who cared nothing for the strife of others, only themselves. Selfish. Self-absorbed. They were part of the problem with Remnant.

Forming a dart of purest black in her palm she twirled it around her fingers, shifting into a low squat and taking aim. Straight as an arrow she hurled her projectile across the gap with ease. Solid as a stone it struck the roof, and with a silent will on her part it fell apart, shadow etching itself into the cobbled roof, forming a mark similar to the one beneath her. The hard part was done, now for the easy part.

Shadow was the absence of light, so it had always struck Blake as curious, even now, that her spells had a slight glow to them. Nothing quite so luminous as to give her away, yet there was a decipherable tinge that came from her spells. A "lighter shadow" if such a thing existed. Her fingers traced the edge of the brand, rising and falling along with the uneven surface of the roof. Releasing her magic, shadow rose up and enveloped her.

Moonlight vanished. Voices and music became muffled then faded altogether. The warm, moist air coming in off the ocean disappeared and a stagnant, stale air replaced it. Despite being thrown into utter nothingness Blake could still see, standing and gazing around the complete dark. There was no solid ground beneath her and yet she could walk, her boots soundlessly striking a surface that was neither there nor tangible.

She'd long since stopped trying to understand every nuance of her magic. Sometimes magic simply _was_ and trying to decipher its nature only led to circular, frustrating bouts. Spotting her exit, a small pool of light, she traipsed through the void and gazed through the porthole to the outside world. The night sky greeted her, what little light shining through disappearing as clouds concealed the moon's glow once more.

A perfect opportunity to emerge. Reaching into the small gap she felt herself being pulled suddenly, like she'd been plunged off the edge of a cliff. Air rushed against her face and her eyes closed reflexively as Remnant became salient once more.

Music returned with painful intensity, the plucking of a stringed instrument grating against Blake's ears. Though the air was not so hot it felt like she'd stepped before a blast furnace, the return of any heat scorching. Gravity took hold and she crouched against the roof, giving her senses time to readjust. Through her mask she could just taste the saltwater on the air, and the scents of nearby stalls with food aplenty filled her nostrils. Fish of all manner were on display and her stomach rumbled in protest at its vacancy.

 _Later._ Not only was eating on the job irresponsible but she'd blow her cover, and for what? A quick bite? Turning her nose up at the salivating aromas Blake cut across the rooftop, grateful for stone that absorbed any sound she'd make. Judging by the open pit outside and the obvious black smoke rising from a nearby stack she'd landed on a smithy; a blacksmith's home built of wood was too risky for obvious reasons.

Buildings bland as could be sprouted up like weeds around her, the only discriminating detail that put them apart from homes? Garish banners of green, white, red and yellow, each hanging from the front of shops to call attention to their existence. It seemed to work if the crowds below were any indication. Blake wondered if she could create a stir, a fleeting thought that she dismissed almost as quickly as it aroused. As interesting as it might be to see people panic - entertaining even, it would make her job unnecessarily more difficult.

So, she continued on. From the blacksmith's she jumped and scurried across the roof of a tavern, then dashed over the top of a weaver's shop. Between the loud music and incessant blathering of the masses any sound she might make was drowned out. So long as she kept to the shadows no one would be any wiser to her presence.

Crowds grew thinner as shops became more affluent. Simple brick and stone stores gave rise to multiple-story buildings with trim, stained windows and neatly trimmed planters. Music was a distant, muffled reminder of the busier sections of the ward and small crowds gathered around a handful of shops. People dressed in expensive silks, dyed cloth and another material Blake didn't know wandered aimlessly. They were posh, which was a nicer way of saying they all had sticks up their rears. Even the air smelled different here, like it was cleaner than that below it.

Much of Galloway was at sea-level. As the city stretched inland however the ground rose up and affluence seemed to go along with it. Expensive shops meant few people had reason to travel inland, and fewer still could afford to. Blake slid down a gutter and landed noiselessly between two stores, padding along to the street. Lanterns burned brightly and lined the roads here rendering any use of shadows obsolete and forced her to keep back, well out of any wandering eyes.

If those below were simply ignorant to Remnant's problems, then the crowds here were compliant with them. Hoarding wealth and caring little for anything else they lived their lives with heads in the clouds, bellies full and willful of the abuses that carried on. Each and every one of them deserved to be punished. She was not so naive to believe she could single-handedly dole out justice. It would come, someday, though not by her own hand. Regretful.

Darkness swallowed her up again as she used the alleyways as a vehicle. Shops became sparser and homes began to take their place. She assumed they were homes because they had yards, and any store having wrought iron fencing around it seemed excessive. Then again, she'd been to plenty of towns where shops were broken into regularly, so perhaps it wasn't so outlandish. No store would have manicured lawns though, or gilded paneling and windows so polished they were more like a mirror.

Luckily most nobles were either preoccupied with shopping or holed up in their abodes. Blake kept to the shadows regardless. Complacency meant being discovered and being discovered inevitably meant a fight with guards. Or worse still, a Hunter. Being compromised and failing her task wasn't an option, and so if she must take a little longer to reach her goal, so be it.

It was disappointing how easy it was to find the target's house. The wealthy strutted their fortunes like the pigs they were and seemed to try and outdo each other with what they purchased. Always a larger home, more expensive clothes, food that cost a fortune per plate. It was sickening how much people obsessed over their money, as if Lien was the most important thing in the world.

To find a home that stood out among nobility wasn't surprising then, given their flamboyant nature. A three-story building stood at the crest of Galloway's noble ward, twice as wide as any other home and with an extra floor for good measure. Why? Because it looked better to one's friends, Blake ventured.

She stopped a block away and crouched behind a squared shrub, peering over the edge at her target. Guards stood outside the main gate, four in total. They were tired, their posture slouched and a head occasionally bobbing. Tired, but armed, and Blake had little intention of testing the sharpness of their spears. Not that she had expected to use the main entrance, but that option was clearly out. After making certain she wasn't being watched she darted across the street, keeping low and circling around. A tall fence enclosed the home and trimmed shrubbery lined it, perhaps in an effort to make it seem less a prison. Blake found a lapse in the guards along the western edge and made her approach, ducking out of view as a window opened up above.

Tentative, she peered through the bars of the fence to see a servant dumping water out of the window. An easy in if she'd ever seen one. The window closed, and she counted her blessings that the man failed to latch it shut. After checking for patrols, she grabbed the fence and gave two rungs a pull, testing its strength. Satisfied it could support her weight she scaled it with ease, clambering up the iron bars and vaulting herself over the peaked caps.

On the other side of the fence she carelessly stomped over a garden bed, crushing tulips and smearing broad-leaved hydrangeas with dirt. If guards found the prints in the morning so be it, they'd hardly track her from a boot print. Blake allowed herself a moment to pause and dug the toe of her boot into the soft soil, smirking as she uprooted a freshly planted sapling. It was petty, but gods if it didn't give her some slight satisfaction.

Now, how to go about reaching the window?

The answer came with a gentle clink at her hip. Blake smiled and unlatched a leather strap, pulling her weapon from her belt. Would it be long enough? Just barely, though she could always scale the wall and get extra height. As for where to actually hook into? That conveniently placed planter just below the window seemed perfect. Hopefully it could support her weight.

Twirling her weapon as she backed up Blake eyed the planter, making an estimate of distance. She could reach it… Probably. Glancing at her kusarigama, polished blade catching light from the windows and flashing intermittently, she nodded to herself and took a breath before hurling it upwards. Cresting in a beautiful arc she smiled when the curved blade hooked into the planter, snagging on it and holding firm when she gave it a tug. Satisfied that it was in place she moved back to the wall, testing the support by hanging on it briefly. When dirt didn't come raining down on her head she deemed it safe.

Shadow-walking would have been faster, but also completely blind. It was one thing to use her magic to slip between rooftops and another to enter a room. Scaling a wall was old fashioned and time consuming but at least she could see what she might be getting into. Slowly she made her way up, pulling the chain up behind her as she went. When her fingertips grazed the window she freed her weapon, dug her toes into the house and lifted herself up. In one deft motion she flicked open the window and pulled herself inside.

An empty bathroom greeted her. Porcelain sinks and a bath lay opposite, the latter still shimmering and damp, the candles over it casting dancing shadows. Wet footprints trailed along the tiled floor and led out of the room. Speaking of footprints…

She'd tracked dirt into the bathroom from the garden. Clicking her tongue, she looked around and found a pile of towels, using one to clean both her boots and the floor where she'd entered. With nowhere else to put it she tossed the towel into the bushes below, closing the window again. No sense in tipping someone off too soon.

Moving for the door her hand gripped the knob and froze, ears straining inside her hood. Footsteps were approaching and a pair of soft voices with them. Should she lock the door? No, that would be too obvious, and where would she go after? Hide in the shadows? Possible, but she should conserve her energy for later. Scanning the room as she felt her breath quicken Blake spot a closet and darted over to it, sliding open the ribbed door and slipping inside. Robes, too many for any one person, lined the interior. Ugly yellow material brushed up against her, smelling overwhelmingly of lavender. The entire room did, actually, now that she realized it. Gross.

The door opened, and two young women entered. Through the cracks Blake could make out one carrying a fresh stack of towels, the other a small box. She decided whatever was inside it was insignificant and paid it no mind. While the towel-bringer went about, what else, replacing towels, the other girl made busy by replacing soaps from the box. See? Insignificant.

"I don't reckon he'd want different scented soap…?"

"Has he _ever_ asked for different soap?" the towel girl derided.

"Well, no, but… How doesn't he get sick of the smell? The entire manor is coated in it!"

"Probably to mask his body odor."

Shame the soap-girl was too busy working to hear the remark, but it was enough to get a quiet huff of amusement out of Blake. The duo prattled on a bit longer before departing, thankfully neither having any need to inspect the closet. Blake remained hidden a bit longer before finally releasing a breath she'd been holding, slowly opening the door. The creak of the hinges painfully loud, or maybe it was just her hypervigilance making them so.

Peeling the door open she peered into the hallway and checked for signs of servants, or anyone really. Plush carpet covered the floors, bleached-white wooden trim trailing along the walls and ceiling. The walls were striking blue, like that of a robin's egg, and hanging lanterns basked the long corridor in a gentle warmth. Somewhere in the manor was her target. She'd have to go and search then. Given the hour she'd assume either eating supper or in bed. Not that she knew where a dining room or bedroom might be, but at least that narrowed down her search somewhat.

 _I could always ask…_ Blake joked to herself before rolling her eyes. Sure, stroll up to the first person she saw and ask to speak to their boss. That would go well. Perhaps… Convincing a servant to speak wouldn't be so bad. It would save her time certainly and reduce the risk of wandering into guards.

Either way she had to get a move on. The night might be young, but it wouldn't last forever and the moment anyone caught wind of her trespassing her job would become infinitely more difficult. She'd need to be swift. And perhaps just a little bit lucky.

Luckier than whomever she decided to question, that was for sure.

* * *

 **Slightly shorter than Weiss and Ruby's introduction, or Yang's for that matter. Blake's is going to take a bit to play out - that is to say, unless I wanted to make this chapter like 15000 words.**

 **And no, this does not mean that Blake is the feature of next chapter. Until the story reaches a point where multiple perspectives aren't necessary, the pattern will always be as follows:  
Weiss (and Ruby, usually) Yang Blake**

 **Why am I doing it this way? I can world-build in different ways while also offering some of the girls' own stories. Plus its just an excuse to do some fun stuff they might not get to later on.**


	4. Chapter 4: Vale

**So... Happy New Year! That was a thing. After a straight week of getting up to work at 4 am I finally, FINALLY managed to get this** **finished. Plodded along but I've gotta say, not imposing a deadline each week for myself does take some of the stress off. *Some*.**

 **Hope everyone had a wonderful and safe New Year's, and holidays, whatever you celebrate! Still virtually no snow here which is awesome, I think? No shoveling is nice but... Earth, why you so warm? Staaaahp.**

 **Anyway, here's Wonderwall!**

* * *

Weiss just needed to keep her head down and she'd be fine. Don't look anywhere, don't talk to anyone. She'd even gone to extra lengths to borrow a new if drab cloak. The dark green fabric clung to her shoulders and concealed her blue and beige attire, at least from the back.

Stealthily making one's way through Vale was probably child's play for the initiated. Two problems there: Weiss couldn't sneak about for the life of her, she'd never had to. She didn't take to breaking rules, or even bending them slightly, and as fond of sleep as she was she never snuck out past curfew. It was a skill she had no interest nor intention of developing, and so she was about as discreet as an Ursa. Maybe not _that_ oafish, but the point remained she wasn't good at it.

There was also the slight issue of it being early in the morning. After breakfast and their usual morning summons initiates and Hunters alike had been given the day off. Some delegates from other kingdoms were coming to the city to meet with Ozpin, and as a result much of the Cathedral's grounds were off limits. For those who lived nearby it meant returning home for a day or two.

For Weiss? She'd been relegated to wander Vale until she could return to her quarters. While not an abhorrent situation in of itself - she could use the time to get some errands done, it did have its drawbacks.

"Ah! Excuse me! Pardon me!" a shrill, almost squeaky voice shouted.

Ruby had insisted, borderline begged to accompany her. Not that Weiss detested her friend's companionship, tiresome though it may be. She'd simply preferred to go alone and try and get everything taken care of in a timely manner. Rarely were things involving Ruby ever concise, or timely, or easy, or…

Weiss stopped when Ruby called out to her, face dropping and a hand shooting up to smack her own forehead. Random voices shouted in protest and she could hear boots slamming against the street as Ruby rushed through throngs of people to reach her. Resigned to her fate she slowly turned, narrowing her eyes when Ruby stood before her, grinning.

"How in the world did you find me…?"

Ruby's eyes focused on the finger before her nose, crossing before she resumed her smiling. "What do you mean?" Weiss gestured to the forest-green cloak clung around her slender frame and the brunette's eyes shone with glee. "Oh, that? Pfff, well it was obviously you!"

Weiss groaned and lowered her hood, secretly glad to be rid of it. Fixing her ponytail and tucking hair behind her angled ears she frowned. "What do you mean _obviously_? There's no way you could have known it was me."

"Well… It's kiiiind of obvious." When Weiss' silent gaze prodded for elaboration Ruby seemed hesitant, pressing her index fingers together and shifting her weight between her feet.

"Ruby…?" Weiss pressed.

"B-Because you're the only one who walks like that!" Like what? How did she walk exactly? Ruby smiled nervously and let out a stifled chuckle before wringing her hands together. "Everyone else looks relaxed when they walk. You're always so… Stiff."

"It's called posture, you dolt. Forgive me for trying to have some!"

"I'm n-not saying it's a bad thing, just that it makes you stand out!" Ruby stammered and waved her hands. Weiss folded her arms and tilted her head, waiting to see how Ruby might salvage things. "I mean… Not everyone walks l-like they have a stick up their butt!"

Instead of salvaging things Ruby had inserted her entire leg in her mouth. Weiss growled and lunged out, her hands grabbing onto Ruby's pliable cheeks. The brunette whined in protest and flailed her arms, knowing better than to pull away lest she stretch her face out. That wouldn't happen. Probably. Weiss wasn't well versed in the elasticity of faces.

"'Eiss, I sorry! 'Emme go please!" whined Ruby.

A few passersby watched the unusual display, one which felt far too commonplace to Weiss. With the social graces of a fly Ruby always had a tendency to say just the right thing… None of the time. It wasn't malicious, Weiss knew, her friend was simply just a dope. Even Jaune for all his hopeless romanticism managed to get by better.

Ruby's eyes welled with tears and she whined, hands flapping in exaggerated panic. Weiss kept her grip a moment longer before finally relenting, sighing as he wiped her fingers off on her cloak. She did not walk like she had a stick up her butt! And really, could Ruby think of a cruder way to phrase it? There was no way that was the brunette's own phrasing at work, she'd usually never resort to such deplorable terms. Weiss mulled it over and scowled when a single face sprung to mind.

 _Nora. I'll have to speak to her later._

Pulled from her assault on Ruby's face Weiss became keenly aware of the few people still watching them. A small crowd of initiates whose names she didn't know laughed, a boy with green hair pointing at them. Beside him a girl with pink cornrows - because that wasn't an affront to style, flashed Weiss a toothy smile. Weiss ignored a handful of quips from them and others, rolling her eyes and storming off. Sure as the sun rose each morning Ruby fell in line behind her, still whining.

"Weiss, that hurt…"

"Yes, well… Perhaps you'd do better than repeat things Nora has told you!"

Ruby dropped her hands from her cheeks and gawked. "How'd you know it was her?!"

Honestly who else among their friends would say something like that? Weiss gave Ruby a dubious stare before shaking her head. Sometimes she felt like Ruby understood things full well and enjoyed making Weiss explain things. In fact, she was certain of it, and Ruby's playful grin as she skipped alongside her added fuel to the fire.

Fingering the Lien pouch on her belt Weiss let out a sigh, puckering her lips feeling Ruby eyeing her. Meeting a giddy silver gaze, she reached over and prodded the other girl's nose. "It's impolite to stare."

"Sorry, I'm just excited! Spending a whole day with my bestie!" Just uttering the words sent Ruby into a tizzy and Weiss was reminded of the obscene amounts of sugar consumed that morning. And the previous night. Only Ruby and Nora could ingest piles of pancakes two meals in a row and come out none the worse for it.

There was a side effect, it was just felt by other people. Ren and Nora had left that morning with the latter clung to her partner's back, insisting, no, _demanding_ a piggyback through the city. That wouldn't last long. Ruby couldn't seem to stop vibrating and Weiss considered getting a vegetable to help balance the intake of sugar and sweets. Then again trying to make Ruby eat anything remotely nutritious was like pulling teeth.

"Soooo…" Ruby sang, grinning as she skipped ahead of Weiss. She spun on her heel and folded her hands behind her back, red cloak swaying with the breeze. "Where are we going? What's first on the list, bestie?"

Besides finding a way to reduce Ruby's energy levels? Weiss dug into the pockets of her trousers and produced a neatly folded paper. She'd made a list of things to do today, obviously, and she fully intended to adhere to it every step of the way. "First, I need to drop Myrtenaster at the blacksmith and have the handguard fixed. Then, I was hoping to visit the tailor and see about purchasing a larger bag…"

"Oh, maybe they can fix the tear in my cloak too!" Ruby lifted the red cloth and peered through a hole waving with a giggle.

"Perhaps. Though that would mean parting with it for a time." Weiss smiled as she cocked her head. "Are you going to let them hold onto it…?" Ruby's eyes widened and possessively clung to the tattered cloth. It didn't surprise her at all. "Perhaps we can see if someone at the Cathedral can mend it," she added before Ruby could fret. "It might not be as well done, but at least you could get it back sooner."

"Good idea, Weiss! I can save some Lien that way too!"

True, though not the reason she'd suggested that. Ruby beamed and seemed pleased with the arrangement, thank goodness, meaning she should be able to take care of her business in peace. Though there was the slight issue of still being followed…

"After all that I do need to visit the shops for a few things. Or the markets…" Weiss trailed off in thought. "I suppose the farmer's market should have everything I'd need. Then again, if I just went right to the shop…"

"Oh, what are you getting at the farmer's market?" Ruby's enthusiasm dwindled a bit as she regarded Weiss warily. "Are you going to be cooking…?"

"I… What if I was? What's with that reaction?" Weiss huffed and stopped in the middle of the street, hands on her hips. Ruby squirmed and smiled sheepishly. "I'm a perfectly good cook! Last time I cooked everyone loved it!"

She'd followed a recipe letter for letter and had done everything as expected. A simple stew, so simple that even a drunkard could manage it! Sliced beef, potato, onion and carrot. It was mundane yet hearty and the perfect thing for a group of initiates in the middle of the Emerald Forest. Everyone had eaten their fill, and Jaune even asked for seconds!

"Well um… For starters you never washed the potatoes…"

"I beg your pardon? I most certainly did!"

"Then where did all the sand come from?" Weiss' face flushed as Ruby tapped her fingers. "N-Not that it was _awful_ , and it definitely did, um… Fill us up! It was a little…"

"Well then, perhaps next time we should just let Ren and Nora cook, hm?" She knew she was being petulant as she folded her arms, and if that didn't sell it then the pout certainly did. Weiss turned away when Ruby shook her head, dropping her hands to her hips and whirling back around. "I didn't see you volunteering, Rose!"

"N-No, it was good! You should totally try again!" Ruby followed after Weiss and smiled nervously when she went ignored. Sighing to herself the brunette followed behind, watching Weiss nervously the entire time.

The Cathedral stood now only as a silhouette in the city, a backdrop instead of the monument that it was. Wide streets fanned out in a grid and formed the market district, the only one that had any rhyme or reason to its layout. If there weren't stalls lining the roads, crowds gathered around the tiny, sprung up shops, then proper stores formed walls, funneling people through. Tailors, leatherworkers, bakers, bookbinders, all that and more could be found in the city's varied markets.

A Muran woman stood beneath an awning, a rainbow of cloth draped across one arm, a stack of flyers in another. She called for people to examine her handiwork and the few who took to the offer seemed impressed, though it was few indeed. An Ydran man bellowed as he spoke, a deep voice that didn't quite fit his slender frame. Pointed, angled ears slipped out of the corners of a crimson cap, a hawk's feather poking out from the top, almost comically long. A necklace caught the sunlight and shone like a smaller sun itself, polished gold and the sapphire encased glistening brilliantly. Fancy no doubt but perhaps a bit out of most people's price range.

With Vale nestled at the mouth of a river it was natural that canals would carve up the landscape. One such canal sliced through the market district, half a dozen stone bridges spanning its length. Slabs of carved granite rested upon mortar and stone, and iron lampposts grew out of the ground like weeds. Unlit as it was the middle of the day their rotund glass cases were dark. Weiss didn't envy the guards whose duty it was to light them every evening.

"Alright, that's quite far enough." Weiss stopped midway on the bridge and turned, frowning as Ruby nearly ran into her. Digging into her pouch she produced a handful of Lien and offered it to the perplexed girl. "I don't want you nipping at my heels all day."

"Are you… Paying me to leave…?"

The hurt in Ruby's tone made Weiss cringe and she quickly shook her head. "No! No, I just… I have a lot to do today and I figured I could enlist your aid?" Like an overeager puppy Ruby lit up and bounced on the balls of her feet. Weiss fought the urge to roll her eyes and grabbed her friend's hand, planting the money firmly into her palm. "We have our first mission coming up and we should make sure we're supplied. Can I trust you to purchase what we need?"

"Medicine, some food rations, extra flint and steel, oh! And maybe some sweets!" Close enough. "Hey Weiss…?"

"Hm?"

"How am I supposed to find you after I buy stuff? Assuming you won't be waiting here for me…?"

"Huh… Well, seeing as we haven't gotten our scrying stones yet…" That was a good question. A _better_ question would be how could she prolong Ruby's absence? Unless she gave her friend more errands it wouldn't take long to group back together. "Why don't you go to Monty's Corner when you're done? I'll come visit you there when I'm finished."

"Ooooh, lunch! Good thinking!" Ruby grinned and clapped her hands together, then blinked and looked at the stack of Lien still in her hand. "Um… I'm going to need a bit more though if we're getting food. Not much! Just enough to order."

 _Or… Wait for me to get there and then order? Then we'd have enough Lien no matter what._ Rather than argue Weiss dug into her pouch again and handed over more money. "If you happen to run into anyone else there could you tell them I'll be done shortly?

"Oh, they know we went out?

Weiss mentally slapped herself before smiling to mask her folly. "Obviously. And they know we left together, so if you were to return by yourself it may raise questions. Just… Tell them I'm finishing my errands, okay?"

Ruby lingered while a look of uncertainty hung across her face. Silver eyes studied Weiss, and for a moment she wondered if the brunette might be searching for an ulterior motive. Never one to suspect a friend however Ruby let it drop, uncertainty replaced by a warm, glowing smile. "Okay! Hurry back, I'm hungry!"

Settling for a nod as an answer Weiss lifted a hand and waved, watching Ruby turn and bound off. She felt guilty for separating them, but it was necessary - she couldn't get everything done with Ruby dogging at her heels like, well... Like a dog. Her enthusiasm for the most mundane of matters became tiresome after a while even if it was genuinely innocent and innocuous. She would linger and try to look at every little thing a shop owned just for curiosity's sake. Gods forbid they should visit the blacksmith together; Ruby could spend hours inspecting weapons on display and ask questions of the blacksmith until she went blue in the face.

For a girl whose magic pertained to speed Ruby had a knack for taking ages sometimes.

Weiss smiled to herself and looked up at the blue sky, reflecting the color of her eyes. It was mostly clear save for a few stray wisps of white, like a painter's brush lazily dotting a blue canvas with globs of paint. Still early, she noted, and plenty of time to complete her errands. If she was quick perhaps she could get most of them finished before meeting Ruby again. If she was lucky maybe she could fabricate another reason to send her excitable friend off.

Weiss' footfalls were soundless from the crowds around her. The water trickled along beneath the bridge, catching sunlight and glowing like a cavern of crystals. Along the canal stretched narrow paths and a handful of residents sat along the water's edge, their belongings gathered in disorganized piles beside them.

Continuing from the bridge the markets stretched on for several blocks. Cobbled roads, laid out more like a spider's web than a grid, wove into each other. Whichever shops lined the streets were as random as the paths on which they lay and even after years of living in Vale, Weiss still struggled at times to remember exactly where she was going.

Thankfully a blacksmith managed to stand out. Where most buildings stood abreast a smithy always stood apart. It was necessary - thick, billowing clouds of black smoke rose from the furnaces and the incessant ring of hammer on steel was grating. Weiss spot a chimney of soot before the building ever came into view, clouds of dark rising high above wood and tiled roofs.

Pyrrha had explained to them once that there was art in a smith's work. At the time Weiss had scoffed, unable to understand how anyone could see beauty in something so disgusting. Blacksmiths wore as much soot and sweat as they did protection. Forges smelled of ash and charcoal, and many were unkempt, burly masses that were as pleasant to be near as a Grimm. She'd scorned her friend's explanation until Pyrrha took her to see one, the very same shop Weiss now found herself standing before.

Hammer strikes, while still every bit as loud and abrasive, had a certain rhythm to them. As a conductor might lead their orchestra the blows were measured, coming after set intervals, each strike methodical, careful. Pyrrha pointed out how every blow needed to be right, lest they ruin the piece they were forging. It gave a new sense of finesse to a practice Weiss thought barbaric. Necessarily, but hardly something she could ever consider artful.

Oak timbers framed a heavy door, the front of the blacksmith's shop gray stone. Moss and vines crept up the surface and clumps of uncut grass sprouted from cracks in the cobbled road, through the crushed stone walkway that lead off the main road and up to the entrance. Weiss slipped through a wooden gate and needed both hands to push open the door, fingers gripping the cold steel as she swung. Natural light flooded into the building and specks of dust circled in the air. Wooden flooring stained by ash and sporting innumerable scuff marks laid out before her.

Over the noise of the smith's work outside she knew he wouldn't hear her, so Weiss refrained from calling out. Instead she entered the shop, the heavy door shutting behind her without a sound, somehow. Low counters to her left and right directed her towards the main counter opposite the door, each sporting pieces the smith had worked on. Swords, knives, spearheads and arrowheads to her left, with strips of parchment and prices scrawled in charcoal underneath.

To her right were kettles, hoe heads, sickles and small containers of screws, nails and washers. At least that's what Weiss assumed they were. A carpenter could probably point out the dimensions of the pieces, list what they were used for, and even what material they were made of at a glance. To her it was a pile of nails and screws.

Weiss stopped at the counter and drew Myrtenaster from its holster. Polished steel laced with silver gave the weapon a sheen even in its dulled state. The narrow blade, reinforced with a rod to add strength, was sharp even as she ran a fingertip along its edge. Sharp, but certainly dulling. Her fingers gripped the leather-bound handle as she turned it over, inspecting it methodically for further wear and tear.

The handguard was warped where she'd blocked a few strikes in training. Cages usually were intended to trap yet this one was designed to protect. She had considered using a parry knife to compensate for a lack of shield but opted against it. If she needed both hands for weapons then she lost her ability to cast any spells, and spells, she decided, were of greater import than a tiny blade. So, she'd had the handguard added, and gods if it hadn't been worthwhile.

No sooner had Weiss set her rapier down on the counter did the sound of hammer strikes cease. With lack of noise, she became acutely aware of how floorboards creaked while she shifted her weight, the gentle scrape of Myrtenaster along the counter as she shifted it. A door in the back opened and a deep cough rumbled from within the shop. Another door opened, and through it walked a man whose girth made Weiss surprised he could even fit. Every time she came to the shop she seemed to temporarily forget the size of the smith, though she supposed it was only natural a man of his profession be large; a diminutive person like her would be a terribly smithy.

"Thought I heard someone come in!" Perhaps it was because the shop was so small, or because her hearing was so sensitive, but Weiss swore the man's voice boomed like thunder. He flashed a full grin beneath a thick black beard, dried, cracked lips stretching. "Good to see ya again, lass. What'll it be today?"

Weiss offered the man a friendly smile and craned her neck to meet his gaze. Gods was he tall. Or maybe she was just short? "Just some tune-ups, Roderick."

Roderick nodded and held out a beefy, calloused hand. Where it took Weiss both to hold her weapon he easily gripped it in one, his limb eclipsing the weapon. "A few dents and scrapes along the blade, the handguard needs to be adjusted, but nothing too pressing," she elaborated, watching as the smith examined her tool. Most people would make her feel uncomfortable if they scrutinized her precious blade, but Roderick had long proven himself not only capable, but exceptional in his work.

"The core's softening a bit too, seems like. She's got a little hum to her."

To illustrate his point Roderick rasped Myrtenaster against the countertop. Weiss watched as the blade vibrated before resuming its stationary state, eyes trained on it carefully. She hadn't heard nor seen anything to suggest there was an issue, but she trusted the man enough to know it was genuine.

"Can you fix it?" Weiss asked.

"Easily. Can't go and put any new metal in there, not unless you want me forging a new blade." Weiss shook her head quickly. That would take time, and though today might be a day off she'd need the weapon soon for sparring, and her first mission. "The best I can do then is maybe encase it. Perhaps use a spell to warp some fresh steel on it, create a shell to help hold it together."

Roderick's tone hardly sounded certain which meant there was a caveat. When the man trailed off and remained silent Weiss pressed him to continue. "But…?"

"A shell only will do so much. Put all the dressings on a wound ya like, but if the body is infected then bandages won't do much good."

"In other words, you think I need a new blade?"

It was inevitable, Weiss supposed. Lien had been tight when she'd arrived in Vale and she'd needed a new weapon. Roderick had been generous enough to forge her one, though he'd only been able to do so with the funds she had available. He might be contracted to the Church, Weiss observed as he inspected Myrtenaster once more, but a business was a business and he couldn't give away goods for free.

"Sooner rather than later, aye. I can rebuild her exactly the same, wouldn't be too hard. Assuming you've gotten more of that stipend of yours saved up we can make something really worthwhile."

Weiss smiled and nodded, wistfully eyeing Myrtenaster. It was a knock-off anyways, a stand-in for the real thing. She hadn't expected it to last terribly long and it hadn't, half a year at most. Yet there was an undeniable sense of sadness that came with knowing she'd be retiring her weapon. It was cheap, inexpensive and arguably unreliable, yet it had been hers. The first weapon she'd commissioned for herself. It was little more than sentimentality but part of her wanted to tell Roderick he was wrong and keep the blasted thing how it was.

Common sense prevailed however, and Weiss ponied up, dropping a handful of Lien onto the counter. "Just the shell for now. Perhaps after my mission I can have it reforged."

"Aye, sounds like a plan. Sure you don't want something else though? A small sword?" Roderick gestured, and Weiss looked back at the shelves of weapons on display, the counter that she'd crossed on her way in. "Might be better safe than sorry, lass. Can't hurt to have a good weapon just in case."

"Do you think Myrtenaster will break so easily?" Weiss questioned, and when the smith shook his head she smiled up at him. "Then I think I'll be fine. Besides, I do have magic at my disposal. So even if my weapon breaks I'm not entirely defenseless."

Roderick snorted and laid the rapier across his broad shoulder. Gray eyes stared at Weiss under a thick brow and his leathery, soot-covered skin twisted with another smile. "Magic is fancy an' all, but nothing beats a good blade, Weiss."

"And I'm sure you're not at all biased in saying that," she retorted with a giggle.

Rumbling laughter erupted from the smith and he flashed another wide smile. "Aye, you've got me there. Can't blame a man for trying though!" Scooping up the Lien he slipped it into the pocket of his apron, patting it over his chest. "When do you need her done by?"

"Two days, if possible. I might be able to make it three, but I don't imagine Proctor Goodwitch will give me more than that."

"Let's not try the woman's patience. You'll have her ripe and ready by this time tomorrow, lass. And if you'd like I can begin drawing up plans for a replacement, too?"

Weiss eyed Myrtenaster, what equated really to little more than a training sword. It pained her to do so but she nodded, signing off on her blade's fate. Roderick seemed pleased and nodded himself before placing the weapon on a shelf beneath the counter. She didn't want to do it but going into battle knowing her weapon might break was less appealing still. All she needed was for it to last through her mission and then she could scrap it.

Bidding Roderick farewell Weiss excused herself and exited the shop, taking a deep breath once the door closed behind her. The man was friendly, but gods did his shop reek. Glad for the fresh air she dusted herself down, nose wrinkling as clouds came off. Perhaps if she was lucky enough she could pick it up without having to go inside.

She could worry about that when she came back though. Right now… Right now, she needed to get to the tailors. Fingering her pouch Weiss noted the swiftly dwindling Lien inside, sighing and shaking her head. "This had better be worth it…" She flicked soot from her sleeve and adjusted her tunic before heading out along the road once more.

/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/

Weiss wouldn't have noticed her new pouch's weight if she'd had Myrtenaster to offset it. Or perhaps it was the lack of weight inside that was more telling. Aside from having no supplies - Ruby would be remedying that, her Lien reserves took a notable hit from the purchase. A ruddy, fraying pouch made of cloth wouldn't survive much longer and, much like her weapon, was in need of replacement. Unlike Myrtenaster she could replace it easily, albeit not cheaply.

Tracing the woven seams of her pouch a reluctant sigh slipped through her lips, closing her eyes. One-hundred and fifty Lien. It was a good quality pouch, rectangular and made of two strips of hardened leather. A single strap, sewn in the middle of the pouch, was clasped in place by a buckle, easily unlocked with a flip of her finger. Secure yet accessible, it could hold a handful of items and do so well, plus endure the regular wear and tear of traveling. Still, though… One-hundred and fifty Lien for a pouch. Roderick and his services had cost her another two-hundred, and she'd given Ruby eighty for their supplies. Of the five-hundred Lien she'd taken only seventy remained, and she still needed to visit the markets.

 _It's worth it._ Weiss reminded herself, a single, solitary tear slipping from her eye. It had taken her a month to save that up, her stipend as an initiate hardly an impressive sum, and it had taken less than three hours to see most of it vanish. Pausing at a stall selling tarts her mouth watered, inching closer and rising onto her toes to peer at the pastries.

Squared, oblong, treats of various shapes and sizes laid out across the stalls surface. Puff pastries with glaze and filled with apple, strawberry, cranberry and gods knew what else, all just begging for her to purchase them. Weiss' stomach dutifully reminded her she'd not eaten yet with a loud, unceremonious growl and she almost gave in. When her fingertips grazed her remaining Lien however she stepped back, snapping her pouch shut and continuing down the street.

Markets first. She needed to be certain she had enough for her purposes there, and only then would she allow herself food. Ruby would be waiting for her at Monty's Corner if she wasn't already, food could be gotten there.

If she needed fresh goods then she needed to travel further out, away from the Cathedral and the central markets. Foodstuffs were sold closer to the agricultural district, which meant traversing most of the commercial areas. A baker here and a random restaurant there hardly constituted suitable places for buying ingredients. She could feasibly buy what she was after but that felt like cheating. No, she'd do this herself, even if it probably wouldn't come out nearly as palatable.

Her eyebrow twitched, and she glared ahead at empty space, causing people around her to steer clear. She was capable of cooking regardless of what Ruby might think! She'd taken lessons from Ren and he was the best among them! Nora too, though she was timid to recreate anything Nora had shown her.

Case in point she was perfectly capable of preparing food. Maybe it was pride making her do it, but she was determined, and evidently a glutton for punishment. As Weiss took a flight of stairs down towards the lower sections of Vale she was reminded of the empty jostle of her pouch.

At least she had her first mission to look forwards to. She could recoup some of her losses with that.

Shops closer to the Cathedral and interior wards were the most affluent. Polished stone with fine trim and high-quality goods made up the majority of shops there and it made sense. The noble's homes were closest and the Church itself had no shortage of Lien, even if its initiates might. Stores there then could afford to both produce and sell more expensive wares thanks to the people living nearby. As Weiss moved further away and moved towards where the residential district bled into agricultural, however, there was a notable change. In more ways than one.

Roderick's blacksmith shop was middle of the road in terms of quality. A decent building, enough space to claim owning his own lot. High end stores were spread out and had ample room to expand if need be. Roderick could, though he'd still be pinched for space.

Buildings of brick and stone funneled Weiss down narrow roads, feeling every bit as claustrophobic as she should. Small alleyways barely wide enough for two people to pass through separated buildings, though in some cases they were joined together, a single wall separating them. Many shops were stacked on top of one another, ostensibly to retain what little open space was left in the area.

Despite roads being narrow, or perhaps due to it, people crowded the streets. Weiss for once was grateful for her smaller stature and slipped between groups, occasionally pushing against someone to give herself an extra inch or two of space. Some were shopping, she assumed, though most seemed to be middling about. One group of men gathered outside of a tavern and clanked their glasses together, laughing boisterously as one of their number's drink spilled on him. In a display of maturity, the man flung himself at his friend opposite him and the two broke into a drunken scuffle. Weiss ignored it.

From somewhere nearby she could make out the pleasant sound of a lute being strummed. The sound was light and airy, the tune carrying well, like a bird's song in the waking hours of the day. Whoever played did so with a practiced touch and she wished she could spare the time to watch them perform. Even if she could find the source though, which she couldn't, she was sure they would be playing for the Lien she couldn't spare. Best to avoid that guilt altogether.

With the sun high overhead now Weiss found herself wishing she'd forgone the cloak, thin as it was. In trying to escape the sun's grating rays she pulled the hood up only to drop it moments later, deeming the pooling heat not worth the paltry protection. Maybe some sun would do her some good. Maybe she wouldn't be so deathly pale with a little exposure.

 _Or maybe you'll return to Ruby resembling a lobster._ Weiss' mouth twisted into a rueful smile as she paused at an intersection, watching a cavalcade of carriages pass through. Unlike the shoddy wooden carts of many traders they were furnished in stained food with trim, fine upholstery and, Weiss noted with curiosity, plating and padding along the exterior. Someone important then, if the guards accompanying the procession didn't make that obvious enough. A handful of shouts around her called out, unintelligible, and the proceedings went on without acknowledging any of them. Before she could press her way through the crowd for a better look they were already gone, pressing on for the nobility district judging by their direction.

Shops thinned, and the roads opened. More permanent structures became replaced by stalls and tents, and crowds grew denser than before. Be it nobility, common folk, the Church or the guard, everyone and anyone in Vale relied on the agricultural district and farmers for their food. While Vale had plenty of trade thanks to its port one could hardly transport fruits and vegetables across the ocean.

So, the farmers and hunters, despite making up a small portion of the population, were given a district unto themselves to peddle their wares. Local merchants helped to proliferate trade and residents purchased locally grown goods. It was the way Vale had always operated, a system of self-sustainability that had enabled a once modest village to grow into one of the capital cities of Remnant.

Even better that it was all fresh and nothing but the freshest goods would do. It would cost her the last of her Lien more likely than not, something that made Weiss whine as she wandered into the plaza, but it would be worth it.

Unlike the inner wards and upper districts, the roads in the agricultural areas were unpaved. No cobble or stone, simple, hard packed dirt. Maintaining such a busy area would be a logistical nightmare and when so many animals were brought into the space, and subsequently relieved themselves in it, it was easier to just leave things natural.

Weiss pinched her nose as she passed by a man selling hides. His ox grumbled and stomped its hooves, kicking up clouds of dirt. Meeting its gaze, she blinked back tears catching its unwashed scent, and more poignantly, the pile of dung it left underfoot. She'd retch if she dared open her mouth and instead hurried along. Horses and other beasts dotted the area, many used to transport goods, others going to sale themselves. A pen of pigs, smelling of over-ripened, spoiled food, unwashed hog and, yep, more poop, squealed loudly. A farmer lazily sat beside it and kicked his foot against the fencing, snapping at the lively swines.

Thankfully what she was after stood removed from the livestock. Finding a small cart with burlap sacks of varying sizes Weiss slipped between a crowd, picking out the smallest of the bunch; she'd have to carry back her purchases by hand so only what she could manage would have to do. Weighing the flour in hand and deeming it more than enough she grabbed the attention of the vendor, getting the price and promptly paying it. Tucking the sack under one arm she continued through the plaza, wandering to try and find whatever she was after.

A bag of flour, a small box of eggs, and a small jar of sugar. Weiss balanced her purchases in her arms precariously, clutching them to her chest for dear life. Any time someone bumped against her she redoubled her grip and glared daggers, going unnoticed most times. If she had to go back and buy more ingredients she'd set ablaze the buffoon who caused her misfortune. Not literally. Probably not.

Reciting the recipe given to her in her head Weiss stopped in stride when a man began to shout. Shouting in a bustling market was hardly anything unusual, though most people didn't tend to include expletives. Several heads turned, her own included, just in time to spot a cloaked figure breaking away from a stall, a lockbox tucked under their arm.

It would be so easy to ignore it and let the guards handle the situation. She was unarmed, though technically she had magic, and she had plenty to do herself. Weiss stood idle for a moment and chewed on her lip before her moral compass gave her a swift kick to the butt and forced her into action. With a grumble she forced her goods into the arms of a baffled woman and took off after the figure. It wasn't difficult to follow them even if she couldn't see as most people moved out of their way, conveniently giving Weiss a path directly to them.

Her boots dug into her shins as she sprinted, shouting for the few who didn't move to do so. Catching sight of the black cloak she scowled at their back, hastening to close the distance. They were fast, faster than her, and once they broke free of the plaza catching them would be nigh impossible. Ruby could catch them easily, no doubt, but she'd sent her friend elsewhere to take care of business. She'd kick herself for that later if the thief got away.

"Stop! Stop right there!"

As if shouting at a thief ever worked. They did look back though, and Weiss caught a flicker of the boy's face before he vaulted over a cart, knocking its contents aside to delay her. Rather than circle around Weiss slid under it, silently cursing as dirt stained her clothes. The boy pushed a man down and Weiss jumped over him, closing the gap somewhat.

Buildings began to appear again and the crowd thin, leaving the boy with ample opportunity to escape. Weiss clicked her tongue before raising her index and middle fingers, weaving a rune and unleashing it. The glowing character snapped like shattering glass before a sudden gale of wind slammed into the boy's back, lifting him off his feet and knocking him over. Still clutching to the lockbox, he rolled and rose to his knees, drawing a short knife. Weiss reached for Myrtenaster and grabbed air, leaping back as the boy closed in and chased her off with the blade. Rather than press his attack though he ran again. _He doesn't want to fight. He can clearly see I'm unarmed,_ thought Weiss. _That or he doesn't want to attack a Magi._

Nor did she want to play a game of cat and mouse. As the boy raced down an alleyway Weiss cut in after him, weaving another rune. This time the ground glowed, a trail of light racing through the earth itself. The boy looked down to watch magic worm its way through the soil before he gasped, skidding to a halt as a wall of earth erupted before him, cutting off the end of the alley. When he turned Weiss already had another rune prepared, a faint blue glow tinting her face.

"You have nowhere to run, please hand that over." Weiss held her free hand out for the lockbox, her eyes never leaving the boy's green, panicked pools. He shouted in frustration before charging, knife held awkwardly before him. An image of her opponent yesterday, an initiate somehow so inept that Jaune seemed skilled by comparison, flashed through her mind.

She sidestepped the knife and grabbed the boy's wrist. Pressing her rune to his chest she unleashed her spell, ice erupting from her palm and rapidly covering most of his body. Weiss pushed him back into a wall and let her spell run its course, trapping his arms, one leg, and the entirety of his torso. With only his head and a single leg free from the shell he wasn't going anywhere and plucking the knife from his hand was a simple task.

The boy finally saw sense and hung his head, muttering to himself in defeat. Satisfied, Weiss removed the lockbox too, inspecting the latch and checking inside. All the Lien was accounted for, or so she assumed, and whatever might be gone would be recovered. "There are better ways to earn a living, you know," she berated, frowning as the boy continued to sulk.

A small group of guards stopped at the end of the alley, shouting to Weiss before hurrying inside. "Right on cue…" Handing over the lockbox she smiled apologetically as the man gaped at the ice, no doubt wondering how they would get the boy out. Sparing them the effort Weiss weaved another rune, pressing her palm to the ice and melting it. Cold water pooled against the floor and the boy sank to his knees once free, promptly lifted to his feet by a pair of guards.

"Appreciate the help, little girl," one of the men commented, smiling warmly.

Weiss felt anger bubble forth and for a split second debated encasing the guard as she had the thief. Deciding that assaulting a man of law wasn't worth the sleight she smiled back, even if she really, really didn't want to. "It's no trouble. Though I do have to ask…" She eyed the other men and raised an eyebrow. "Where were you in the market? Aren't there usually plenty of guards on duty?"

A rusty-bearded guard opened his mouth to answer and belched, blinking before flashing her a sheepish smile. They were eating? Okay, now she really wanted to freeze them, if only because she herself still hadn't enjoyed a meal yet. "I trust you can this from here on out…?" Weiss asked, placing her hands on her hips. A guard snickered at her posturing and was quickly silenced by a glare in his direction.

"Of course! Appreciate the help, miss." The first guard seemed to be a fast learner. Good. Waving to the pair holding the boy they marched out of the alley, half-carrying their captive with them. "You a Hunter? We don't usually see many Magi around," he commented after a moment, rubbing his head through his helmet, which made Weiss wonder why he didn't just remove the blasted thing. "Least, not so many that see fit to lend a hand."

"I am." Weiss puffed with pride at her declaration and allowed her smile to widen. Technically she wasn't, she was an initiate, but the guards didn't need to know that. "That boy… Can you give him a little levity when you sentence him?"

"What, why?"

It wasn't a Hunters place to distribute sentences, that was a guard's duty and Weiss knew that. It was even less her place to offer any suggestions considering she was still in training. Even so… "He didn't harm anyone despite being armed," she explained, handing the guard the unblemished, rusted knife she'd taken from the boy. "I'd imagine he was just trying to steal Lien to get by. He looked gaunt too. If anything, he's just down on his luck." Not a real menace to society, and certainly not warranting harsh punishment, in her opinion.

"Ah… I don't know. Circumstances aside a thief's a thief, miss. We can't go making exceptions just because the boy might be a touch hungry."

Weiss would argue he was more than a 'touch' if he'd resorted to theft, but she bit her tongue. The guard was right, and even if he felt sympathy too, the law was the law. "I understand. Well, he'll at least be fed while he's held, won't he?"

"Of course! Most folks don't tend to stay in cells long anyways." The guard itched his stubbled, rounded chin and smiled. "I imagine the boy won't do but a few day's time before being released since no one was hurt."

Pittance, considering nothing would change the boy's situation, and he'd likely end up stealing again. Subsequent charges would be worse, and Weiss wondered how many times one could be arrested before things escalated. Hopefully the boy would try to find other ways of making ends meet.

There was little more she could offer, and after the guards took her statement she was free to go. That little distraction had eaten up a half hour all things told and finding the woman with her goods took another twenty minutes. By the time she had her goods again and reached Monty's Corner she estimated four hours had passed since she and Ruby split. Ruby Rose, for all her kindness, was not the most patient of people. When Weiss finally arrived, her friend was bouncing in her seat, cheeks puffed up and eyes boring into Weiss. It was as close to a scowl as the dolt could manage, and despite herself Weiss had laughed at.

Ruby had questioned what took so long and Weiss explained over their meal. She'd also tried to ask what the large bag was for, but Weiss deflected expertly by explaining what she'd gone to see Roderick for. Any talk of weapons quickly took over their conversation and Ruby, as anticipated, lead the discussion. By the time their meals had finished and Ruby _finally_ stopped her rambling the pair paid their tab and left for the Church, with Weiss' goods burning a hole in the bag. She was nervous, more nervous than she had been chasing the thief, and Ruby's constant glances weren't helping matters.

"So…" Ruby skipped along, her hands behind her back as she smiled at Weiss hopefully. "Are you gonna tell me what's in the bag?"

"No, you boob, and I won't tell you the next ten times you ask, either." Weiss rolled her eyes as Ruby stuck her tongue out, returning the gesture. Her friend snickered and let the topic drop even if she was going to bring it up again moments later.

For that Weiss was grateful when the Cathedral came into view. A little behind schedule, much more than she cared to admit, but they got back with a few hours left of daylight. As planned Nora and Ren waited at the main gates, the former bouncing in place as Ren sat and greeted them with a smile and wave. Further along they found Pyrrha and Jaune, the duo carrying a few bags themselves. Ruby regarded everyone with curious gazes and only received knowing smiles in exchange.

As they approached the training hall and cut through the gardens Ruby, who had been practically vibrating, finally tugged on Weiss' cloak. "Please tell me what's going on already?" she implored, silver eyes wide. "Come on, keeping secrets isn't nice and you're all being weird!"

"Weird? Hey, I'm not weird!" Jaune protested, clutching a small crate to his chest with a pout.

"Yeah! Jauney is noodley and a bit of a dork, but he's not weird!" Nora chimed in with a grin.

"Gee, thanks, Nora…"

"No problem!"

Weiss smiled patiently at her friend and shook her head, laughing when Ruby groaned and scuffed her foot in the dirt. "Why don't you go with Pyrrha and spar a bit? We just need to bring these to our rooms and we'll meet you two again, okay?"

Ruby looked to want to protest and pouted, folding her arms in a sulk. It didn't last long however, and her usual smile reappeared, accompanied by an eager nod. "Okay! Don't be long, though!"

"We won't be," Weiss promised. Pyrrha handed her goods to Jaune and offered Ruby a hand, yelping as the shorter girl took it and all but dragged the redhead into the training hall. Weiss waited after the doors closed, making sure Ruby wouldn't emerge suddenly before giving the remaining members of their group an excited smile. "Well, shall we?"

/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/

"What… What is this…?" Ruby questioned. She looked between everyone, eyes wide and mouth agape.

"What does it look like…?" Weiss asked.

"A cake, but…" Tilting her head and furrowing her brow Ruby's arms folded. "It's not my birthday, or any of yours, and it's not a holiday…"

Weiss applauded Ruby, though for a weird reason. She'd expected her friend to ask questions later and dive right into eating. Nora nearly had the moment they'd finished. Weiss smiled, her hair dancing as a cool evening breeze danced through the garden. The sun had mostly set and an orange glow illuminated the sky above, basking the ground below in subdued hues. Beneath them a soft woolen blanket, one not stolen from the storage room, Nora assured her, served as a makeshift picnic blanket.

Ruby shook her head and leaned closer to the cake, on the verge of drooling. "It looks so yummy…" she mumbled, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand.

"I should certainly hope so. Our friends worked very hard to make it." Pyrrha smiled, then giggled when Ruby's eyes grew impossibly large.

"You guys made this?!"

"We did indeed," Ren answered. If Weiss wasn't mistaken she caught a hint of pride in the usually monotone voice, though she couldn't be sure.

Unleashing a squeal Ruby bounced in place, reaching for the cake before hesitating. She looked at everyone and blushed, sitting back and folding her hands in her lap. "This is for me…? Is that why you were all being weird today?"

"Yeah, and jeez it was a pain to hide," Jaune laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "Sorry if you thought we were avoiding you. But we had to, Weiss' orders."

"Weiss?" Ruby repeated, blinking and looking at the girl in question.

"Well yeah, it was her idea, after all!" Nora grinned, unapologetic even as Weiss tried to set her ablaze with sight alone.

"I don't understand…?"

"Weiss mentioned you seemed sad last night, and she wasn't sure what to do to make you feel better," explained Pyrrha. She gestured to the cake and giggled again. "Food seems to make you happy, and after we did a little sleuthing we decided a strawberry cake would make you a little better."

"That, and some good company," Ren added, smiling himself.

There were no stars out, yet something was twinkling. Weiss watched Ruby's eyes tear up, her face going pink as her friend turned to look at her. _Gods, please don't start bawling. I'm not in the mood after today…_

"W-Weiss…?" Ruby stammered as she clutched her worn cloak to her chest. "You did this…?"

"I mean… I didn't _specifically,_ they all helped," Weiss corrected. Looking away as Ruby's eyes welled up she pulled at her collar awkwardly. "And Ren and Nora did most of the baking, I just came up with the idea." Ruby hiccupped and Weiss finally looked back, wishing she hadn't. Her friend shook, and her eyes seemed bigger, and like a dam desperately trying to hold back water. Concerned, Weiss moved a bit closer. "Ruby…?"

A puffy, teary, red mush slammed into Weiss and knocked her down, four limbs clinging onto her as Ruby whined. "You're s-so nice! You're the bestest partner ever!"

Stunned, Weiss tried to wriggle free, kicking her legs beneath Ruby. "Th-that's not a word, you dolt! And get off me! You're heavy!" Ruby whined again and, rather than do as she was told, squeezed tighter. Feeling her oxygen supply dwindling she motioned for help, exhaling and rubbing her chest as Jaune and Pyrrha obliged by peeling Ruby off.

With speed that would give most people whiplash Ruby rubbed her face and grinned, though soft sniffling continued. "You guys, you didn't have to do all this for me…"

"Don't be absurd, we're not going to let you be miserable." Weiss brushed herself down for what little good it did. On top of the dirt stains on her trousers she was covered in flour, icing and egg, mostly courtesy of Nora. "That, and I cannot sleep with you sniffling all night."

Ruby made an odd sound, something between a whine and squeal, and Weiss held a hand out, warning with a rune as her friend reached for her. Thankfully Ren knew just how to diffuse the situation. "How about we cut into this and enjoy? It would be a shame to let it go to waste."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," Pyrrha agreed. She reached into the crate Jaune had brought and produced teacups, which explained what the kettle Jaune had brought along was for. While she prepared drinks, Ren went about cutting the cake, gently swatting Nora's hand as she reached for a strawberry slice.

It had taken their entire day off, not to mention trying to sneak behind Ruby's back, but they had done it. If her partner had gone to bed upset last night, then Weiss was confident Ruby would be nothing but smiles for the rest of the evening now. If she even went to bed, that was. Already she could imagine the brunette incessantly chirping as she recalled events not even half a day old.

Weiss smiled as she was handed her own slice, prodding the vanilla cake with her fork. Strawberry icing, strawberry slices mixed in, and strawberry slices on top. Never before and never again would a cake be so uniquely tailored to Ruby's tastes. It had been a headache to procure everything and an even bigger nightmare to keep everything from Ruby, but had it been worth it?

Ruby couldn't stop smiling and was currently competing with Nora to see who could fit more cake in their mouth. Nora was winning, though goodness if Ruby wasn't doing her best to keep up. Ren played judge, though Weiss suspected his true purpose was to save someone if they should start choking. Jaune and Pyrrha watched on with amused smiles, and the latter nearly passed out when Jaune offered her a strawberry, once again misunderstanding her looks his way. Idiot.

Weiss laughed, then shook her head and sampled another bite of the cake. It had been worth it. She could rattle off whatever excuse she wanted - cohesion with her partner, wanting a better night's rest, but ultimately, she'd made the effort because she hadn't wanted to see a friend so miserable. And it paid off in droves. Ruby seemed beyond delighted and any misery from the night before long since forgotten. Hopefully it wouldn't take a cake every time to cheer her up.

Nora gasped after chasing down an impossibly large mouthful with an entire cup of tea. Frosting decorated her face and she greedily wiped it off, licking her lips clean before grinning at Weiss. "What do you know… The Ice Queen DOES have a heart!"

Weiss' face reddened as the group laughed, placing her plate aside. "Why you…" Nora stuck out her tongue and Weiss raised a hand for a rune, stopping when Ruby caught it both her own.

"Weiss, thank you so much…!" Ruby's smile robbed Weiss of any malice, though she still managed to shoot Nora a look. "That cake was so yummy. You guys are the best."

Weiss chuckled, freeing her hand before flicking Ruby gently on the forehead. "Just enjoy your cake, you dolt."

Ruby didn't need to be told twice and promptly stuffed another helping, her cheeks distending to make room. The air had grown cooler and the sun had since set yet Weiss felt warm. Maybe it was the tea in her hands, still steaming, or maybe it was the blanket on which she sat. More accurately, she surmised, it was the company around her. Cheesy? Impossibly so, but even the Ice Queen was apt to feel sappy now and again.

"To the Ice Queen!" Jaune laughed, raising his teacup. Everyone followed suit, but Weiss trained her anger solely on the clod who started the toast.

She'd spend the next twenty minutes thawing him out of ice.

* * *

 **It seemed like a filler episode, didn't it? Was it? No, it wasn't. There are a few things I did this chapter to foreshadow/worldbuild, and have some fun with Weiss and Ruby. Don't worry your pretty little heads, there's more fun to come soon :D**

 **Next chapter... When it's ready! Until then, stay lovely!**


	5. Chapter 5: Chance Encounter

**Another chapter? So soon! Why yes, random person who may or may not have wondered that! Yang was ready to go and I couldn't tell her no. Mostly because she'd kick my butt.**

 **I didn't plan to upload this early, but I'm so stressed over what's going to happen in the show this episode (no spoilers!) and I couldn't sleep. It's still winter break and I don't have classes to stress about. Don't judge me!**

 **Yang, save me from rambling!**

* * *

Yang hated the forest.

Maybe that wasn't fair to say. The forest was beautiful and peaceful. Wandering in the deepest recesses enabled one to forget the world for a time. A brief time, but Yang welcomed whatever respite she could get.

Mother Nature provided everything for the weary traveler if one knew where to look. She had long since learned to discern edible plants from poisonous ones - mostly through education, though some had come from painful experimentation. Nowadays she simply learned to avoid a plant if she was unfamiliar with it, deciding to go a bit longer without food was preferable to constipation. Or worse.

To say Yang hated the forest wasn't fair. She loved the forest for a myriad of reasons. Yet as she felt a twig tickle her back, the sharp end of it prodding her through her coat. Tugging on it yanked at a few strands of hair, and after yanking it free she winced, nursing her scalp. Glowering at the offending wood she snapped it between her fingers, then set it aflame for good measure.

"Stupid woods…" the Dimuran growled, flicking her fingers as ash fluttered away on the wind. One nuisance was gone, and another replaced it. Her stomach growled, echoing another disgruntled groan from Yang herself. She probably hadn't eaten in… What was it now. Two days? Possibly three?

The forest provided for you, but only if you had the time to look. Yang didn't have the time. Aside from resting inside of a tree or in a cave she hadn't time for anything besides traveling. Her last luxury had been a bath in the river, a luxury that, despite being only a few days removed, already felt like ages ago.

Her feet ached and a sore on her left sole throbbed whenever her foot struck the earth. A blister, and only that if she was lucky. Try as she might to ignore it the incessant, stabbing pain was beginning to irritate her. It was why she set the twig alight, why the woods, for all its majesty, was stupid and stinky and other words she couldn't bother to think of. _I really should have stolen a horse from that farm. Woulda been quicker than walking…_

Yang huffed and found a fallen log to sit on, testing its strength with the toe of her boot before collapsing. The wood creaked, and bark chipped away. Crossing her left leg over her right, ankle at the knee, she unwound the purple cloth binding it at the shin, undid leather straps and slid it off. Turning her foot over she winced seeing the sore, fingers tracing around the reddened spot.

"Yeah… Guess that's about right…" She should count her blessings that a bad blister was all she had to show for her travels. After her encounter with the three idiots it had been a peaceful journey, if a painstakingly slow one. Yang let her foot rest and reached back for her pack, a small, worn pouch fastened to her waist. Digging inside of it she produced a vial of green mush, viscous to the point that shaking the container did nothing.

The mixture stunk when she uncorked it and she turned away to cough. "Can't they make medicine smell good?" she grumbled, complaining to no one but herself. Resigning herself to it with a sigh Yang stuck a finger in and scooped out a sampling. Then, examining her popped blister, she rubbed the salve over the wound. Instantly her skin felt cooler for it, a pleasant tingling dancing across her foot.

All it would do is stave off infection. Having an infected foot while traveling would be miserable, so Yang decided that was good enough. Lathering on a thin film she wiped the remaining mixture off on a leaf, corking the vial and placing it back in her pack.

How far was she now? She had to be getting close at this point. Though she lacked a map she had a general idea of the area around her, and she knew she had been traveling east. Craning her neck skyward her lilac eyes caught the rays piercing through treetops, streaks of gold striking through a forest of green. Its warmth caught her skin and splashed her face and for a moment Yang simply sat as she was, closing her eyes and enjoying the peace and solitude.

Wind caused branches to sway and leaves to rustle, no louder than a gentle whisper. One branch creaked, and Yang popped open one eye, glancing at a squirrel nearby. Clutching an acorn in its paws it stopped and stared back, black, beady eyes curious and wary. Yang felt her stomach growl again and she bit her lip as she watched the animal scurry off, disappearing inside. "Drat…" She could have eaten that. Maybe she still could.

"Eh… Not worth the effort."

The dull throb in her foot had begun to cease thanks to the salve. It looked gross as hell, Yang decided, staring at the mixture slathered across her foot. Kind of like puss. "Well, if it's any con- _sole_ -ation…" She snickered at her joke as she slipped her boot back on. "We're almost out of the woods!"

And not a moment too soon. Not only was she hungry and tired, and sore and once again filthy, but she was talking to herself. Not in a crazy, 'I'm hearing colors and smelling sounds' kind of way, but in a 'I'm bored and need something to do' manner. It was a distinction Yang felt the need to make, if for nothing else other than to assure herself she was still sane.

Strapped back into place Yang pat her boot and hopped back to her feet. The day was young and the sun not even overhead quite yet. If she was going in the right direction, then the next town should only be a few miles away. Hopefully by late afternoon she'd arrive. There she could resupply, maybe get a real meal at a tavern and…

A prickling pain brought her musings to a halt. What felt like half a dozen mosquitos biting at her neck made Yang's lips draw a thin line and her jaw tighten. She didn't bother to swat, knowing full well there were no insects. Her eyes drifted around the forest and she stared at every shadow she saw. None of them moved save for a branch causing them to shift. She remained rigid as the trees around her, muscles tensed, ears straining for the faintest, out of place noise. When nothing came, and the sensation subsided she released a breath and clicked her tongue.

The sooner she was rid of the forests the better.

After sating her thirst and stretching Yang continued her along her way. There were no paths and so she only had the sun and a vague sense of direction to navigate by. Thank gods for that otherwise she would be utterly lost.

Woods were funny like that. Spend long enough traveling in them and you might become disoriented. You could pass by the same tree twice without realizing it, and before you knew what happened you'd be walking in a circle. It hadn't happened to her before, she knew her way around, but it happened enough to be a cautionary tale. Though Yang wondered what idiot traveled without such basic knowledge of how to use the sun as a guide.

Oaks, spruce and birch melded together around her, strips of white bark clashing with dark, ashen browns. The crunch of leaves underfoot became softened as she trodded over clumps of pine needles, the two sounds trading out occasionally. Birds sang without a care for the lone girl walking in their midst, and Yang watched as a yellow and black… Something, she wasn't a bird expert, hopped along a branch before taking flight. Small wings beat furiously and ferried it away, disappearing behind a cluster of trees to her right.

Yang envied the wildlife. All they had to worry about was survival. Animals weren't burdened by knowledge or duty. If they ate once a day it was considered a success and they could slumber for the rest. She clicked her tongue in annoyance as a chipmunk darted across the ground in front of her. Stringier than a squirrel and not worth the effort of chasing.

By the time the sun was overhead the landscape had at long last begun to shift. Trees became sparser, spruce vanishing in favor of birch. Occasionally Yang would encounter a stump and a sign, and even a trail now and again. She had moved on from the middle of nowhere and into a still middle of nowhere, but now slightly populated nowhere. Another hour and perhaps she'd be to town, or at the very least, out of the forest.

Knowing she was so close put a pep in her step and despite the ache in her legs Yang moved with a renewed fervor. Freed from her hood long voluminous locks bounced with each step, cascading down her back like a waterfall of gold. On instinct she reached back and plucked a leaf from her hair, holding it in her palm before blowing on it, watching it flutter away soundlessly.

Her stomach growled again, an unpleasant gnaw accompanying it this time. Nursing her abdominals and slowing her pace Yang looked around for food. As if she'd find any so easily. A handful of birch trees, patches of poison oak, their red and green leaves glistening dangerously. She wouldn't get it, but that didn't mean she wanted to tread through it regardless.

Unless she wanted to eat rocks or random leaves there was nothing for her to munch on, so she continued. The throb in her foot returned but was little more than an annoying feeling, one devoid of any real pain. The salve, as dreadful as it smelled, had done its trick. And soon she would be in town, off her feet and able to relax.

Yang rolled her neck and groaned hearing joints pop. Her shoulders did the same, and she was sure if she tried, her back would sound off like crackling fire. Taking her canteen out again she chased away the desert in her throat, forcing herself to stop and save what little water remained. Her lips, dry as the leaves crunching beneath her feet, were licked and moistened. She needed more water. Maybe she could find a river nearby? Yang had a general direction but not an exact idea of the area so finding anything at this point would rely on dumb luck.

Slowing to a stop Yang's brow furrowed as she looked through the tree line. Unless she was delirious from hunger, and she knew she wasn't, there was a pillar of black smoke. Not large enough to suggest a forest fire, though the color of the smoke suggested wood burning. It was a purposeful burn and, Yang hoped as she changed direction, a sign that someone was close by. People meant food, and a chance to chat with someone other than herself. She wasn't sure which she welcomed more.

As Yang drew closer to the plumes she could make out the exterior of a building. Not overly large, large logs lay stacked atop one another, cross sections held in place by little else than gravity. The logs were cut to fit and little more, leaving ends jutting out at the corners in a haphazard manner.

She slowed her approach and lowered herself, using a bush of pokeberries as cover. Appetizing as the plant seemed, their plump, deep purple fruits she knew just a handful would kill her in hours. Besides, she'd made a discovery about the smoke. The wind blew and a puff of smoke wafted towards her. Her mouth watered, the telltale scent of meat sizzling over an open flame filling her nostrils and making her stomach grumble.

Someone lived here, that much was plain. Someone was also cooking. She could easily go up and steal the food, probably. It wasn't like some random hermit was going to stop her. She wasn't a thief though, and she wasn't going to condemn someone else to hunger just so she could satiate her own. Other people might, but not her.

Yang took a deep breath and put a smile on as she climbed through the bush, slowly approaching the house. Devoid of glass the windows were wide open, and from a distance she could see inside. A shelf with numerous pots and pans as well as various odds and ends stood against the wall. Stacks of hide piled beneath the window told her the person who lived here had to be a hunter of sorts. Made sense, because who else would live in the middle of the woods?

The house couldn't be much taller than a Beowolf. Some of the logs that comprised the walls were gnarled, with tufts of moss clung to the exterior, pale patches of green staining dark wood. A natural path led up to the front door, signs of a well and often traveled route. The door itself seemed to be the one thing not taken from the woods, the sleek, strangely polished slab of wood too finely crafted to be the work of a hunter. Yang stopped short of the door and lifted her head, watching puffs of black smoke peter out of the chimney. Inside she heard metal shift, probably the sound of a guard being moved.

And there was the smell of freshly seared meat again. Yang nearly drooled as the smell wafted out the front window, teasing her. Anticipating a hearty meal, she rubbed her hands together and grinned, approaching the door and rasping her knuckles against it.

"One moment!"

Huh, a woman's voice. Not that women couldn't be hunters, Yang noted. She just didn't see many of them. It tended to be one of those jobs that men felt the need to fill. Something about fragile masculinity or some nonsense. Yang shifted her weight and felt the urge to slip off her boot and itch at her sore foot. That was good. Itching meant healing.

The door opened, and Yang flashed her winningest smile at the woman on the other side. She was small, smaller than Yang anyways. A slender figure donned in loose fitting clothing, a deep brown tunic fastened to her waist by a leather belt, and green trousers wrapped around her ankles with bandages. Mud encrusted boots, the laces frayed, told Yang they were a bit old and probably in need of replacing soon.

"Can I help you…?"

Yang's eyes drifted up the woman and she widened her smile, incidentally flashing her sharp canines. The woman didn't seem to mind. "Yeah, uh… I know this is gonna sound weird, but bear with me, 'kay?" The woman blinked and stared, not saying anything. Neat, she wasn't chasing her off yet. "See, I'm traveling, and it's been a while since I last ate. I'm kinda wondering if uh… You got anything to spare?"

The woman arched a thin brow and Yang felt her smile waver slightly. Gray eyes searched her and she had to wonder what she looked like. A few days removed from a bath and probably dirty, at least she looked the part of a traveler if nothing else. The woman's eyes drifted over Yang and she glanced at the woman's nose, a small scar stretching horizontally over the bridge. Besides that and a fresh cut on her left cheek the woman's skin looked flawless. A good hunter then. Good hunters knew how to keep out of trouble.

"I don't make a habit of giving food away for free," the woman commented. "Certainly not to strangers anyways. Got anything to trade?"

"Sure do! Lemme see…" With all the grace of a knight in armor Yang plopped down onto path, opening her bag and skimming through it. She produced the knife she'd taken from the idiots, holding it out.

The woman took it and turned it over in her hands, face expressionless. The frayed leather around the handle peeled away as she ran a finger over it, and in the sunlight, Yang could finally appreciate just how rusted the blade was. Chipped too. Not exactly her best first offering.

"If this is your knife then no wonder you're hungry. This thing's awful." You don't know the half of it lady, Yang mused humorlessly. She accepted the knife back and dug through her bag's innards again. Not her canteen, not the medicine, she needed that. She doubted the woman could make use of some tinder, but she offered it anyways, shrugging when she shook her head.

"I could give ya some Lien? I don't have much, but I don't really need it either," Yang said, smiling hopefully.

The woman looked to consider it until Yang's stomach growled loud enough for both to hear. Both sets of brows raised at once and a sheepish smile from Yang along with it. She could play off her hunger all she wanted but her belly was keeping her honest. She was starving. Not _actually_ starving, but hungry enough she'd considered, however briefly, robbing this woman of her meal.

A sigh passed through rosy red lips and the woman smiled, shaking her head. "It would be easy enough to simply rob me blind. The fact you're decent enough to offer to trade says a lot," she mused. Pushing open her door she stepped further inside, waving Yang along. "I've got a bit of an excess anyways. Come on, you can help me finish it."

That was all the incentive Yang needed. Bright as her golden hair catching the sunlight she grinned, hopping to her feet and nodding eagerly. Fastening her bag to her belt as she went she stepped into the house, glancing around as she entered. It was just as small as it had looked outside. A fireplace still radiated heat nearby, smoldering embers sizzling away inside. The shelf of pots and pans stood immediately beside it, and the third shelf from the top was crooked, held up just barely by a handful of skewed nails.

"I don't have a spare seat so you'll either need to sit or stand." the woman explained, gesturing to empty space as she sat at a small round table.

"No problem! And thanks, by the way!" Yang flashed another grin and readily accepted her meal, dropping into a cross-legged position in the middle of the floor. It was a small helping of venison, flesh lightly seared, a tantalizing caramel brown crust that crunched as Yang bit into it. Practically moaning as the food melted in her mouth she took another bite before blinking, realizing the woman was watching her, lips curled in an amused smile. "Oh, uh… Sorry!"

"Don't mind me. Just enjoying the show."

Oh? Yang grinned again and winked, teasing the woman. When she frowned and tilted her head Yang mentally slapped herself. She was referring to her tearing apart the meat like an animal, not… The thing she was thinking of. Duh. Snickering to herself she nodded and resumed eating, savoring the taste of a hot, fresh meal.

They ate in a comfortable silence and Yang let her eyes wander, mostly over her gracious host. Long strawberry-blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail, though a long, stubborn bang hung over the woman's right temple, partially obscuring her eye. Her face, much like the rest of her, was tanned, devoid of freckles, and despite being outside so long, smooth. Yang assumed so because she'd seen plenty of leather faced farmers. You could always tell who the sun decided to really punish, and from the looks of things this girl had been given an easy pass.

Caught staring Yang diverted her eyes elsewhere. Four thick beams rose from the floor to the ceiling, supporting equally girthy logs that stretched across the width of the house. Angled lumber joined together at a shallow peak overhead and thin sheets of wood were nailed in place, supporting the shingles that covered the roof outside. Yang noticed a string hanging from one of the beams with cloves of garlic, lavender, and rosemary hanging from it, and idly wondered what the woman was using them for. Cooking most likely.

Feeling her fingers scrape against the empty plate Yang pouted, staring at the pooled juices and silently debating licking it clean. Probably not the best look for a stranger, so instead she politely handed her dish over when offered. She'd hoped the woman might take pity and give her more to eat but when her empty plate was set aside she gave up on such a notion.

"So… Swell place you got here!" Yang beamed and leaned back, her hands behind her and fingers splayed out across the cold wooden floor. Her fingertips grazed a sparse carpet and she felt grains of dirt kick up.

"It's a home," her hostess replied, shrugging noncommittally before resuming her meal. Yang watched her fingerless-gloved hands tear at her meal and cocked her head to the side, counting four fingers on the left hand. Her ring finger was missing, nothing but a slight stub poking out.

"I like it! Nice and cozy, away from all the hustle and bustle of things. Probably gets a bit drafty in the winter though…?"

"I don't live here year-round."

"You don't?" Yang asked, blinking. "Where do you go then?"

The woman regarded Yang with a puzzled look, chewing her meal. "To the city, of course. I wouldn't live out here in the winter," she answered matter-of-factly.

Oh. That made sense. Yang chuckled and nodded, as if the answer was the most obvious thing in the world. Because it was, and she hadn't considered it. "Oh neat. So, you're from… What, Vindemia? That's the closest place I can think of!"

"Galloway, actually."

Yang whistled and leaned forward, propping her arm on her knee and laying her chin in her palm. She grinned and raised her eyebrows in a show of surprise. "Big city girl then, huh? What're you doing all the way out here then?"

She didn't get an answer immediately as the woman busied herself with eating. Rather than pester her Yang took the silence as a note and stretched her arms overhead. Both shoulders popped, and she sighed in relief, rolling her neck for good measure. Maybe if she was lucky she could score a warm bath next time she went into town. Warm water would do wonders for her aches and pains.

"I'm not originally from there," the girl muttered, staring down at her now empty plate. Before Yang could ask her hostess moved across the room and dropped both plates in a bucket, water splashing out along the sides. Despite the girl's forlorn look, or perhaps because of it, Yang felt compelled to ask.

"So… Your original home then," the Dimuran began carefully, pausing to see if the woman would cut her off. She didn't and so Yang continued. "Where are you from?"

"A town that's not here anymore."

"Grimm?" Yang asked, even though she knew the answer.

Her hostess nodded and let a silence fall. Wind brushed through the house, a pleasantly warm breeze, and Yang understood better why she didn't live here year-round. There would be absolutely no blocking out the cold of winter. Somewhere outside a wind chime she hadn't seen sang, metal pipes filling the forest with an otherworldly tune.

The girl's case wasn't a unique one, not really. Besides the more well-established settlements and cities plenty of towns came and went by way of the Grimm. Yang had seen enough ruined villages to know that. She also knew that survivors of such places tended not to like to talk about it, so rather than press further she changed the subject.

"Thanks for the food, by the way! I'll tell ya, it's been days since I last had anywhere to really rest. I was this close to eating pine cones!" She snickered, then grinned up at the other girl. "I guess you could say I was… _Pining_ for some food!"

Yang did a double take hearing the hunter snicker, then looked around to make sure someone else wasn't in the room. Someone laughed at her joke? Someone actually laughed? Holy crap! Mark your calendars! Except Yang didn't have a calendar, or even know what day it was for that matter. This was a momentous occasion though! Like… Like the crowning of a new king, only bigger!

"That was terrible," strawberry-blonde snickered. "Though I'm just as bad for laughing I guess."

"Terrible? That was my best one yet!" As if that was something to be proud of. "Seriously though, thanks. I'm super lucky to _meat_ someone out here, and even luckier they're nice! It might not seem like much, but that meal was really _deer_ to me."

"Oh gods, please stop…" The woman rolled her eyes as she visibly fought to contain a smile, making Yang grin wide. Settling back down in her chair she wiped her hands down on her pants, then adjusted a gray scarf wrapped around her neck. Yang caught another scar on the underside of the woman's jaw, one that disappeared beneath the scarf.

Being with a stranger might make many a person uncomfortable, but not Yang. What _did_ make her uncomfortable were long periods of silence. When the other girl didn't say anything for a time she decided to spark up conversation, racking her brain for topics. "Hey, what's your name, by the way?"

"What…?"

"Your name, what is it?" Yang repeated with a smile. Seemed like a simple enough question. The girl regarded her with the curiosity one might a dancing guard, staring like Yang had sprouted another head. "Uh… If you don't wanna tell me…"

"No, no, I don't mind. I just didn't expect to be asked. Honestly I figured you'd be leaving the moment you finished your meal." She wouldn't do that! Not only was it kind of seedy, okay, really seedy, but she was having an actual conversation again. No way was Yang going to pass this up! "My name is Avery Thulian."

Name didn't ring a bell, not that Yang knew everyone in Vale. She was safe then! "Nice to meetcha, Avery! I'm Yang!" She beamed and extended a hand which Avery shook easily. No surprise or caution, that was good. The wanted poster flicked through her mind and Yang was grateful for finding someone so isolated they might as well be oblivious. Maybe she was. "So! Are you taking these furs back to Galloway?"

"That's the plan. It's difficult, finding a market in a place like that. It's always so busy and there's plenty of other people selling hides." Avery shrugged and looked across the room. A pile of furs - deer, beaver, and even a wolf pelt neatly stacked beneath a window. "People pay for quality though. I might not bring in as many, but I tend to fetch decent prices."

"My my, someone's a big shot hunter," Yang teased, laughing when Avery's cheeks flushed.

"I have the luxury of time, plus I don't have any tanner really nagging me." She grabbed a small canteen from the table, a copper and tin piece with a few dents, popping it open and taking a few swigs. Yang shook her head when offered and held up her own and frowned when she finished the last of it. "Need more water? There's a river nearby you can fill it from."

"Oh, no kidding? Yeah, I could use some! Where's it at?"

"Just take a right when you leave the house, cut through the trees, you can't miss it," Avery waved her hand in show. "It's deep enough if you want to wash up too."

Yang pulled a face of disgust before chuckling. "Nah, I'm close enough to town that I may as well wait," she shook her head. Rising to her feet she dusted her hands off on her pants, then tilted her head thoughtfully. "Speaking of which, what's the closest town anyway? Besides Galloway, obviously."

"That would be… Alabaster. It's maybe three hours' time north of here," Avery answered, tapping her knee with one finger, "I can point it out for you if you have a map. It's not too far."

"Nah, general direction's all I need! Don't really have a map anyways."

"You don't?" Avery looked at Yang incredulously. "How in the world do you find your way around then?"

"Asking for directions, mostly," Yang said with a shrug. She flashed a playful smile and opened the door, but not before adding. "Usually from awesome people like you!"

Snickering when Avery rolled her eyes she waved, jogging out of the house and towards the water. It wasn't hard to find, she could make out the sounds of rushing water long before she ever saw it. Trees receded, and patches of tall grass grew out of soppy, marshy earth. Yang managed to find rocks to walk across, though even then she sank into the earth a bit. Crystal clear and cold to the touch the water flowed from somewhere upstream, disappearing around a bend and a thick grove of reeds.

Dipping her canteen into the river and letting the water flow in Yang smiled to herself. What a stroke of luck that had been. Not only had she gotten food - more importantly, free food, but she'd met someone nice! After her encounter with the asshats a few days ago it was refreshing to meet a friendly face. Just as refreshing as the cold, brisk water that slipped through her lips. Yang's mouth greedily clung to the canteen and she polished off half of what she'd taken, refilling it again for good measure. Confident she had more than enough for the trip to Alabaster she fastened the canteen to her belt, washed her hands and face, and readied herself to return.

She'd barely made it back onto solid land when a sharp pain erupted from her neck. Like a flame engulfing wood, it spread, reaching the top of her skull and down to her shoulders, fanning out and drawing a pained gasp. Her head throbbed, and Yang clutched it, taking a deep breath to try and keep herself calm. With one eye open she looked back up in the direction of Avery's home, blood curdling hearing a telltale howl, then another.

"Shit."

Yang tore through the undergrowth and sped back into the woods. A slight incline meant nothing to her as her legs powered her forward, ducking and weaving beneath low hanging branches. Another chorus of howls, roars unbefitting of a normal wolf. Cursing herself for her ineptitude she barreled to the top of the hill and to the clearing. Avery's home was still standing, as was Avery. And about a dozen Beowolves to boot.

Avery had somehow clambered onto the roof of her home and had a bow in hand, aiming at whichever beast came nearest. A fresh gash bled on her arm, but she seemed otherwise unharmed. Her home was not overly tall, the Grimm nearly able to reach up and grab hold of her just by standing. One tried to do just that and was rewarded for its efforts with an arrow to the eye. Yang could hear the wet squelch as the arrowhead drove into its skull, quickly drowned out by the creature's pained howls.

Yang's screams joined in as she charged the nearest Grimm. Fixated on Avery it never saw her coming, and after yanking the beast by the arm she pulled it from the house, down to her level. Red met lilac and spittle flung from its maw as it roared in her face. A fist to the jaw fixed that, the sound of bone shattering as its head was caved in. Yang's knuckles stung, and she ignored it, pushing the already fading corpse aside to go after another. Sensing the newcomer several of the Grimm backed away from the building, focused on the wild Dimuran instead.

"Yang! Help!" Avery cried, yelping and leaping back. She let another arrow fly and struck a Beowolf in the shoulder, doing little more than agitating the beast.

"What's it look like I'm doing?!"

A claw soared over her head and the beast's own weight carried it forward. Grimm ran on simple instincts, on hatred and little else. Unless it was an Alpha variant most of their kind were dumb and often overextended on their attacks.

Yang loved that about them. With a taunting grin she swept the Beowolf's leg, grabbing the other. Her teeth grit and her muscles strained as she pulled with all her might and swung the black wolf through the air, slamming it into another leaping at her. The pair collided, and she watched with satisfaction as they tumbled away, crashing into a nearby tree.

Her bracer caught another blow and Yang sneered as an unpleasant tingle rippled through her arm. Brushing aside the Beowolf's limb she grabbed its snapping jaw and pulled, twisting and rotating her body. A deathly crack came from the beast and she pulled, feeling resistance give way and the body of the Beowolf fall limp. It was a brief victory as another landed behind her, fangs and claws bearing down. An errant arrow struck the nape of its neck and Yang drove a fist into its throat, a punch to the side of its skull snapping its spine and turning its head counterclockwise.

Normal people wouldn't be tearing apart Grimm with their bare hands. Nor would they be grinning and laughing as they wove between three of them, taunting and demanding they try harder. Yang wasn't normal. She ducked beneath another claw, sidestepped a second, and pushed against a Beowolf that charged her, sending it stumbling and crashing to the dirt.

Yang pressed a hand into the chest of a Beowolf, then another at its throat. Her eyes flashed, and she grinned, jaw clenched. Her calves tensed, and her biceps and triceps flexed as she hoisted the beast overhead, slamming it down into the ground and burying its skull beneath her boot, crushing it like a nut. Wind rushed from her lungs as a claw slammed into her back and threw her into the air, causing the ground and sky to switch places. Somehow, she landed on her feet and crouched, reaching back and digging into her pouch. A Beowolf lunged and she raised the rusted knife, driving it up to the handle into its throat. With a twist and pull she dragged the blade all the way through, slicing it open and pushing the fading beast off herself.

Three remained and she'd barely broken a sweat. Okay, she was breathing a bit heavier, not to mention her back hurt like a bitch. Injuries? Yang made a show of checking her back and smiled as the Grimm howled furiously at her. No blood, just bruises. That's a relief. "Hey Avery? Got any arrows left?"

"Wh-what? Don't talk to me!"

Yang raised an eyebrow and almost asked why until she realized the Grimm all turned back to the house. Oops. Her skin began to swelter, and her palms glowed as she broke into a dead run, grabbing for the closest Grimm. As soon as her fingers curled around the limb a black smoke began to pour between her fingers and the beast howled, equal parts fury and pain. Yang smirked and pulled the pained Beowolf closer, grabbing its snapping jaw and holding it shut. An orange flame sparked in her hand and fire crept up its writhing face, engulfing its head. She pushed it aside and ignored the flailing creature, grabbing the second as it pounced.

"Oh, poochy… You ought not to have done that," she cooed, grinning and driving her fist into, and then through the Grimm's chest cavity. "Burn." Flame swirled around her shoulder and shot down her arm, spreading over the entirety of the Beowolf in the blink of an eye. It thrashed furiously, limbs flailing and managing to land an errant strike or two that Yang ignored. From its chest out the body vanished, a black, soot tinged mist parting as Yang walked through it.

If Yang didn't know any better she would say the last Beowolf was afraid. It sure looked that way, backing away from her. Maybe it was an effort to save face but it snarled at her, lowering itself and flexing its claws. "Aww… Is someone angwy?" She chuckled and placed a hand on her hip, curling her finger at the hulking creature. "Come on, let's kiss and make up."

Yang laughed as the Beowolf soared over her, skipping away from the house. From the corner of her eye she saw Avery take aim and held her hand up, shaking her head. "I've got it, just sit there and enjoy the show!"

Flirting with disaster was, for obvious reasons, a bad idea. Grimm weren't a plaything and should be treated like the threat they were. _Should._ A single Beowolf wasn't anything but a speck on the ass cheek of the world. If Avery wasn't present Yang might just as well have left it alone, that's how meaningless it was to her. Except she wouldn't because she'd lose out on free entertainment then.

"Aw, what's wrong, puppy? Are you mad?" Yang skipped backwards, her hands folded behind her back as she baited the Beowolf. It would never tire, Grimm never did. They didn't need to eat or rest like normal living creatures. Were Grimm alive…? The ones she'd pummeled and burned into dust certainly weren't.

The Beowolf snarled and snapped its jaw furiously, desperate to catch a mouthful. Yang obliged though stopped the mouth from closing, holding the two halves of the creature's jaw, one in each hand. Laughing as she pulled it down she leaned in and placed her head in the gap. "Hey Avery, lookie! I'm a Grimm tamer!"

Avery looked deathly pale and Yang wondered if it was because of blood loss or fright. Either way she shrugged it off, letting go of the Grimm and backhanding its jaw. Not hard enough to kill it, she wasn't done yet. The beast snarled, and its head snapped back as Yang punched it square in the snout, smirking as its bone plating cracked. Blood dripped down her knuckles and she shook her hand, licking it clean and winking. Red eyes stared back at red and she growled back playfully.

"Come on, can't you hit me at least once?" She held out her arms invitingly and lifted her chin, grinning toothily. The Beowolf's claw slammed into her bracer and failed to budge her even an inch. Clicking her tongue, Yang pulled the arm and trapped it beneath her own, twisting and snapping the limb at the joint. "You suck. You're boring me."

Howling in pain, the Beowolf reared back and tried to swipe again. Yang knocked aside its hand, then kicked out and shattered its knee. Catching its jaw before it could fall she smiled sweetly, a fresh heat surging from her breast, fanning out rapidly. "Alright, time for you to go bye bye, wolfy. Have fun in hell!" Or wherever dead Grimm went. She didn't know, nor did she really care. With a playful pucker of her lips she grabbed its throat and let her hand erupt in flame, silencing the howling instantly. She stared as her brilliant white fire ate away at black flesh, dissolving it as sugar in water. It only took a few seconds until all that remained was a blackened patch of earth at Yang's feet.

"Aw… I ran out of toys…" Yang uncurled her fingers and watched as black mist drifted from her palm, disappearing up into the blue sky.

A hush settled over Avery's land, the howls of Beowolves faded and replaced by nothing. Wildlife always seemed to flee whenever Grimm appeared and nothing, not even birds lingered. Yang listened to the rustling of leaves as a breeze pushed through, examining the split skin on her knuckles idly. She heard Avery shift on the roof and smiled, almost forgetting for a moment she was there.

"All taken care of! Don't have nothing to worry about…" Yang paused as she looked up and saw an arrow notched and trained on her. Avery hadn't come down from the roof, and moreover, she was taking aim… At her? "Hey, I'm not a Grimm, ya know!" she laughed, holding up her hands as she approached. An arrow was let loose and landed right where her foot had been just a second before.

"The n-next one won't miss…"

Yang's heart sank seeing the look of terror on her hostess' face. Despite having just drank her mouth felt dry, throat croaking when she tried to speak. Taking a deep breath, she smiled and spread her arms to her sides. "Come on, I'm not gonna hurt you! I just saved your butt, didn't I?"

"You… Why were Grimm here? What did you do?"

Yang blinked and looked around. Her? What did…

She'd burned the leaf earlier. It had been so insignificant, so minor she hadn't given it a second thought in the moment. Surely that hadn't triggered anything? Smiling nervously, she took another step forward only to halt as soon as Avery trained her bow on Yang's chest. Her arms shook, though it wasn't because she strained to hold the weapon. A hunter would be sorry if they couldn't even hold a bow.

"Your eyes…" Avery croaked. "What… What are you?"

Oh, that. Yang frowned and reached up, running her fingers along her eyelids, as if that would tell her anything. Without a window to use as a mirror she drew the rusted knife and adjusted it to catch the sun, staring down at pools of red under a thin blonde brow. Well, that sucks.

"You're… I know who you are..."

Hearing the tremor in the hunter's voice made Yang's already mounting guilt grow exponentially. Her fingers curled around the dagger and she managed a tight-lipped smile, stuffing the ruddy blade into her bag. "Yeah, and who am I?" Yang questioned.

Gods was it uncomfortable having an arrow trained on you like that. All things considered though Yang supposed she couldn't really blame Avery. Not many people could go hand to hand with Grimm, even ones as measly as Beowolves. Less still got the enjoyment that she did out of doing so. To an outsider she probably appeared insane during battles. Hell, maybe she was.

Avery licked her lips and let the bowstring go lax, though she kept the arrow notched and ready. "You're Wildfire, aren't you…?"

Yang cringed and laughed, running her unbloodied hand back through her hair. "I really don't dig that nickname, ya know. It makes me sound like I'm a maniac or something." Considering what she'd just done maybe it wasn't so far off the mark.

"You need to leave." Avery's voice trembled along with the rest of her and she took aim once more. This time though her arm wavered, perhaps fear finally taking place and adrenaline spent.

"I'm not a bad guy despite what the rumors say!" Yang argued, taking a step forward. The arrow flew, and her eyes widened as the edge of the arrowhead grazed her cheek. Feeling warmth trickle from the wound she reached up and wiped blood away, rubbing her fingertips together before sighing.

"Please, just go," Avery pleaded. She tried to notch another arrow and dropped it, shaking too hard to properly prepare.

Just when she thought she'd finally caught a break. She had said she was from Galloway, hadn't she? A place as busy as that would have posters of her everywhere. That probably meant Alabaster would be no better, then. Yang sighed, nodding and reaching into her bag. Holding the vial of salve up for Avery to see she placed it on the ground, smiling sadly as the other girl stared at her in confusion.

"It's a healing ointment. Won't hasten the process, but it'll stave off infection. I didn't see any medicine inside, so… Use that on your arm."

As if she'd forgotten about it Avery did a double take before clasping a hand over her wound. It didn't look too deep from where Yang stood, any blood loss likely having already slowed by now. If Avery was quick and cleaned it up she wouldn't have to worry about anything. With a bitter smile Yang flipped her hair back and drew up her hood, turning and heading back the way she had come. She'd almost hoped Avery would change her mind and call her back, apologize and perhaps even ask her to stay. Yet as her boots crunched against fallen leaves and she looked back the hunter hadn't moved an inch, watching Yang the entire way.

"Grimm won't bother ya anymore, promise! Just be sure to get back home soon, 'kay? The cities are a lot safer for folks!"

The reply she didn't expect to get never came and Yang departed in silence. Coming down from her battle high she listened to her heartbeat steady itself, a frantic hammering reduced to the usual, muted thudding. The heat that had spread through her body died back and a comfortable, unremarkable warmth replaced it. She couldn't be certain, but she assumed her eyes had returned to their usual color as well.

It had been a fool's errand thinking she'd found a friend, hadn't it? That just went to show the extent to which the Church was going to discredit her. To demonize her. A bitter swill filled Yang's mouth and she paused, bracing herself against a tree and leaning forward just as the recently eaten meal resurfaced, splashing messily against the roots of the tree. Her eyes watered, and she gagged, coughing and spitting until her mouth was clean. Mostly clean.

"Damn it!" She slammed a fist into a tree trunk repeatedly, breaking bark and skin both. Fresh scrapes appeared on her hand and she growled, splitting the tree itself before staggering forward. "Damn it…" she mumbled, squeezing her eyes shut as they stung.

It would be so easy to go lie down somewhere and die. Throw herself of a cliff or let a horde of Grimm tear her apart. But that wasn't her style, now was it? No matter how shitty things got she kept going. Why? Hell if she knew. Except Yang _did_ know why she persevered even when in moments like these when the world's scrutiny crushed her. She had reasons for going on, even if they were selfish. Even if everything she did nowadays was self-serving.

Helping people? She wanted to erase her guilt, or more unrealistically, to make a friend. Fight Grimm? She wasn't protecting towns, she was losing herself in the bloodlust, something just as bad as her loneliness. Yang bit down on her lip and swallowed a whine that tried to slip free. Add the split lip to the list of self-inflicted wounds she had.

Yang blinked blearily and stopped, having somehow ended up along a trail. A road sign pointed to her right, left and behind her. She'd come from Lyne, so no sense in going back that way. Galloway was an obvious no, she'd probably be grabbed before she could even pass through the gates. That left Alabaster, and though she dreaded going into town and being near anyone it wasn't something she could keep putting off.

She needed information, and the birds and bees weren't going to give her anything. Neither would the toadstools sprouting out of the fallen log to her right, or the bunny rabbit that hopped along in a frantic endeavor to get away from her. Even nature didn't want anything to do with her right now.

"Welp…" Yang mumbled, enunciating the last syllable. She smiled, exercising more energy to do so than she had during her entire fight with the Grimm. Her hands trembled at her sides and she sniffed, rubbing her face before forcing her smile into a wide grin. "Onto Alabaster!"

And whatever disaster awaited her there.

* * *

 **All Yang wanted to do was has a friend. She got one! Kind of? If friends exile you from their home and shoot arrows at you!**

 **And before anyone might comment, yes, Yang is VERY strong, physically. She was in the show and so she is here, albeit that's also a racial thing for Dimurans, as you'll see.**

 **And not to tease anything upcoming - I'm totally teasing it - but I've fashioned a new, I suppose "OC" Grimm for an upcoming chapter. Hint: It's based off a Lovecraftian horror.**


	6. Chapter 6: Compromised

**Fair warning** : **Adam is in this chapter in all his d-bag glory. I kept it really sparse but there are instances of him being manipulative/abusive, so if anyone's uncomfortable reading that, here's your heads up. Not that I think what I ultimately trimmed down to has much, but still.**

 **Slowly getting to the point where these story-lines are going to begin to converge, so hip-hip hooray!**

* * *

Thick carpet, regal purple with gilded edges and seams, lined the corridors. Paintings of individuals Blake didn't know and landscapes she'd never seen adorned the walls, along with numerous hanging plants and tapestries. An occasional sealed door interrupted the white trim that covered the lower quarter of the wall. Waves trailed along the floorboards, rising to the top of the trim and crashing, a silent shore painted in ghostly white.

Forget luxurious. A vase so polished that even the faint wall lanterns gave its blue shell a glorious sheen held freshly cut roses, not a single petal out of place. Blake scoffed under her breath, glowering at the display before refocusing. This 'home' - she loathed to call it a simple home, was beyond excessive. It was ostentatious, a gross display of a man with far, far too much wealth.

Ill begotten wealth at that. Blake stopped in her tracks and pressed against a wall, holding her breath as a door opened. Two servants emerged and talked about nothing as they walked past, unaware of the trespasser in their midst. One came dangerously close to stepping on Blake's foot and she twisted her ankle just slightly, thankful neither heard her boot brush against the carpet.

Waiting until the pair vanished around a corner and a moment longer to be certain, Blake exhaled and continued. Light from the lantern temporarily stripped away her cloak of shadow only for her magic to replenish it swiftly again.

Remaining concealed as she was taking a great deal of magic, but she wouldn't need it for long. She had entered the home in the West Wing. If intelligence was reliable, and it always was, her target would be in the North Wing. Rooms she passed now then would be servant's quarters, she assumed. Peering through an open door she noted the simple straw mattress tucked along the far wall, a lump beneath a heavy blanket laid atop it. Aside from a desk and a simple dresser the room was barren; sparse, definitely servant's quarters.

Shadow was her shield. It deafened her footsteps and muffled the gentle clink of her weapon against her waist. Like a one-way mirror Blake could look out but others couldn't stare back. A perceptive, trained eye would notice the shadows distort in her passing, yet no servant ever bothered to look twice. Most meandered about with a bored stare while others busied themselves with late night duties, dusting pieces of furniture Blake was positive hadn't a speck of dirt on them to begin with.

Having only a vague knowledge of the building's layout she needed a moment to collect her thoughts upon reaching the central hall. The four wings joined in the center of the home, forming a box around the circular space. High above a glass-domed roof allowed moonlight to flood in, basking the room in a ghostly glow. Potted ferns and more flowers lined the walls, small tables set between each plant. Various baubles sat out on display; a sword that had likely never been used, a glass case with a gleaming pearl necklace, another with a piece of parchment, it's dark, caramel-colored paper somehow new as the day it was drafted.

Blake slipped through the room without a sound, pausing only briefly at the large bookcase that covered a good portion of one wall. Curved to fit along the surface it boasted more books than she'd ever owned, and many, she was certain, she'd never read. She was not here for pleasure and passed it by with a forlorn glance, silently debating grabbing one or two on her way out.

Simple wall lanterns were replaced by hanging chandeliers, glass casings shaped like crystals and painted as stained glass. The first was blue, the second green, and the third red. The corridor became segregated in color as Blake made her way down, throwing her magic into a fit as it did its best to reconcile the shifting shades. _This is just gaudy. Who thought this was a good design choice…?_ She thought the bathroom and West Hall had been bad, but they had nothing on this.

A pair of voices made Blake stop in her tracks and she pressed flush against the wall. Shadows shifted to compensate for the red light washing over her and she again held her breath. An elderly servant shuffled along, trailing behind a younger woman, their unintelligible conversation becoming clearer as they drew closer.

"Honestly, grandmother, does it matter what he wears?" the young woman moaned. "He looks like a fat pig either way."

"Mind your tongue, young lady! That man is our lord!"

"And? He's still fat."

Being shorter than her young counterpart didn't prevent the woman from trying to instill respect. "And he is our gracious lord! Without him we wouldn't have work, and Galloway's fortunes wouldn't exist!" Blake watched the elderly woman attempt to swat the girl's head and have to settle for smacking her arm. "You children need to learn respect."

Crossing her right leg over her left the younger servant leaned forward, hands on her hips. The maid attire the woman wore sported a few stains and stretched with the movements, a size too small. "I give respect when it's deserved. Besides…" She smiled and blew a fiery orange bang from her face. "When he dresses the way he does I don't care how 'gracious' he is. His sense of fashion is awful."

"You obstinate brat! You act as if his attire is all that matters!"

"Well I mean… Yeah? He's a noble, he should at least dress the part." Blake felt her eyebrow twitch along with the elderly maid's. Did they have to do this right in front of her? Seriously? If not for the table cutting her off on her left she'd continue along and ignore this inane blathering.

Instead she settled in and flattened her ears against her head in a futile effort to drown out the elderly woman's raving. She had to agree with the brown-haired maid before her in one regard: the bastard that oversaw Galloway hardly deserved respect, though she knew their reasons differed. Blake rolled her tongue in her mouth and pressed it to her cheek, rolling her eyes as the woman continued.

Then she froze. She'd stopped paying attention to the conversation and so too had the young maid. Rather than pay the senior servant any mind her eyes were fixated on the wall. On Blake. The Meera's heart rate picked up slightly and she stared right back, amber eyes unblinking against pools of brown. She couldn't see her, there was no way she could. A hand reached out ever so slowly, and the girl smiled. Blake leaned away as fingers passed a hair's width from her ear, silently reaching for her weapon.

Something scraped against the wall and shifted but Blake didn't see what, her eyes never leaving the other girl. The other woman continued to rave and finally, after what felt like an eternity, the pair began to move along. Their voices both rose as bickering continued and Blake's chest swelled as she drank in the oxygen she'd deprived herself of. Fingers eased off her weapon and she glanced to the side, eyebrows raising seeing a painting beside her. It had been ajar and the maid, seeing that, had taken to righting it.

She'd never been seen, and what a fool she'd been for thinking that. Blake chuckled under her breath and shook her head, peeling off the wall and continuing down the hall.

There were fewer doors in this wing of the building. Some were open, revealing a study with leather-bound armchairs, a wide teak desk with a disaster of papers, binders and an inkwell strewn across the top, and more books. Quaint jealousy colored Blake's thoughts and she reconsidered 'borrowing' a few books. Maybe she'd just burn them. Though it wasn't as if the man would be reading them when she was through anyways.

Another door revealed a smaller room with a central table and several chairs gathered around it. A large window stretched from the floor to ceiling and offered an unrestricted view of Galloway Bay. Like limbless trees a multitude of masts raised out of the water, dozens of ships harbored for the evening, and no doubt just as many coming and going. Second perhaps only to Vale's harbors, Galloway was a thriving center of trade and commerce.

All of that bustling business would soon be thrown into utter disarray. Blake's lips curled into a cruel smirk at the thought and she carried on, passing by another servant who idled and passed the time cleaning one of the many paintings decorating the walls.

The mayor's room couldn't have made itself any more obvious. The only double doors in the wing were stained dark, a lighter inlay carved into it. Two halves of a mirrored, circular pattern met at the seam, rings joined together, the seemingly random pattern having some significance, Blake assumed. Two spotless door knobs plated gold rested at waist level and she reached out for one, testing it with a single finger. When she pushed it rotated, her ear flicking as she listened to the inner mechanisms click and give way. Not locked then, good.

Chain rattled softly as Blake eased her weapon from her waist. Twisting the knob slowly she eased it open, relieved that the hinges obeyed her wishes and remained silent. Casting one last cautionary glance into the corridor she slipped into the room and eased the door shut.

A four-post bed with blue drapes took up a space in the center of the room, blinds drawn closed. Wood twisted and stretched like an uncoiling serpent, peaking at the top. The posts were capped by eagles cast in brass and a handful of drawers were built into the foot of the bed. Silent, Blake padded into the room, the carpet beneath her boots like a cloud, muffling all sound. Her ears twitched, and she could hear the sound of gentle, rhythmic breathing coming from the bed itself. Someone was fast asleep.

In one deliberate movement she reached back and drew her weapon, the other hand gripping the sky-blue cloth in the other. Her heart began to hammer, and her senses heightened as adrenaline kicked in. Defenseless or not she was about to attack another person. To kill another person. Her hand trembled slightly, and she bit her tongue, throwing open the drapes.

And staring at an empty bed. Neatly made, a heavy brown comforter without a single wrinkle in it spread across the bed, a collection of pillows clumped together at the head of it. Blake's ears twitched as the breathing continued, swiveling on her head to pick out the sound. It clearly came from the empty space before her, she was certain of it. Something wasn't right.

A sudden weight slammed into Blake's back as two feet struck just beneath her shoulders. She grunted and rolled to the side preemptively, watching as a leg crashed down in an axe kick. Using her chain, she caught an arm and wrapped the limb up, twisting in bed and yanking her attacker with her. Somehow, they slipped free and Blake shot over the bed, weapon in hand and twirling as she came face to face with her assailant. Tanned, toned skin with bright orange hair, matched in color by his rough spun tunic, he stared in silence at her as his gloved hands flexed at his sides. He couldn't be much older than she, judging by his youthful appearance, which made her question why was he here?

As if sensing her unasked question, the boy tilted his head slightly and Blake caught sight of it. Three rings, with the smallest at the center and the other two encircling the first, as ripples forming on the water's surface. A triangle intersected the inner two, and within the triangle was a series of runes. The Mark of the Church. A Hunter.

"I don't suppose you'll tell me where Arthur Braun is…?" Blake mumbled. Her weapon was cold, or was it the clamminess of her hands that made it so?

The boy didn't answer, merely tilting his head again. Eyes white and devoid of pupils stared back at her, unblinking. He was blind? Blake might have found some consolation in that if he didn't manage to follow her as she moved, as if he knew exactly where she was always. Even her own ears strained to pick up her footsteps.

If a Hunter had been lying in wait, then they knew she was coming. She didn't know how or why, but clearly, she'd been made. The question was when? Climbing into the manor? Crossing through Galloway? Entering Galloway itself?

Blake allowed her eyes to snap behind her briefly, to the double-wide glass doors leading out to a balcony. From the third floor it would be a bit of a drop but nothing she couldn't manage, especially if she could make use of magic. When she looked back at the boy however he shook his head as if to say, 'Don't try it.' That, or he was conveying she was finished.

She'd barely taken a step to the doors before a foot slammed into her gut. Wind rushed from her lungs in a painful grunt and she staggered, ducking under a fist that blurred past her vision. How had he cut her off? Blake danced away, circling around the bed and swinging her weapon. Her attacks didn't come close and she realized with a start that the boy's magic was speed. No, illusions? Her Kusarigama cleaved clean through and she watched his entire body shimmer then fade without so much as a sound, a kick striking her upper arm and nearly making her drop her weapon.

Clones? Illusions? Speed? Blake's mind raced as she fended off the Hunter. His fists raised, and he danced side to side on his feet, a style reminiscent of Vale's brawlers. She'd seen them once before, she noted, leaning back from a vicious haymaker and trapping a jab in her chain. Many who had no skills other than fighting took part in underground arenas. It was where the White Fang found many of its members. Few ties, a willingness to get bloody, and the ability to hurt someone. The perfect recruits.

Blake twisted the boy's arm and he flipped to prevent damage, pulling her close. Her vision blurred as his head slammed into the bridge of her nose and she growled, wrenching her weapon free and letting her magic erupt. Shadow shot from the corners like vipers and wrung themselves around his wrists, pulling him back and pinning him in place. Rather than capitalize, however, Blake turned and raced for the door, throwing it open wide before darting into the corridor.

The mayor would be safe if Hunters were active, there was little point in trying to fight back. She needed to get out, to get away and regroup with the others. Behind her she could _hear_ her shadows break, snapping and fading with a sizzle. The boy was in the hall and giving chase, vanishing briefly before reappearing. He was gaining on her, and fast. Blake made shadows bend to her will. Spikes erupted from the walls and floor, cutting off the boy's avenue, or so she'd hoped. With an extra effort he seemed to move faster than before, weaving in between pillars of dusk.

The common space between wings appeared again and Blake skid to a halt, whipping around and forming a wall of shadow in the hall. The boy's face, for the first time, registered something akin to annoyance before vanishing behind the obstacle.

It wouldn't last. Between the moonlight from above and the boy's fists striking the wall hard enough to make it tremble she hadn't much time. She needed to keep moving. The front exit? Guards were no doubt alert already, but that was of no significance. An average guard was an inconvenience at best, Magi or not. She'd make for the front of the building and back into the city, losing any pursuers in the process.

At least that was the plan. Blake heard the air whistling before she saw anything, and on instinct she ducked just as an arrow soared over her head. Lifting her chin off the floor she stared at the ephemeral projectile, the entire arrow cast in an unearthly blue, not quite physical, yet solid enough to strike her wall and stick. Another arrow struck beside it, then another, and her eyes widened as the arrows detonated and caused the wall to crumble.

"You know… For someone sneaking into a manor, you're not very stealthy."

Blake glared back as she rose and stared down the girl from before. A bright orange bang clashed with the short cropped brown hair and swayed idly in front of her face. She blew it aside then smirked, winking at Blake. In her right hand a ghostly bow was gripped tight, blue mist rising off the conjured weapon. Blake glanced back at the boy again as he picked shadow from his hands, her own spell vanishing into a faint cloud.

"Is she giving you trouble, Fox? She doesn't seem that tough!" Blake ground her teeth and watched the girl conjure forth another arrow, notching it. Rather than give her the time to shoot she fired off another spell, shadow erupting under the servant, no, the _Hunter,_ twisting its way up her leg and stopping at the knee. Blake flexed her wrist and pulled the girl down, eyes narrowing as she continued to smile.

The moonlight gave away Fox's approach and Blake rolled aside to avoid the fist that could well have knocked her senseless. Somehow, he kept the momentum going, swinging a high kick up at her jaw, then a two-handed jab at her chest that, despite missing, Blake still felt pressure. Her blade missed wide right and she spun on her back foot, twirling the chain. Her weapon sliced through the air and became little more than brief flashes of silver, her blade slicing apart afterimages. He was fast, but if she kept this up he couldn't get close enough to hit her.

He didn't have to. By pure chance Blake happened to lean back to adjust her weapon and her face was colored blue by an arrow screeching past her. The girl had freed herself, somehow, and was back on her feet with bow in hand. Fox pressed again, and Blake managed to drive him off, having to give ground as another arrow nearly buried itself in her thigh, slicing it but missing wide.

"You can make this a lot easier on yourself," the girl cajoled, smiling as she notched three arrows at once. "Just put your weapon down and we can talk this over like reasonable people! Or…" She sighed when Blake threw another spell her way, nodding gratefully as Fox shattered the shadowy projectile with his fist. "Fine, be stubborn. Don't say we didn't try!"

Three arrows released, and Blake darted to her right to avoid them, though none flew straight. One went high, the other two fanned to the sides. Her breath caught briefly when she realized not only were they flying unnaturally, but they were actively chasing her. The first turned at an impossible angle and she twirled her chain, barely blocking it and almost being knocked over as it exploded. An intense heat washed over her, and the light disoriented her, enough that the second arrow cut into her left arm. The third missed only because of a hasty wall, though any reprieve bought was short. The girl was preparing another three arrows and Fox was closing in again.

To fight them was suicide. Even if she beat them there would be more Hunters in Galloway. The alarm would be raised and a half dozen, possibly more, trained Hunters would converge on her. That wasn't a fight she could win.

Blake erected another wall and winced internally as Fox's fist slammed into it, a loud echoing thud filling the room on the other side. Keeping her weapon in hand she turned and raced down the hall, erecting a second wall of shadow behind her. The first broke and the second shortly thereafter, but by then she'd covered most of the East Wing. One ear swiveled and Blake threw herself behind a corner as an arrow whizzed past, exploding just a few feet away. Sending an errant spell backwards she raced along, ignoring the warmth trickling from her thigh and the dull ache in her right arm.

A wide window raced to meet her. Beyond it Blake could see the same fence she'd clambered over before, the neatly trimmed hedges encircling the entire property. Footsteps hastened behind her and she reached forward, her palm outstretched, drawing in whatever shadows laid before her. They pooled before the window before exploding in a jagged, random mass, shattering glass and tearing the corners of the window frame to splinters. Discretion be damned, she was well past the point of needing it.

Cold evening air filled her lungs as she leapt from the window, spinning in freefall and throwing her Kusarigama back. The weapon's edge dug into the wood paneling of the manor and she swung along, yanking her weapon free and rolling as her body hit the dirt. Picking herself up immediately she glanced back, and her eyebrows rose seeing an arrow inches from her face. Rather than strike, however, it exploded, robbing her of sight and throwing her head over heels across the lawn.

Her back slammed into the dirt and the world was dark, blurry. A faint ringing in her ears and a warmth trickling from one warned of damaged hearing, and Blake's trembling fingers brushed along her face, finding passing relief that there was no blood. Her vision returned too, slowly, though the ringing persisted.

Barely able to see and struggling to walk straight she raced for the fence. Again, she threw discretion to the wind and parted the bars with a pillar of shadow, diving through the gap, into the rough thickets. Branches scraped against her and added superficial wounds, ones she hardly cared about. Spitting a leaf out she clambered free from the hedges and dashed across a street, using her weapon to clamber up to a rooftop.

By now the manor had come alive, the shouts of guards filling the peaceful night air. Somewhere in Galloway a bell tower began to ring, and as Blake darted from rooftop to rooftop she could hear the streets coming alive below. No panic, because as far as the populace knew, panic drew Grimm. Protected as Galloway might be with her wards there was still a chance, however slim, a horde could befall the city. So people might fret, but they would never, ever panic.

Blake scowled at the blatant manipulation even as she raced for the city's edge. Her mission was done, she was compromised, and knowing she'd failed meant taking the mayor out would become infinitely more difficult. They would try again, of that she had no doubt. She just wouldn't be the one to do it.

Scaling down the wall encompassing Galloway she sank onto the dirt, seething as her hand gripped the wound on her arm. Warm blood soaked her shirt and stained her hand, and a cursory look at her thigh showed it was no better. Largely superficial, thankfully, but irritating enough to make the trek back to camp annoying. Just standing again made her leg throb and her chest strain to fill itself. Clouds, at long last, decided to cover the moon and obscure its light, basking the entirety of the city, and Blake, in shadow. Under the cover of darkness, she staggered away from the confines of civilization and into the nearby forests, dreading her return more than anything that had transpired inside the manor.

/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/

"You had _one job._ One simple, easy job, and you still managed to screw it up!"

Blake hung her head and stared at the dew-tipped grass beneath her. The dull green in the early morning sun seemed off to her. The whole world seemed dull, so maybe it was her fatigue? She wasn't a morning person, yet it couldn't be any earlier than five in the morning. Was that the reason why? Or was it the stress, the slight blood loss, and the nerves threatening to tear her apart from the inside?

Her eyes refused to lift and instead watched as the shadow of a man paced before her, following the long, stretched silhouette. Her shoulders trembled as the cold air bit into her skin and she released a foggy breath, wincing when the man before her growled. Closing her eyes and bracing she held still, but a blow never came. Slowly, hesitantly, she opened her eyes and lifted her head, staring back at a white, porcelain mask streaked with red. Streaked with blood.

"I am so disappointed in you, Blake. I thought you could handle this."

"Adam…" Blake began, gasping as a hand seized her arm and squeezed the wound. Hissing through clenched teeth her ears folded flat, whimpering until the grip was removed. "I… I tried. I managed to infiltrate the manor, I was in his room…"

"And he's alive, and you have nothing to show for your effort, do you?" Adam scowled and stood again, taking to pacing once more. His long, black, fur-lined coat swayed behind him, his weapon hanging from a strap on his hip. Blake's eyes focused on the slender, curved blade, still unable to look up. "Tell me what happened, again. From the top."

Blake nodded dutifully and swallowed, attempting to relieve the dryness of her throat. Her lips were cracked, and her stomach growled again in a bid to find food. It would have to wait. "I arrived in the manor and began my search for the mayor's room. It was in the North Wing like we were told. When I arrived in the room I could hear someone breathing like they were asleep, and… The curtains were drawn closed. When I checked the bed though there was no one in it, and…"

"That's when the first Hunter attacked you?" Adam grunted, frowning when Blake gave a nod of confirmation. "They knew you were coming. I don't know how or why, but they knew."

That made sense, even if it didn't. How could they have known? How could anyone have known, outside of a select few members of their organization, what was being planned? There had to be a traitor in their midst, someone trying to undermine their missions. Adam reached the same conclusion too it seemed as he slammed his fist into a nearby trunk.

"Damn it! We won't get a second chance at that, and even if we there will be Hunters crawling all over that building!" Adam stalked over towards a small gathering of members, towards Ilia. Blake almost begged for him to stop when his hand raised only to go silent when he snatched a container from her waiting hands instead.

"If we have a snake in our midst then it doesn't matter anyways." Kneeling before her Adam motioned for Blake to roll up her sleeve. Dried, crusted blood made the fabric stick to skin and she winced when tugging it reopened the wound. Adam wasted no time and wiped the cut with a cloth before slathering a salve onto the injury. "First we have to find the leak and deal with it, then we'll try again," he added, carefully wrapping a bandage around Blake's arm.

"Let me try again. I can do it."

"No."

"But Adam," Blake protested, wincing when the bandages was tightened suddenly.

"No. You failed, Blake. They've seen your face." She wore a half mask, but it was enough, and moreover they had seen her magic too. "Next time we try I'll go myself. If you want something done…" Adam trailed off and finished wrapping the bandage, motioning to the wound on Blake's leg. She frowned and glanced at the small gathering of members before shaking her head, modesty getting the better of her.

The grass was damp under her rear as she sat down, stretching out her injured leg to be worked on. Without removing her trousers to give easy access Adam settled for cutting away the cloth, exposing the wound to fresh air as he got to work. Somehow a man ruthless enough to command fear and respect of hundreds touched her skin delicately, treating it like porcelain. The wound was cleaned and bandaged swiftly, and though the dull ache remained Blake was no less grateful.

"Tell me, who were the Hunters? What magic did they have?"

Blake's brow furrowed before she answered, trying to make certain she got it right. "The boy… Fox was his name, I think had speed-based magic?" Her head tilted thoughtfully before she shook it and sighed. "No, he broke apart my spells like they were nothing. He had enhancement magic. He could bolster his speed and strength."

"And the girl?"

"I didn't get her name, but she could conjure a bow and arrows. I'm not sure if she could conjure anything else." Blake hadn't stayed around long enough to check. "They exploded on impact, the arrows. I'm not entirely certain either, but she seemed to be able to manipulate their trajectory too."

Adam gave a soft 'hm' while his hand brushed along Blake's hair. She shivered again, wanting to pull away even more when he leaned close. Feeling lips press against her own she kept hidden her disdain for fear of retribution and closed her eyes, denying Adam any response other than a shudder. Mistaking her disgust for something more he smiled, and his hand cascaded down her back, fingertips trailing along her spine.

"If nothing else you got me some valuable information. I'll have to talk with Corsac and Fennec about their informant…" Adam's other hand cupped Blake's chin and the pad of his thumb brushed across her lips. "The mission was a failure, but not completely. Well done, Blake."

"Praise from the commander himself…?" Blake chuckled nervously. "You're too kind…"

And much too close. Lips met hers again and Blake's face crumpled despite her best efforts. That was a mistake. Her mouth opened to protest, and a hand found itself at her throat, fingers pressing hard against the sides and palm pushing down. Blake's hands scratched at the limb and her eyes watered, staring desperately at the cold mask inches from her face.

"You still failed though. Don't mistake my kindness for anything more than what it is." Which was what, exactly? Blake couldn't ask, and she wouldn't even without a hand at her throat. Letting out a choked gasp she tried to pull Adam's arm away and began to tremble in fright. "I'll tolerate your failure because you're special to me, Blake," he continued, his voice low as he pulled her closer. His breath came in short, strained spurts and his face was red, visibly holding back anger welling inside.

"Galloway will be on alert now, and that bastard dog of the Church will be more protected than ever. I'm not undertaking the job because I want to…" Adam's hand squeezed, and Blake felt her vision begin to fade, darkness creeping into the corners. "I'm doing it because apparently no one else can. Not even you."

The moment Adam's hand left her throat Blake fell forward, catching herself on her hands and gasping in a desperate bid for air. Adam stood and moved away, and a faint whine rattled out of her strained chest, tears stinging her eyes. Settling back on her rear, sitting on her feet, she rubbed her throat and eyed Adam warily as he walked around her.

"For the foreseeable future I'm suspending your missions. You're to remain here in camp and train the children, nothing more. I'll give your other duties to someone else too. No more leading scouting parties or hunting parties." Adam stopped before her and leaned down, gripping her chin firmly and forcing their eyes to meet. "You're incompetent, so until you remember how to do your job properly I can't afford to have you ruining any more plans."

Blake nodded dutifully and remained silent, averting her eyes when Adam smiled. She hated this. Hated everything about this. Why did he need to do what he did? Why couldn't he just reprimand her and leave? Her eyes found his again and she was surprised to see him smiling but looking almost apologetic. Her ears folded when a hand caressed her cheek and she shivered involuntarily.

"I'm sorry, but we can't jeopardize this. Too much is at stake, you know that. I just want things to go right for us. All of us." Blake's guard dropped again as she saw a flickering of another man, allowing his hand to rest on her cheek and even going so far as to lay into it. Though hesitant she returned his smile, clearing her throat to help chase away the soreness within.

"Besides..." Adam whispered as his lips crept close to hers, only to move past and towards her ear. "We can spend so much time together this way. It'll be great…"

Blake's face blanched when a hand rubbed her thigh, her entire body tightening in protest. By the grace of the gods Adam drew back and chuckled, turning and leaving without another word. She watched in uneasy silence as he passed by tents and other members before disappearing around a bend, heading back to his own tent no doubt. Blake remained as she was, squat in the moist grass and trembling. One of her hands crept to her throat and she held it there, suddenly feeling exposed and vulnerable.

She wasn't sure how long she remained seated like that. Long enough for a few members to come out of their tents and see her prostrate on the ground. Some were piteous and offered silent condolences, mostly other women. Others were contemptuous and angry that her failure had brought down their commander's anger on their collective heads. Maybe not just yet but knowing Adam he'd punish the entire group for her misstep. The next week or so was going to be very unpleasant.

It wasn't until Ilia approached her that Blake finally looked up from the blades of grass. She was worried, understandably so, and judging from the red tint of her scales, angry too. Blake gave a rueful smile as her friend knelt before her and leaned into the hug willingly, resting her chin on the shorter girl's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Blake. I wish I could stop him…"

"Don't. You know full well what would happen if you tried…" Blake felt the arms around her tighten and lifted her own, weakly hugging Ilia in turn. Her grip felt loose, and her muscles ached, the growling of her stomach returning.

Ilia frowned as she drew back, holding Blake's shoulders and looking her over. "He bandaged you up but you're filthy," she observed, noting the bags under Blake's eyes and adding, "Exhausted too. Let's get you some food, then you can sleep, okay?"

Both of those ideas sounded heavenly right now. Blake nodded, and accepted Ilia's help in standing, draping one arm over her friend's shoulders. Terror brought on by Adam amplified the fatigue already eating at her and Blake relied on Ilia's strength more than she intended, leaning into her as they stumbled along. Rows of tents sewn together with whatever hides could be gathered funneled them through the camp. Like a wagon's wheel the camp formed a large circle, clear paths separating tents and more permanent wooden structures like spokes.

One of two entrances were at their backs, a large, heavy wooden gate made of sheared tree trunks, drawn up by thick chains. A handful of White Fang had greeted Blake on her arrival and now stood silent, fearing perhaps any interaction would draw Adam's ire onto them as well.

Everyone else they passed seemed of the same opinion. Most averted their gaze and others offered only a silent look of sympathy before carrying on their business. They passed by a man hard at work forging new weapons for the group. His muscles strained beneath ash-coated skin, every bit as leathery as the protective gear he wore. The air filled with a loud clang and ring whenever his hammer struck, sparks flying up and lapping dangerously at his face. Large as he was he was no fighter, something that Blake thought ironic. A man who made weapons was incapable of using them.

A small group of children sat around a tree stump and listened to an old Kanin sharing a story. One of his ears was cut away in the middle, old, grayed scar tissue capping it off. Lost in a raid, he'd said once, though he proudly boasted he'd made off far better than his opponent. Blake's lips quirked into a smile as he gestured wildly and made a roaring sound that sent the children into fits of giggles and screams.

The man might have been a killer once, now he was the resident storyteller.

Blake's own tent was much too close to Adam's and so they went to Ilia's instead. No different than most, the tent was open and spacious enough. Rather than the hides that made up some tents Ilia's was cast in a treated, waterproof cloth, a surprising catch after one of their raids. Since she'd found it the piece had belonged to her and she'd made use of it judiciously. Keeping out the rain and cold both - not that summers were particularly cold, it was the envy of plenty of those around her.

Speaking of others, Blake stopped alongside Ilia and raised her eyebrow in surprise. Opal sat beside the tent along with Liam and Dunst, the latter two surprising Blake more than anyone else. Tilting her head in silent question she blinked when a familiar, tantalizing scent wafted up, absently licking her lips and drawing a playful laugh out of Opal.

"When we heard you'd come back I decided we should prepare some food for you!" The elderly Canis smiled warmly, her grey-laden wolf ears twitching as a pair of children ran by, giggling loudly.

With Ilia's help Blake took a seat on a short stool. Glad to be off her feet again she reached down and unstrapped her boots, leaving them on but letting air get to her sore soles. Hearing flesh sizzle she looked at the skillet over the open flame, whining seeing a filet of fish browning, ripe for a feast. Her hand reached for a piece, just a taste, and she winced when Opal slapped her knuckles with a wooden spoon.

"It's not ready yet!" Opal chided, then smiled and grabbed a small dish. "Here, have this while you wait. I'm sure you're famished."

A small dish with freshly seared carrots, sliced potato and a mix of herbs sprinkled on top. Not exactly a gourmet meal but at this point Blake had toyed with the idea of eating handfuls of grass. "Thank you…" she mumbled, graciously accepting the dish. It did smell good, and the first bite filled her mouth with pepper, lemon, and something she could only describe as earthy. Chewing on the snack she offered some to Ilia who shook her head, then to the others as well, who mirrored her. "What are you two doing here anyways…? I thought you'd be on patrol."

Liam smiled eagerly, which was unusual for a man whose real job in the group seemed to be simply complain about everything. "I'm not a guard anymore!" Blake's eyebrows rose in surprise, and before she could ask what he'd done wrong the Toro quickly elaborated. "Turns out I'm a decent cook, and with Adam's permission I've taken to learning from Opal. Those vegetables?" he asked, gesturing to the half-empty plate in Blake's lap. "I prepared them!"

That was… A surprise. A welcome one at that. For as many people as they had, dozens at last count, if not over a hundred, they had few cooks to serve the group. Most could get by with rudimentary skills but only a handful could prepare a proper dish worthy of being served. To get another cook, however green they might be, was good to hear.

Blake looked to Dunst and raised an eyebrow at the Dimuran. "Well…?"

Flashing her a nervous smile, Dunst rubbed at his head, then itched a spot near the spike protruding from his shoulder. "I was on guard duty today but… I traded with someone. I'll take the night watch instead. Wanted to be here for this."

"For what exactly? To see me eating?" Blake blinked and looked at Ilia confused as her hands were taken, glancing down before smiling. "Um…?"

"We want to thank you, Blake. Well, most of the camp does." That was nice, but for what? And why did Ilia seem so guilty? Opal too, and neither of the men were able to meet her gaze any longer. "Compared to Adam, you're a saint. There's a lot of people here who are glad to have you around," her friend explained. "Things are… Tense whenever you're gone."

Adam. She knew he hated to send her away, yet he also knew she was among the most capable they had. It was why she was sent off on missions so often, why she was trusted to lead groups. It was why he was so open about his anger and disappointment earlier. Not that he ever had a problem voicing it before either.

Blake wanted to take the compliment and run with it but she couldn't. There was an untold message, and whether intentional or not Ilia implied something dourer. _I keep Adam in check. No… I give him something to focus on. I'm his plaything and the rest of the group can live in peace._ That explained the guilt Ilia expressed, a look that only deepened as Blake's face fell.

"If we could help, we would," Ilia insisted, giving Blake's hands a squeeze.

"I know…"

"What he's doing isn't right…" Blake perked up in surprise hearing Liam speak out, staring at the Toro. "You aren't some... Thing. You should be leading us, not him. He's just a monster."

"Liam don't!" Blake hissed, knocking the plate from her lap and reaching across, grabbing the man's arm. Her eyes were wide as she looked around nervously, fingers tightening their grip. "If Adam hears you, you know what he'll do. Please, it's not worth it."

"He's right, you know," Opal said. The woman's wrinkled face twisted as she prodded the fire with a stick, then flipped the fish over. Examining it, she nodded once and let Liam pull it from the flames. "The White Fang's changed since I was a young girl. Sienna is letting her commanders run rampant and it's causing more problems than it's solving."

It wasn't that Blake disagreed. Her hands tightened around the plate with the fish and she stared at the savory meal. Bass, judging from the color and smell, and a young one at that. Spruced with a bit of the same herbs used on the vegetables it would be a delicious meal. Shame her appetite was fleeing her now. "You can't… Don't talk about him like that," Blake mumbled.

"Why? It's true!" Ilia moved to grab Blake's hand again, but she pulled away, frowning. "Blake, he's not a good leader. He's angry, he's hot-headed, he treats us like dirt."

"He's just under a lot of stress." That was it. That's all it was. Blake smiled sadly at the four stunned faces staring back at her. "I failed my mission and it's going to cause problems. Then we had one of our camps attacked last week, and the Church is searching for us again. He's worried, and he just… Lashed out." Blake shrugged and began to pick at her fish. "He didn't mean it."

Adam was disappointed, angry and upset. But it was justified, she _had_ failed, and she had complicated matters because of her shortcomings. He would apologize later, as he always did, and they would carry on as before. He could have bouts of aggression, but they were met with just as many, if not more, moments of tenderness and kindness. That was the real him, the one that sought to make her comfortable and safe. To make all of them safe. Everything Adam did was for the betterment of the Faunus, and for equality. And above all else he loved her.

Blake smiled wistfully and began to pluck at her fish, eating small, incremental bites. No one else said a word as she dined, simply watching her in stunned silence. Warmth that had begun to bubble in her chest was quickly squashed and replaced by anxiousness and despair. Her stomach turned, and she felt her blood run cold despite the warm food beginning to fill her stomach.

He did love her… Right?

* * *

 **This is normally the part I might try to say when the next chapter is coming. Only problem is I've got no idea! Some have been a week or two apart, or in the case of these last few, 4-5 days. Seems to be helping my muse that I'm reading a lot more again but time will tell!**

 **Thanks for reading, you lovelies!**


	7. Chapter 7: Unexpected Visitor

**Another lengthy chapter, and it's a Weiss one, again!**

 **This WAS going to be shorter, by nearly 4000 words, but the Ice Queen demands more screen time. As the actual "main character" I couldn't refuse her.**

 **The Queen gets what she wants!**

* * *

Weiss' fingers flourished over Myrtenaster's blade with all the care of a mother stroking her child's scalp. Free of blemishes, her rapier looked every bit as new as the day she'd commissioned it. Sleek and pristine; it was a farce and she knew it to be little more than window dressing. Roderick had mentioned Myrtenaster would need replacing. For now though window dressing would do.

Weiss knew the quality of Roderick's work to be good. The Church commissioned the man to maintain initiates' weapons, after all. He was but one of many, but to be among the few spoke of his craftsmanship. Or, a cynical voice mused, his affordability.

Nonetheless, Weiss stepped away from the counter and swung her weapon to test it. Myrtenaster sliced through the air, a pleasant, high-pitched whipping noise following its sweeping arcs. Sunlight pouring in from the windows caught the blade and danced along its edge, casting a slender shadow along the creaky floorboards and making her blade shine like silver.

"Just a shell, lass. I wouldn't go striking rocks if I were you," Roderick jabbed playfully.

Weiss scoffed, swishing her rapier once more before sliding it into the clasp on her hip. She didn't make a habit of attacking stone or brick, but she'd keep the warning in mind.

"Thank you again, Roderick. I know it was short notice, but I was certain you could have it done in time."

"Bah, it was an easy job anyways!" Roderick laughed, leaning himself down onto the counter, causing boards to creak under his weight. Despite the earliness of the hour he was already wearing a thin film of soot, a black cloud coming off as he coughed and bat his broad chest with a calloused hand. "You won't be the first or the last to give me a rush job, and I welcome the challenge."

"And I'm sure the Lien even more." The blacksmith smiled cheekily and said nothing. Weiss giggled, patting Myrtenaster once before bowing her head. "I appreciate the work all the same, even if it's a temporary fix. I'm eager to get the new model when I return."

It felt good to have her weapon back. It had only been a day and yet she'd felt naked without it. Myrtenaster's light weight made Weiss feel balanced again, her fingers gripping the cool, worn metal of the grip. Brushing her thumb over a familiar dent she smiled and relished having everything she would need for her coming mission. Preparation was key, after all, and the final thing on her list was now taken care of.

Pyrrha often claimed a weapon's maintenance was every bit as necessary as self-care. Weiss had to agree. Having a blade with a dulled edge when combating Grimm could spell the difference between life and death, after all. Weiss pat the clasp on her hip and turned on her heel, not quite making it to the door before she frowned. Know what else could lead to an untimely demise? Distractibility, something Ruby had in droves.

Ruby muttered under her breath as she leaned over a weapons display. Halberds, a spear, a glaive and even a trident stood proudly on end, and any enthusiasm Ruby held for the pieces died out when she saw the price tags and paled.

Nearby, an oak barrel in the corner held a bouquet of iron and steel. Swords, knives and all manner of short-ranged weapons stuck out. Curious, Ruby reached in and grabbed the hilt of a broadsword caught in the container, its handguard stuck under the lip of the barrel. With a huff and heave Ruby attempted to wrench it free, yelping as she nearly toppled over, the barrel along with it.

"You… Absolute… Dolt!" The barrel wobbled, and Weiss strained to keep it upright. Between the two of them they slid the barrel upright. Then she flicked Ruby's head, narrowing her eyes. "Do you always have to do that? Every time we come here…"

Ruby huffed and folded her arms petulantly. "There's nothing wrong with looking at the weapons!"

"No, but there's something wrong with breaking displays," Weiss reprimanded, raising a hand and watching Ruby jump back, hands raised preemptively. Letting out a sigh she rubbed her forehead before pinching the bridge of her nose. "You've broken something nearly every time we come here."

"Have not!"

"Last week you snapped a shelf by leaning on it, and the week before you knocked over a box and scattered pieces all over the shop floor," Roderick said, smiling apologetically as Ruby withered like her namesake. "Sorry, lass, but you've got a penchant for it."

"I'm just clumsy, that's all! It's not my fault!" It absolutely was. Weiss rolled her eyes and grabbed Ruby by the cloak, all but dragging her friend outside. The bell over the door rang and Weiss turned to wave to the smithy one last time. Once outside she released her grip on Ruby and crossed her arms, eyebrow raised expectantly.

"Well it isn't! And besides, I just like looking at the weapons…" Ruby continued with a pout.

"Yet you never buy anything?"

Aghast, Ruby pulled her weapon from her back, making Weiss step back as the curved blade swung overhead. "And replace Crescent Rose?! Never! Not in a hundred, million, bagillion years!"

This girl was going to become a Hunter. A bastion of humanity, the savior of mankind. Looking at Ruby now, nuzzling her scythe like it was a kitten, swaying and wiggling in place, Weiss swore Ruby was half her age, not two years her junior. "You need to grow up…"

"Do not! I'm basically the same age as you!" Ruby stamped her foot and slammed Crescent Rose against the ground, putting a hand on her hip and puffing proudly. "Besides, I don't need to grow! I drink milk!"

As if _that_ was the secret to growth. Weiss exhaled, letting her annoyance flee with her breath and walked past Ruby, acutely aware of how a girl two years her junior somehow had almost two inches on her. She blamed the boots. Ruby wore unseemly, clunky boots that had to give her extra height. There was no other way this was possible.

Weiss held the gate open and let Ruby skip ahead of her. They were nearly swallowed up in the sea of workers filling the streets, but for some reason they steered clear of the young girl with a war scythe. Seeing initiates with weapons wasn't uncommon in Vale and most didn't bat an eye when someone armed walked by. Then again, most people - and by most Weiss meant literally everyone else on the face of Remnant, didn't use a scythe. Somehow among a profession where thousands of people regularly carried weapons Ruby managed to stand out.

Ruby was blissfully unaware - or ignorant, as crowds parted to make way for them; Crescent Rose demanded a wide berth, lest someone lose their head. Any time something caught her eye she'd whip around, the vicious curved blade slicing through the air. Weiss thought Ruby couldn't possibly be that negligent, that surely, she knew how dangerous she was being.

Ruby uttered a hasty apology as a man plucked his cap from the tip of her scythe. A large hole bore into the side, torn from Crescent Rose's edge. Bowing only made her weapon swing dangerously and the man jumped back with his friends, making a hasty retreat before he might lose a limb. Was it just Weiss' imagination or did the bubble around them grow bigger?

Weiss gazed aimlessly at the buildings to either side. Buildings of stone and brick with placards swaying gently in the wind, hinges creaking. Many shops were only just opening, the owners, despite living above their place of work, always waiting for the morning crowds. Most of the flock of workers converged on shops selling food and Weiss became acutely aware of the myriad of scents filling the crisp morning air. Freshly baked bread caused trails of steam to distort the air, their golden, crunchy skins a shell for the gooey warmth inside.

Contemptuous at how alluring the baked goods were Weiss turned her nose up, convincing herself they were disgusting. Things covered in sugar and sweet enough to rot your jaw were not ideal breakfast foods. Ruby hadn't been told that and loomed over the stall, silver eyes shining as she rocked on the balls of her feet with unbridled delight. Weiss wasn't going to be eating any of that. She'd wait for some _real_ food.

Cherry filling squirted out the end of the pastry and made Ruby squeak, slurping it up before it could fall. Powdered sugar lined her mouth and a dollop of cherry smeared across her left cheek. Weiss shook her head. Sweets were not her thing, they never had been. In that regard she and Ruby were polar opposites; Ruby could eat nothing but sweets without a care in the world. What was the greatest magic on Remnant? Ingesting so many unhealthy foods without falling ill. Or having your jaw rot from the excess of sugar.

Weiss peeled back wax paper and stared down longingly at her own meal. An omelet bursting at the seams with vegetables and sausage. Steam rose from the golden-brown meal and filled her nostrils causing her to salivate long before she ever took a bite of it. She'd desperately wanted to dig in the moment she bought it but walking while eating something messy would be disastrous.

Instead they found themselves a place to rest. Along one of the canals, separated from the water below by a wrought iron fence, were a row of benches begging to be sat on. Narrow planks painted white curved to form a comfortable seat, with iron armrests painted black to contrast. Weiss comfortable fell into the seam took a moment to stretch and chase away lingering fatigue. Though the early morning sun wasn't punishing she was grateful for the shade of the oak tree nearby. Flowers surrounded the base of the tree, a planter with chiseled brick encircling a small patch of grass within.

Bench, planter, bench, planter, the pattern continued along the stretch of the road along the canal, filling the space between the two bridges that spanned the water's width.

"Finally…" Weiss felt the bench flex as she sat on it. The wood creaked a bit louder when Ruby plopped beside her, swinging her legs and licking the remains of her confectionary treat from her fingertips. "You should have waited," she chastised Ruby. "Now you have nothing to eat."

"Well… You could always share your omelet!" Ruby smiled sheepishly when Weiss glowered in silence. Giggling, she rubbed the back of her head and turned away, whistling. "Or… I could go get something else!"

"Some real food, I hope?"

"That was real food!" Ruby leaned in and puffed her cheeks, hands clenched into fists at her chest. Weiss leaned back, eyebrows raising as her friend shook her head. "Fruit is good for you, it's healthy! A-And… And there's egg in the pastry, which is good for you too!"

"And the copious amounts of sugar…?"

"It's good for the soul!"

It was good for cavities too. And fat. Weiss' eyes flickered down to Ruby's midsection and her irritation grew seeing her slim figure. Not quite as slim as Weiss' own, but slim enough that, given all that she ate, seemed undeserved.

Pulling a few Lien from her pouch she shoved it into Ruby's chest, pointing to a nearby stall. "Whatever they're selling, go get some. You should eat more anyways, we've got a full day ahead of us." Ruby didn't linger, nodding before skipping off. A small crowd gathered, and Ruby stood at the back of it, turning around and waving to Weiss.

 _Yes, I see you, dolt._

Peeling back the wrapping further Weiss sniffed at her omelet, then took a cautious bite. Still hot and fresh she gasped and fanned her mouth. With a cough and a bit of careful work she rolled the food over and managed to eat without burning her tongue. The egg was soft, just a hint of pepper mixed into the puffy goodness. Green pepper and onion melded together wonderfully, and Weiss wrinkled her nose as the sausage, with a surprising bite to it, mixed in with the flavors. Squeezing the omelet made a bit of yolk leak, the fillings pushing out from the pillowy shell.

From across the river came a rise of voices and indistinct shouting. Weiss turned when the whinnying of a horse followed, and the shouting of guards drowned it out. A carriage led by a small detachment made its way along the bank, forcing the early morning crowds to make way. From where she sat it was impossible to make out who was inside. Blinds were up in the windows of the carriage anyways, heavy burgundy cloth concealing the passenger. The driver of the carriage, an old man with a simple black suit and wide brimmed hat, leaned over and spoke with one of the guards. Word came from the passengers, a simple order. The guards then resumed shouting and waved their arms to make way.

"What's that all about…?" Ruby asked, leaning over the fencing. A bowl of stew rested precariously in her hand, a thick brown broth spilling out as she tilted it absently.

"I'm not sure." Weiss shrugged and glanced down at her omelet, plucking out a burned piece of sausage. "That's hardly the first carriage I've seen though," she added as she flicked the gristle into the river.

"You mean there's more?"

"I saw a procession yesterday while I was shopping. Quite a few carriages, and plenty of guards besides." Ruby nodded, fishing around in her bowl with a wooden spoon. Her nose wrinkled and Weiss watched her drop a piece of carrot and potato into the canal, settling for a chunk of beef instead. "Ruby, you need to eat those! They're good for you!"

"But they taste so icky!" Ruby protested.

"Think of it this way… Do you imagine Goodwitch would like to hear you've been neglecting your nutrition?"

Weiss might not be able to force Ruby to do much, but the mere mention of their stringent proctor could. Ruby's cheeks swelled as she shoveled vegetables aplenty into her mouth, face crumpling. Making it out to be the most painful experience of her life she chewed slowly, blanching and sticking her tongue out once finished.

"So… About those carriages?"

"What about them?" Weiss asked absently, biting into her meal. Still a bit too hot to savor, but the grumbling in her stomach demanded satiating.

Rather than sit on a bench like a normal person Ruby perched on the fence, finding a gap between the posts. With her legs dangling over the canal she hummed, stirring her stew. "Why so many? Were they fancy like that one?"

"Yes, though it's hardly unusual to see carriages in Vale, even ornate ones," Weiss pointed out. "It is the capital of the kingdom after all."

"Yeah but usually not so many at once. Wonder if something important is going on…?"

Weiss shrugged noncommittally. If something was happening, then it was well above their pay grade to both know and care. Whatever games nobles played in their time was outside of their realm of knowledge. Common sense said she _should_ care, because their decisions would likely affect them, but it wasn't as if they could simply ask.

A mouthful of pepper made Weiss cough and nearly spit out her food. Tears welled, and she chewed hastily, sticking out her tongue and grimacing. "Far too much pepper…!"

"Maybe we should go see? Maybe we can follow the carriage!"

Deadpanning, Weiss stared at Ruby. "We have a mission tomorrow; do you honestly believe the best use of our time is stalking someone?"

"It's not stalking! It's… Reconnaissance!"

"Do not argue semantics with me, Rose," Weiss warned.

Undeterred, Ruby hopped off the fence and tossed her bowl and spoon into a waste bin. Stood before Weiss she grabbed her slender shoulders, beaming excitedly. "Aw, come on, you know you want to find out!" She winked, which confused Weiss, as did her follow-up. "I bet it's someone special!"

"Absolutely not," deflected Weiss, trying to return to her meal. Ruby squeezed her shoulders and she narrowed her eyes at the brunette. "Ruby, I said no. We have enough to do as it is."

"Do we though…?" Ruby tilted her head and grinned impishly. "Like what…?"

"Like…" Weiss trailed off. What did they have to do? They bought supplies yesterday, she'd gotten Myrtenaster back earlier that morning. Aside from receiving the orders themselves everything was ready. Weiss realized that, as did Ruby, and try as she might she couldn't come up with an excuse. "It's… I don't know, it's illegal! We have no business -"

"It's not like I'm saying we should eavesdrop!" Ruby huffed, placing her hands on her hips. A few passersby stared curiously as she struck a pose, puffing out her chest and holding her head high. "I like to think of it as… Being informed!"

"About something that is none of our business," Weiss said, sighing and shaking her head. "That's eavesdropping."

Ruby didn't back down, oddly determined for such a spur-of-the-moment idea. Weiss stared for a time before taking another silent bite of her food, quirking her lips to indicate she was mulling it over.

Gods, her friends were awful influences. How she'd love for Ren or Pyrrha to be a voice of reason. Nora would agree with Ruby in an instant, and Jaune… Well Jaune would just do as he was told. Was she actually missing Jaune now? Wax paper crumpled loudly as Weiss rolled it up, using a strip to wipe her mouth in lieu of a napkin.

"We can follow them, but no closer than is necessary. And if they tell us to leave, we leave, no questions asked." Weiss tossed her trash away and put a finger in Ruby's face, prodding her small nose. "I am not going to risk punishment because of this ridiculous idea of yours."

"We'll be fine! What's the worst that can happen…?"

Besides Goodwitch justifiably stringing them up in the rafters by their ankles? A lot. Weiss rolled her eyes and gestured for Ruby to take the lead. She had barely risen to her feet before Ruby took off. "H-Hey! Don't run, you dolt!" Weiss shouted, excusing herself as they dashed along.

Ruby was like an excited pup, darting ahead and bounding between people. Annoying as it was to have to give chase Weiss could at least count her lucky stars Ruby hadn't used her magic. If Ruby had been impatient enough to cast a spell she'd be gone in a blink, leaving Weiss hapless in trying to follow. But she didn't, though the cloaked girl appeared to be making every effort to lose Weiss in the crowds.

Along the opposite bank of the river the carriage continued to move. Occasionally it slowed to a halt as the crowds thickened, the bellowing of guards forcing them to disperse. In these brief moments Ruby had to stop, bouncing on her feet and eyeing the transport. She wore a smile, one wide enough that to an onlooker she might almost appear mad. When Weiss shot her a questioning glance Ruby only shook her head. Why was she so keen about this?

"Rose, you need to slow down…" Weiss grumbled after a time. When Ruby didn't she lunged forward and caught the brunette's wrist, dragging her back and rolling her eyes as Ruby huffed. "Where are we going, and why in the world are we following the carriage? What's going on?"

Ruby opened her mouth to answer before grinning again, shaking her head and causing her bangs to whip before her eyes. "Nope! You'll have to wait and see!"

"I don't appreciate games, Ruby. If you're keeping a secret…"

"Not a secret! It's… It's a surprise!" Ruby squeaked.

"That's the same thing," Weiss muttered, thoroughly unimpressed as she folded her arms.

Not deterred by the scrutiny Ruby smiled and shook her head again, zipping her lips and throwing away the key, only to speak a second later. "You kept my cake from me, so… Fair is fair! It's my turn for a surprise!"

Obnoxious, juvenile even, but annoyingly logical. One good turn deserves another, she supposed. So long as this wasn't some awful prank.

Twin towers rose before a large bridge. Stone structures with steel braces to reinforce them the towers cut into the flawless blue sky and stood in stark contrast, their peaked roofs as knives, slicing sharply into the heavens. The bridge itself was wider than most, wide enough to allow a multitude of carriages and pedestrians both to walk side by side and still have room to spare. Weiss and Ruby gave the masses a wide berth, as wide as they could manage, keeping close to the chest-high wall along the edge. Carved granite capped the stone walls, and the occasional black lamp post jutted out, a break in the grey of the bridge.

The residential district was well behind them now, the commercial district but a distant memory. Large, spacious buildings lined the wider roads, their hulking masses larger than all but the most exquisite of homes in Vale. With doors impossibly tall and heavy, the warehouses took up majority residence in the industrial district. Buildings comprised of brick and mortar, with tin roofs and each boasting at least a single pair of guards, funneled people along the bustling streets.

Weiss watched as a group of men worked at unloading a cart. Two Dimuran men in little more than simple tunics and trousers did most of the lifting, their sun-kissed skin rippling beneath their ragged clothing. One had scales of a brilliant red, rivaling Ruby's cloak in its radiance. It contrasted with his tanned skin, and the rust-red hair that matted his head seemed equally unusual. His partner, an equally large man with purple scales and a lighter skin, carried one box under each arm. Hearing the heavy thud as they dropped in a stack made Weiss marvel at how easily they moved the containers.

Warehouses weren't the only structures in the industrial districts. Weiss could hear the factory long before it ever came into view, even over the sounds of the crowds. Blast furnaces roared with the ferocity of a dragon, their open doors spewing forth flames. The interior of the building was set aglow in a beautiful, and unusual rainbow of colors.

When Weiss and Ruby passed by the front she saw crates of Dust crystals piled before the furnaces. Sorted by type, piles of red, green, blue and purple sat ready for use. For fuel, it seemed, as a worker went about shoveling a load of the red variant into the furnace. Sparks flew, and flame spewed out angrily before being snuffed by a heavy iron door slamming shut. Billows pumped and a system of pulleys leading… Weiss wasn't sure where, turned and pulled.

"How the heck do they keep all this going…?" Ruby muttered.

Weiss offered a shrug. She wouldn't pretend to understand how to run an operation on this scale, nor the logistics of maintaining it. Most days it was difficult enough to manage her friends, and that was with help. A factory had dozens of employees and constant activity? Just pondering the matter made her head spin.

Somehow, despite all the factories and the sweaty scores of men hard at work, the air was cleaner here, crisp even. Fresh air thick with brine and salt carried inland from the nearby ocean. Seagulls squawked as they came in to dry land, dozens perched along the rooftops. Weiss scowled and kicked her foot out at an obstinate one sat on the road, sticking her tongue out as the animal continued to pick at discarded food, more concerned with its meal than her. Ruby giggled and moved to pet the animal only to be yanked back, stumbling and smiling sheepishly when Weiss pointed down the road.

Crowds thinned, replaced by workers and merchants. Shops sat between warehouses, dwarfed by the larger buildings but still managing to draw people. Many were taverns, Weiss noted, no doubt taking advantage of weary sailors and merchants after a long journey. A few were bait and tackle shops and Weiss wondered where in the world one might fish in such a bustling port.

"Ruby, do you even know where the carriage is anymore?" Weiss grabbed Ruby's sleeve to stop her, looking around as she spoke. There were carriages and carts aplenty but not even one was theirs. Simple things with no decoration, no air of opulence. They hadn't come all the way here for nothing?

"I don't see it," Ruby admitted. Admonished by a glare she smiled and held her hands up in defense. "But I know where it's going! Don't worry, we're not lost!"

Weiss arched a delicate eyebrow and folded her arms testily. "Oh, and how, pray tell, do you know where it's heading? Did you slip away and ask them?"

Ruby smiled through snorts and giggles. "Nope! I overheard some people at that stall earlier talking about it. At first, I didn't think it was important, but then they mentioned something…"

"And that something was…?" Weiss prodded, tapping her foot impatiently.

"I'm getting to that! There's a bunch of nobles in the city for some… Conference thingie. A-Anyway, there's people coming from all over! And not just Vale, either." Ruby listed off on her fingers. "There's some people coming from Mistral, and a few from Vacuo, and even a few from Atlas!"

Dropping her arms and blinking, Weiss pressed her lips into a thin line. Atlas? Just as it wasn't uncommon to see nobles in the city neither were visitors from other kingdoms unusual. Most were merchants, though, and hardly required a welcoming committee of nobles. Which begged the question of who exactly had come to Vale.

"You wanted to see who was coming…?" It was the only conclusion Weiss could think of. Most if not all were likely here by now though, but if the carriage from before was a noble's, and it had come here, then they were welcoming someone.

"It sounded like the ship from Atlas arrived this morning, and they might still be in port," Ruby continued, fumbling with the sleeve of her white tunic, adjusting the black cuff around her wrist. "I was thinking… What if it's someone you knew? That might be nice, right?"

Weiss chewed the inside of her cheek as she looked out towards the water. It _could_ be nice, or it could be a disaster, depending on who had come. Even with furnaces nearby cooking the air Weiss shivered. That was not an encounter she looked forward to.

Part of her wanted to turn around and leave. It might be her father, but it also might not be. For all she knew it could be someone she wouldn't recognize entirely. It had been years since she'd last set foot in Atlas and even when home she'd been young, too young to really know those in power. Nameless faces would come to their homes and be kept out of view. A mark of shame, a stain on the Schnee family.

Weiss wanted to leave but she knew Ruby had dragged her this far for a reason. She'd hoped it might be someone Weiss would want to see. Was it her way of paying back for the surprise yesterday? A soft sigh passed her lips and Weiss shook her head, resigning herself and marching forward. If it was someone she wanted no business with they could just as easily turn around and leave, but she'd at least go and look.

If Vale was a hand, the districts, the palm, then the docks were its fingers jutting out to grasp the ocean. Large things of stone, concrete and brick, they fanned out along the length of the waterfront, with large spaces between allowing for two cargo ships to fit between. Large cranes and heavy carts and pulleys stood by each, ready to unload and help ferry away whatever was being brought in or sent out. Small jetties sprouted out like tufts of weed and allowed for smaller seafaring vessels, often fisherman's crafts, to land.

Guards formed a perimeter around one of the larger docks. Their chainmail glittered in the bold sun and must be cooking the guards alive, but they were too busy trying to hold back people to worry. Weiss and Ruby found a way through the throngs by keeping near the water's edge, using the posts and heavy chains that formed railings to keep from slipping over the edge.

In the water below Weiss heard a splash and looked down to watch a Varuna busy at work. Barnacles of all shapes and sizes clung to the hull of a merchant vessel. The Varuna, with blue, oily skin shining and soaked, scraped away at them with a chisel and knife, occasionally breaking open a shell to eat its contents. There was a dozen of them at least all around the large craft, busy at work and seemingly oblivious to the crowds around them. One turned though and met Weiss' gaze, large black eyes staring back curiously before they returned to work, webbed digits clutching their tools tightly.

What was saw next was infinitely more interesting. Clashing with the natural beauty of the surf was a hull of pure steel, metal wrought by expert craftsmen and assembled in a factory larger than even those in Vale. Taller than any merchant vessel, the gray hull turned blue just above the water's surface, free of barnacles unlike the other ships around it. Weiss glanced at the peculiar wheels on the sides of the ship, large enough to dip below the water and nearly reach the top of the deck. With panels steeped, wide and flat, the wheels resembled the water wheel of a mill.

Weiss glanced up at the deck and saw crew scurrying about, some securing the vessel with heavy chains while others took upon other tasks. There were no sails, she realized, and in their place heavy stacks like those of a factory rose from the deck. Every so often tufts of smoke billowed from them, petering off into tiny wisps as they vanished into the cloudless sky.

"Come on!" Ruby grinned and grabbed Weiss by the hand, pulling her along before they could protest. The guards didn't notice them, but they halted at the perimeter just to be safe, with Ruby jumping onto one of the stout pillars that comprised the railing for a better view. Weiss placed her face in her hands and wondered how long until a guard noticed them.

A long metal ramp stretched from the ship's deck to the dock below, a line of Atlesian soldiers flanking either side. Weiss recognized the gray dress clothes despite her time away, their broad caps shielding their eyes from the harsh sun's rays, and conveniently from view. Each wore a saber on their hip that could just as likely be for practical use as it was for show.

The carriage they had been following was here, it's dark cedar body stark against the gray, wet ground. Black panels outfitted with black, quilted cloth covered the doors, rear and front, and Weiss caught a glimpse of a hidden blade beneath the driver's door; the elderly driver seemed to zone off, but every so often his eyes flickered to the crowd, his left hand never far from the weapon.

An excited murmur rippled through the crowd and Weiss pushed aside a man to break to the front of the crowd. Being short sucked. Two men moved down the ramp first, each with similar gray dress uniforms to those waiting. Their clothing was obviously pressed and only worn for show, with nary a wrinkle or thread out of place. Medals adorned their jackets and sashes draped across their chest, a subdued blue that matched the open ocean's waters.

Weiss hardly paid them any mind. Her eyes fixed on the man following behind them. Her heart rose to her throat and a smile worked itself to her lips. She took a step forward, unaware, and this time Ruby reined her in, tugging on her arm gently to ease her back. She made a sound of protest but nodded and remained put.

James Ironwood strode down the gangplank, arms folded neatly behind his back. His uniform was white as the snow that blanketed much of Atlas, the black lapels of his jacket striking against rest of the cloth. A few medals hung from his breast, more for show than actual militaristic achievement: he was not a man of the military. James Ironwood wasn't anything quite so mundane. Weiss felt her smile widen as he stood at the base of the ramp and exchanged words with the two men with him.

The head of Atlas' division of the Church, the Atlesian Archbishop, had arrived.

With a face that looked chiseled from stone and a hard jawline it was no small wonder that many women around Weiss, infuriatingly, commented on his looks. As if any of the common mistresses could hope to lay claim to a man of such standing. Nearby, one jealous man grumbled about him being 'stiffer than a dick', a comment that earned him a slap from his partner.

Steely blue eyes drifted over the crowd, set under a black brow. Equally dark hair covered his head, neatly trimmed and slicked back, with streaks of gray stretching from his temples, back behind his ears and to the nape of his neck. It gave him a refined look, Weiss decided, while also showing he was a man of age, more than his wrinkle-free face might suggest. The two men, generals, Weiss assumed, bowed their heads and barked orders up at the ship. Several men saluted, and half of those stood by the gangplank flanked the pair as they marched into the crowd. The generals saluted Ironwood before following suit, leaving the carriage for him to take.

Weiss kept her eyes on Ironwood, a nervous excitement bubbling in her stomach. When his eyes passed over her they seemed not to notice, then drifted back and settled on her. His eyebrows raised, and her smile threatened to split her face, giddiness making her wave with uncharacteristic enthusiasm. Behind her Ruby snickered but she paid her friend no mind. Gestured to come forward, Weiss pointed to herself before hurrying out into the clearing and right into Ironwood's outstretched arms.

"Weiss, I didn't expect to see you here," Ironwood said with a laugh. His voice was warm. Weiss caught the familiar scent of pine aftershave, the same kind he'd always used.

Large hands clasped her shoulders as she moved back, and Weiss smiled up at Ironwood, immediately happier for his presence. "I didn't expect to be here," she admitted, throwing a look over her shoulder before smiling again. "I had an unexpected detour."

"Is that so…?" Seeing Ruby trying to hide among the crowd now Ironwood waved her forward as well, nodding when she hesitantly pointed to herself. The brunette was much slower to emerge and kept her distance, having pulled her hood up. The murmuring that broke out made her draw her hood tighter.

"Oh! I have my partner with me, let me introduce you." Gesturing for Ruby to come closer Weiss frowned and stomped her foot, pointing to the spot beside her. Satisfied once Ruby moved up she prodded her friend in the side, earning a startled squeak. "Come say hello! Don't you know who this is?!"

Silver eyes drifted up and Ruby shifted nervously, somehow managing a smile as she wrung her hands. "Um… Your dad…?"

Ironwood laughed while Weiss groaned and slapped a hand to her forehead. Thankfully the archbishop had the grace not to tease Ruby, because she was already on the verge of a nervous fit.

"A family friend, and one with a vested interest in Weiss' well-being," Ironwood answered. Ruby's mouth formed a small 'o' before she hung her head, face alight with embarrassment. "Archbishop James Ironwood, at your service, young lady. And who do I have the honor of addressing…?"

Weiss jabbed Ruby in the side with her elbow when her friend didn't answer immediately. Jumping, Ruby rubbed her side and smiled awkwardly. "Oh, uh… R-Ruby Rose, sir! It's a… Uh… Pleasure to… Make your acquaintance…?"

Gods help them. Weiss tried not to glare at Ruby and instead smiled at the man before her, corner of her mouth twitching. She was more perturbed by Ruby's greeting than Ironwood, who smiled and nodded politely.

"I don't suppose you're here just to see me…?" Weiss asked. She couldn't help the hopefulness that crept into her voice, nor the smile that again spread across her face.

"Had I the pleasure to do so. But no, I'm afraid I'm here to meet with Ozpin on important business." Ironwood paused as a man rushed up to him, having to raise up to whisper into the man's ear. He had always dwarfed her in height, but then many people did. Weiss sometimes forgot just how tall he was until someone else stood beside him. "And it seems they might be waiting for me. I'm afraid we may have to cut our reunion short, for now."

Weiss almost let herself pout, but the archbishop's inflection made her perk up and smile. "For now…?"

"I'll be in Vale for a few days on business, perhaps even a week. I can't imagine that I'll be spending the entire time working. And…" Ironwood trailed off and chuckled to himself. "I know little in the way of Vale, if I'm honest, with how rarely I come here. If only someone could help show me around…"

"I'll do it!" Weiss volunteered, jumping at the opportunity. Her face went red as Ironwood laughed, and redder still when Ruby joined in. That dolt had no right to laugh at her. She was a bumbling mess!

"Weiss…" Ruby tugged on her tunic. "We have our mission tomorrow, won't we be leaving early."

"Not early enough that I can't at least have breakfast with him," Weiss rebuked, puffing indignantly as she pulled her clothes from Ruby's fingers. "At least… I hope not."

"As it just so happens I know the man in charge here, perhaps we could delay your departure? An hour or two at most." Ironwood smiled playfully, and Weiss felt herself grin ear to ear. "I'll speak to Ozpin about it then. Assuming you have no issues with it…" Ruby shook her head quickly to answer. "Then it's settled. I look forward to dining with you tomorrow."

"And I, you, sir."

Weiss exchanged another hug and stepped back, her face hurting from smiling so much. Ironwood excused himself then, nodding and smiling politely to Ruby before climbing into the carriage. The remaining soldiers ashore fell in line around the carriage, and the city guard again parted the crowds to make way.

After watching the display between her and a man of such importance many onlookers took to speculation, and Weiss was acutely aware of the dozens of eyes on them now. As was Ruby whose social skills failed when in a small tavern surrounded by friends. When faced with a crowd?

"Uh… W-W-Weiss, we should uh… W-We should…" Ruby stammered thoughtlessly, tongue tied and tripping over her own words.

It was enough to convey her nerves and Weiss grabbed her friend by the hand, dragging her along. Plenty of people watched, some questioning her vocally, others with their glances. No voices calling her names or shouting derogatory terms. It paid to have such a powerful friend, Weiss smiled bitterly. With surprising ease, they managed to get away from the onlookers and before long found a semblance of privacy.

They didn't go far, just enough that the gatherings thinned, and people stopped openly gawking at them. Finding refuge in a small noodle shop along the pier Weiss pulled herself up onto a stool beside Ruby, grateful for the hanging cloth that flanked them, blocking the view of anyone looking in.

Vale's ports were some of the largest in all of Remnant, and as such serviced much of the world. With so many cultures converging in one singular place it wasn't uncommon to see vestiges of other kingdoms. Shops, much like the noodle shop they now sat in, originated from Mistral. Ren and Nora had mentioned once how places like this were plentiful back home, and how competition between them was fierce. Here, being the lone noodle shop, it was the sole claim to the market, which made the fact it was barely inhabited all the more surprising. Perhaps most people didn't have a taste for exotic foods, preferring Vale's staples of vegetables, bread and beef.

Weiss smiled politely at the owner of the small shop, an elderly man with sparse hair, completely bald on the top and tufts clung to the sides, obstinately hanging on in his old age. He was of Vale descent, his features harder than the usual gentle looks seen in Mistralian people. Then again, Weiss mused as she surveyed a hand-scrawled menu, Ren was the only person she'd ever met from the faraway kingdom and only had Nora's vague "It's like a kingdom full of Rens!" to work with. _Isn't Nora from there too…? She contradicted herself, the boob..._

Ruby made a sound of delight, something between a squeal and giggle, as she pointed to some monstrosity labeled "Seafarer's feast". Weiss glanced at the contents and nearly gagged, more at the price than the contents. They _had_ the Lien for it, sure, but that didn't mean she wanted to spend it. Fortunately for Ruby however, and unfortunately for their coin purse, Weiss was in a good mood and allowed it. For herself she ordered a simple bowl of noodles and vegetables, graciously accepting the complimentary hot tea that came with their meals, even if she might not care for it.

"So…?" Ruby giggled, hands in her lap as she swung her legs off the stool.

"So?" Weiss echoed.

"What did you think? Good surprise, huh?"

Weiss rolled her eyes and smiled despite herself. "You had no clue he was going to be here," she muttered, blowing on her tea before taking a sip. Bitter with just a hint of lemon. Her nose wrinkled, and she put the cup down.

"Maybe I did!" Ruby protested, puffing herself up and crossing her arms. Weiss raised an eyebrow and the brunette folded, giggling. "Okay, so I didn't, but it turned out awesome, right? You seemed super happy to see him!"

"I was… Pleasantly surprised, yes," Weiss admitted as her cheeks flushed. "I haven't seen him in years, so seeing him here now was a little bit of a shock. And I get to have breakfast with him tomorrow!"

"And… He's not your dad?" Ruby yelped and nursed the back of her head, sticking her tongue out childishly at Weiss.

"No, he is _not_ my father, Ruby. We've been over this." Not ten minutes ago even! Weiss sighed, setting her spoon back down before shaking her head. "No, he's just a family friend, though… He did a remarkable job in helping me get here, and ensuring I settled in well. I owe him a great deal."

"Oh… Well, I'm glad my totally not-gamble paid off! He seems nice!" Ruby giggled, handing her menu back and placing her order. After swirling her drink for a moment, she reached over and prodded Weiss' shoulder. "Hey… Are you… How are you feeling about tomorrow…?"

Weiss figured the question was innocuous until she noticed Ruby's nervous shift and wringing hands. "Are you worried about our mission? I doubt they'll give us anything to intensive, Ruby. We're still initiates." Her friend didn't answer and chewed her lower lip, silver eyes trained on the counter. "Are you worried about them…?"

Weiss wanted to say there was nothing to worry about. Actually, there was a lot to worry about. What amounted to their final test as initiates - their "real" first mission, would serve as a proving ground. Just because they had made it into the Church didn't mean they _deserved_ to be here. If they couldn't put their training to practice and successfully complete their assignment then they would be sent through remedial training, or worse, dropped altogether.

"You know better than to worry. Nora is unruly but she's strong and more than capable, as is Ren, and he's levelheaded enough to keep her out of trouble," Weiss began, tapping a finger on the wooden counter. "Then there's Pyrrha who is the top of our combat class." _Better than only me,_ she added to herself, feeling a shameful twinge of jealousy. "And Jaune is… Well, Pyrrha will be there! We'll all be fine, Ruby. And the proctors are watching us just in case something does go awry. There's nothing to worry about."

Weiss felt every bit as concerned as Ruby but tried not to let it show. Instead she smiled and pointed to the cup of tea, then to a nearby plaque on the counter space, again handwritten. "The tea here is meant to help us relax, so why not try it?" Even as she suggested that Weiss sampled the drink and nearly spit it out, surprised by the bitterness.

When their food came at long last Weiss gawked, appalled by the aberration in Ruby's dish. It was probably healthier than her usual meals, but the colossal amount of yellowfin tuna, crab meat and another fish piled over a bed of noodles was beyond excessive. Glancing down at her own bowl, with noodles and helpings of vegetables, Weiss wondered where in the world her friend would even store all of it.

"Ruby, what do you…" Weiss began trailing off. Silver eyes blinked in silent question as Ruby stared back, noodles and fish hanging from her mouth. Her question could wait. "Nevermind, keep eating."

Weiss turned the wooden spoon over in her hand and looked for a fork, finding none. Shrugging, she twirled the noodles, twisting before scooping up vegetables. Broth spilled over the edge and she leaned over to keep from spilling on her clothes, cupping her free hand under her chin as she ate. It was hot, though not unbearably so, with a hint of salt and an earthen bite that reminded her of ginger. Overall not unpleasant, and with her stomach still somehow not full, a welcome treat.

Ruby slurped her noodles loudly. The shopkeeper didn't seem to mind and smiled as the excitable girl enjoyed his cooking. Weiss enjoyed too, though took to it with less gusto. Somehow that offended the man?

Whenever Ruby tried to speak Weiss cut her off and gestured to simply enjoy the meal. The voices of passersby outside more than filled the silence, and after a minute or two of eating a pair of sailors came in and joined them, sitting at the end of the counter. She ignored their banter and their stench, and gods did they smell, instead favoring her meal more than before.

"Ruby, I want to ask while it's on my mind…" Weiss paused, catching her breath and chasing food down with the tea. It had cooled, and she was pleasantly surprised her meal helped but down the bitterness. "What do you imagine will happen on our first mission? Anything exciting?" She smirked when Ruby's eyes lit up.

"Maybe we'll get to go and fight a horde of Grimm! Oh, or maybe we get to go and fight with some veteran Hunters!" Ruby gasped and swiveled in her seat, eyes wide and mouth flashing a set of teeth in a delighted grin. "Maybe we'll get to ride a Nevermore! I've always wanted to try!"

That was a horrible idea in more ways than one. Ruby practically bounced in her seat at the notion, and without further prompting began to list off more fantasies, each more outlandish than the last. With her earlier trepidation forgotten Weiss took to eating again, nodding and making a remark occasionally to show she wasn't entirely ignoring her friend.

Nerves would be back tomorrow, but right now they needed to relax and have fun.

/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/

Weiss felt horribly underdressed. Her usual attire of a simple tunic, trousers and her boots felt, well, out of place. Monty's Corner would be the perfect fit for her - not that the man's tavern was grubby, but far more appropriate for casual wear. When Ironwood had insisted they do breakfast together she had assumed she would be the one picking the venue. After all, he'd asked _her_ to show _him_ around.

"Are you alright, Weiss? You seem on edge."

Her? Why, because she so obviously didn't belong in a place like this? Perish the thought. Weiss smiled awkwardly and busied herself with the impeccably clean cutlery on the table. Gods, she could see her reflection in it!

"On edge?" She repeated, setting down her fork. "No, just… Still waking I suppose. Not exactly an early morning person," she said, laughing and thanking whatever gods were watching that Ironwood laughed with her.

"They do have coffee here, if you'd like." Weiss must have perked up the instant he mentioned coffee because Ironwood laughed again. After motioning over a server, he made the young man rush over two steeping cups of brew, sliding one before Weiss, which she readily accepted.

"Thank you," Weiss mumbled, blowing steam before taking a sip. Heaven in a cup.

Through the tinted glass Weiss glanced out at the smooth paved roads of the noble district. Far and away nicer than anything in the districts below, the smoothly cut stones that made up the road were free from litter of any kind. Paths of chiseled granite lined the streets, ample room for carriages and pedestrians alike.

Her reflection stared back at her through the glass and Weiss' lips curled into a rueful smile. Paler than someone who spent so much time outside, with snow white hair to match. At least she was beautiful, according to her friends and… Herself. And Ironwood, though the latter was the equivalent of a parent telling their child was 'handsome' or 'beautiful'; bias had something to do with that.

Weiss' eyes drifted from her slender face to her ears, the angled tips pointing towards the ceiling. Despite her best efforts she had failed to conceal them with her hair, the silken strands always falling away the moment she released them. It was rare to see a Ydran in the noble ward unless they were a servant's garb, and rarer still for a girl her age to be here. If not for the archbishop's company she'd never have made it past the bridge.

 _So much for getting by on my name alone,_ Weiss grumbled bitterly, her mind kicking itself immediately afterwards. The coffee was bitter enough without her thoughts adding to it, so instead she adjusted herself in her seat and smiled at her companion. "There are so many places I'd like to take you today, if you have the time, of course."

Ironwood rubbed his chin as he set down his mug, eyes set on Weiss thoughtfully. "I do have another meeting with Ozpin and Glynda, but… I suppose I could free up an hour or two."

Weiss hid her beaming smile behind her cup, toes barely scraping the tiled floor as her leg dangled off the edge of the chair. Truth be told she barely had an idea where she might bring the man. Most of her time was spent at the Cathedral and its grounds, a place that Ironwood needed no introduction to. There was Monty's Corner, but she could imagine the owners, and everyone inside having a stroke at an archbishop in their midst. Save for Roderick's smithy and a handful of shops there was little else Weiss frequented, which was remarkable given the size of Vale. Or perhaps a product of it.

Considerations would wait. Food arrived on a platter and placed before them. Bowls steeped with some kind of soup that, no matter how she stared at its contents, Weiss couldn't figure out what it was. Dragging a spoon through it revealed it to be heavy and creamy, and a cautionary sniff both told her there was pepper in it, and made Ironwood laugh and the server look away politely.

"Frightened it's poisoned?" the old Magi teased.

Weiss' face flushed, and she set her spoon aside, trying to remain poised rather than throw a fit. "I've never had it before, I was simply curious what it smells like," she deflected, opting to sip from her coffee again.

"It's a simple mushroom soup, milady. A combination of cremini, morel, and chanterelle mixed with a touch of fresh yellow onion and carrot taken directly from the local farms." A really obnoxious way to say, 'mushroom soup.' Weiss glanced at the parsley decorating the top. Not exactly an expensive topping, not if she knew what it was. "The butter and cream used are exceptionally creamy and rich, imported from farms in the eastern regions of the kingdom, from only the highest pedigree of -"

"That will do, I believe she gets the point," Ironwood smiled, hand raised to cut off the server. The man bowed his head and excused himself, leaving an amused archbishop with his baffled ward.

"That much money… For mushrooms…?" Weiss was beside herself as she stared down at her paltry serving.

"All three are difficult to harvest, and even more so to prepare properly." Ironwood smiled and reached into his jacket, removing a small container and shaking it onto his bowl before offering it over. "Fresh pepper," he explained, chuckling as Weiss' hesitation fled at once. "I borrowed it from a cook back at the Cathedral. I think what they have here is a bit too bland."

Weiss coughed as she sampled her meal, handing back the shaker and chasing her food with coffee. Taking extra measures to mix her soup she blew on the second helping, delighted to find it didn't choke her up or burn her throat. They barely made it a minute into their meals when Weiss set her spoon down again and slid her bowl off to the side.

"Something wrong?" Ironwood asked.

"No, nothing's wrong, the meal is quite delicious actually." A bit too rich for her tastes, but not bad. "I was actually hoping to ask what brings you to Vale. I understand that the subject is probably classified and only for Ozpin to know, but…" Weiss smiled innocently and shrugged. "I can't help but be curious. What could bring the esteemed James Ironwood across the ocean, I wonder?"

"Other than to see you?"

Weiss scoffed playfully and shook her head. "You already made it obvious that wasn't the case, you looked surprised to see me at the docks, after all." Smiling, she reached up and relieved an itch behind her ear. "Not that I'm unhappy you're here, don't misunderstand."

"You're just curious?" Indescribably so. Weiss had struggled to find peaceful slumber that night and Ruby had as well. Her friends and herself had tried to tease out the reason for another archbishop's visit, and that of all the nobles who had come to preside over it. Theories ranged from the obscene to the mundane, and everything in between.

"Well, I can't tell you the particulars, but I suppose a little information won't hurt. But this doesn't leave the table, understand?" Weiss nodded emphatically. Ironwood smiled and wiped his mouth before folding his hands on the table. Leaning forward prompted Weiss to copy him, and when he spoke his voice was barely above a whisper. "I trust you're aware of the White Fang? What it is they do?"

Weiss nodded readily, puzzled. "What could they be doing that warrants your presence…? Surely this is below an archbishop's attention."

"Normally, yes, but they've grown bold these past few weeks. It started simple enough," Ironwood began to list things off. "Attacks on trade caravans, looting towns, and occasional skirmishes with soldiers and Hunters. Nothing that we don't see with an atypical bandit, and so it hardly required our attention. Recently though, they've gotten bolder."

Conversation paused when their server returned to check on them, excusing himself once more when Ironwood turned him away. "Recently, they've made attempts on nobles. Most have been unsuccessful, some, however, have worked. Atlas has lost two of its aristocracy in the past month alone, and more are liable to follow."

Weiss' eyebrows rose, and her mouth hung agape. Assassinating nobles? She knew the White Fang could be ruffians and were certainly an issue, but at worst they were zealots. Potentially violent, yes, but as Ironwood himself had said little more than bandits ultimately. "What changed…? Do you know?"

For a moment Ironwood didn't answer, quirking the corner of his mouth and drawing his lines thin. "A new leader. It seems that the man who led them has stepped down, or been killed, we're not entirely sure. But the new head of the movement, Sienna Khan, she's taking more drastic measures. And she has plenty of commanders willing and able to carry them out." His face drew into a scowl and he shook his head disdainfully. "Just recently there was an attempt at the mayor of Galloway, from what I understand," he added, then blinked and frowned. "You didn't hear that."

Weiss resisted the urge to laugh and giggled in silence, making a show of covering her ears and nodding. That was troubling for several reasons. Nobles weren't her favorite people, but they were necessary. Hierarchies were a necessary evil. Weiss would argue many of Remnant's issues were because of nobility, not despite them, but they still served their purpose.

To kill a noble not only threatened to create power gaps and disrupt the status quo, but it also meant that no one was safe or off limits. It instilled a certain fear knowing the White Fang could go after anyone, potentially even those higher in the Church if they so choose. It was an unsettling notion, but then that was probably the point.

"And that's what you're here to discuss, I take it? Protecting the nobility…?" Weiss asked, leaning out of her chair and well across the table. "Hardly needs to be a secret."

"Well, we don't know where their members are, or even who they all are. For obvious reasons, having knowledge of our movements makes our efforts all the more difficult. But… I don't imagine you'll be informing those terrorists of our plans?" Of course not! As if reading Weiss' indignant thoughts, Ironwood sipped at his coffee, a barely concealed smile behind it. "I trust you won't mention any of that to your friends?" he asked, folding his arms and arching a brow expectantly. Weiss nodded. "Excellent. Though… I imagine Ozpin will mention it to some degree later anyways, but until he brings it up I'd rather not make it common knowledge."

Ironwood paused for a moment and sampled his soup, smirking as he set his spoon back down. "Besides, I have enough nobles complaining to me. When they find out we'll be forcing them to house Hunters, even if it's for their own good, they'll throw a fit."

"What a shame. I'd hate to think they lose a moment of sleep on their oversized beds," Weiss drawled, rolling her eyes. Ironwood laughed again and shook his head.

"You're terrible, but then I suppose I'm partly to blame, aren't I?"

"You helped raise me well," Weiss answered with an earnest smile. She meant every word of it. The pair shared a moment of simply smiling at one another before she folded her hands in her lap, smile waning. Brushing her thumb over the back of her hand she chewed on the inside of her cheek, hesitating before looking up again. "How… How is my family?"

She'd asked with a guarded enthusiasm, almost hoping Ironwood might not answer. The mere act of referring to the Schnees as 'her family' would cause some to become furious or incensed, even if by blood, she was one of them. Even if she was a bastard child.

"Whitley is well, from what I understand. He's still yet to manifest any magic but he's diligent in his studies and works tirelessly on his swordplay." Ironwood paused to take another bite of his meal, adding another spritz of pepper to it. "I believe Jacques is tailoring him to be an ambassador for the kingdom, and he has the royal family's backing in that regard, so he's quite busy as of late."

"And Winter?"

"Busy as well. I recently sent her off to Mistral to oversee a joint exercise between their branch and our own. I can't say much more, but she's doing exceptionally well for herself," Ironwood commented, then smiled at Weiss. "Though I'm certain you'll do no less."

Weiss' cheeks flushed, and she bowed her head in thanks, too sheepish to reply otherwise. Passing another spoonful through her lips she let the creamy food sit on her tongue, swishing it about and finalizing her opinion on it. Too rich, and she wasn't overly fond of the mushrooms either. If she was able to afford it then it'd be a dish she still ordered rarely, if ever.

Considering asking about Jacques came and went in the blink of an eye. The man disowned her and likely wouldn't even give her the time of day. The blatant rejection from her own father stung, but if he wasn't going to give her any part of his life, she refused to let him inhabit her thoughts. So, she moved onto a dearer, though just as difficult relative. "And mother? How… How is she faring…?"

The question hung in the air for a moment, one much too long for Weiss' liking. Ironwood's face was unreadable save for a slight downward turn of his lips. "She's… Unchanged, I'm afraid. No better, no worse," he answered after the lingering silence.

"The healers haven't been able to help her? Have they at least discerned what caused it…?"

"Unfortunately not. Had they done so I would have sent a letter to you immediately or come sooner to tell you the news." The smile was genuine and yet Weiss felt cold despite the gesture. Her gaze fell, and her hands gripped the bottom of her tunic, tightening and digging her nails into the soft flesh of her palms. "Weiss, we have not only Atlas' best healers, but the Church's as well working day and night to find a cure. Rest assured she will recover."

"Will she though…? Weiss whispered. Moisture hit the back of her hand and she blinked, rubbing at her eye stubbornly. A chair scraped beside her and she felt a strong arm pull her in, sniffling as Ironwood embraced her. "I don't understand, how doesn't anyone know what's wrong?"

"It's an illness we've never seen before, and one with no obvious causes," Ironwood explained somberly. "I've gone through all my tomes and my assistants have done the same, yet none of us, nor anyone else, has found an answer. But that doesn't mean one doesn't exist, and we've managed to keep her illness from progressing. We will find a cure, I promise."

It was a small condolence, but Weiss would take what she could get, even if it equated to grasping at straws. Rubbing at her eyes again she nodded and hugged the large man back before leaning away and clearing her throat. "Good. Thank you, I… I really wish I could visit. Even if she can't see me…"

"Knowing you're thinking of her is enough for Willow, as is knowing you're safe and sound in Vale." Ironwood's nose wrinkled, and he opened his mouth before closing it again and shaking his head. "Just trust that we're doing all we can, and when she does recover - because she will, I'll be sure to send word wherever you might be."

That was all she could ask for. As far as her fath - as far as _Jacques_ thought, it was more than she deserved. Oh well. What was he going to do if she asked, disown her?

"Are you going to be alright? We can leave if you'd like…"

"No, no I'm fine. I didn't really expect to hear anything different," Weiss lied. Fixing herself, she wiped at the corners of her eyes and straightened her tunic before smiling. "Let's finish our meals at the very least. Gods know it's too expensive to go to waste."

"I don't know, I almost would prefer a simple steak to this. Though a steak is hardly fit for breakfast, now is it?"

Weiss shrugged, lips curling into a faint smile as she sampled her meal again. "Better than what my friends eat."

"Oh, and what do they eat, exactly?"

Ironwood's eyes grew large as Weiss described the insatiable Nora who could inhale enough pancakes to feed a family of five, and Ruby Rose, the girl whose bled sugar. Without realizing it Weiss began to describe her friends to the archbishop, losing herself in recounting stories and describing their quirks that made them so endearing. She hardly noticed her mood improve but Ironwood did, and he smiled the entire time.

Her family might be an ocean and a kingdom away, but she had plenty to be happy about in Vale too.

* * *

 **If you're so inclined please do leave a review! Let me know what does and doesn't work for you. I'll continue to write regardless, but knowing how folks feel about certain things would help me continue to improve, and I'd appreciate it!**

 **For anyone who has ironically/jokingly ever referred to Ironwood as "Iron Daddy", well, you're kind of right now? He's not REALLY her father. It's complicated. Kind of.**

 **As always thank you for reading, and while I know it was a lot this chapter, hopefully you enjoyed it!**


	8. Chapter 8: Rumor Mill

**Oh look, another chapter! And another long one too!**

 **Got a busy week coming up and not entirely sure if I'll have time to put out a chapter, so wanted to get this done just in case!**

 **And before people read this and say anything... Yes, it ends on a cliffhanger. BUT! Big but, it's going to pick up immediately after. Just a perspective shift, so don't worry too much, because I know some people hate cliffhangers.**

* * *

The sun was playing shy today, peeking occasionally from behind clouds only to disappear in an instant. What Yang wouldn't give for a clear day. Blankets of gray covered the sky and threatened to drench Remnant - at least the part Yang was traipsing through, in a deluge. It would do wonders to soothe her aching muscles. Some rain would also wash away the grime that clung to her skin, and the dried, caked-on blood.

Her mouth was cotton. Licking her dry lips Yang reached back for her canteen. Uncorking it, she shook it and found it dry. "Oh…" Staring at the hole clean through the container she huffed and tossed the ruined item aside.

Alabaster had to be close. She'd been walking since yesterday, pausing only to tear into the last of her food. Her feet certainly felt like she'd been walking a full day. Fresh blisters throbbed on her soles, her knees buckled with each step. Absently, she relieved an itch on her left hand and grumbled as fresh blood dripped out of a scab. Licking it up, she spat red mucus into the dirt and grimaced.

If not for wagon wheel tracks scored into the packed dirt road Yang would have thought she'd gone the wrong way. At least a dozen different trails stretched out before her, ruts and crevices aplenty. Well-traveled, poorly maintained; the kingdom wasn't going to waste Lien maintaining roads so far from the capital. If it wasn't for the fact her feet were falling off Yang wouldn't have minded the uneven surface in the slightest.

Blue spruce trees lined the streets, forming an impenetrable natural wall. Trees wider than her arms could fit around, with dark bark dripping, glistening with sap, stood tightly packed. The air reeked of pine. Blue needles hung heavy on thin branches and dragged the limbs down under gravity. Like spires, the trees rose high above the road, towering over Yang.

At least it was pretty. She'd passed out in worse places. And at least there was no one to try and grope her here! Just… Wild animals that might make a snack out of her, or better yet, Grimm.

Yang drew in a heavy breath, the air in her lungs warmer than what she took in. Her throat ached, and she let out a dry cough that made her chest tighten unpleasantly. Maybe she could find a river nearby, or even a puddle. The water wouldn't be clean, but she could boil it with magic. Blonde tresses waved as she shook her head, dismissing that idea outright. She hadn't the energy to be expending for that.

Getting to town sounded nice. So too did taking a seat. Despite herself Yang came to a halt and sat in the middle of the road, wincing as rock bit into her thigh. Reaching down she hurled the stone into the wood and smiled as it struck a tree with a resounding thunk.

Packed dirt made for an uncomfortable seat and yet Yang contemplated laying down. How easy it would be, to just lay back and forget things. The dull throb behind her eyes and parched throat made her want it all the more. Rather than lament her misfortunes, however, she knew she needed to keep moving along. Alabaster wouldn't be the end-goal, just another step in the road. A road, she noted dully, lilac eyes following the winding path ahead, that was still shrouded in darkness. Blind as she might be it was a road she had to travel.

"Sure would be nice to have a map though…" the Dimuran grumbled. Picking at caked clay, she rubbed the dusty material between two fingertips before wiping it off on her trousers.

There wasn't a map for this kind of thing. Sure, she could seek out people in a similar situation, but those she knew were far and few between; the people she'd actually consider asking for help even less still. She was on her own. Wind kicked up and a cloud of dirt and strands of grass slapped against her back, causing her blonde locks to slide from her shoulders and fall over her chest. With a small huff she pulled them back again, plucking out a twig.

Though her legs protested she rose to her feet again. Though she was beginning to feel hopelessly lost Yang trudged forward, moving down the rut-filled road. Spruce trees swayed with each wind, the gentle creak of wood flexing the only sound besides her footsteps. Occasionally a bird would call out, or an unseen animal's cry would filter through the brush. She wondered how Acery was faring. Her wounds hadn't been that bad, and her house left mostly intact. The Grimm wouldn't be back to bother her either. Hopefully that salve was working for her.

Yang's knuckles itched, and she refrained from scratching again. She'd love to have some of that medicine right about now.

Further along the road a wooden bridge appeared around a bend. Just a touch wider than the road itself, wide planks lay horizontally across thick timbers. Yang stopped at the foot of the bridge, her fingers reaching out and running along the smooth railings to her right. Painted, with nothing chipping off. Freshly done. The planks on which she walked were dark, no doubt cut from the spruce trees around her. The rails were something lighter, maybe birch. It was hard to tell with the paint.

As fascinating as a bridge was - and it really wasn't whatsoever, Yang's attention was elsewhere. A bubbling brook beneath the bridge caught the sunlight whenever it graced Remnant with its presence. It was clear enough that from high above she could make out the smooth stones beneath the surface.

Reminded of her destitute throat Yang circled around. The road dipped slightly along the edges, then banked sharply down to the water's edge. Finding a reasonable foothold Yang grabbed a root protruding from the ground and used it as a rope, sliding down the slope. A frog croaked nearby, and a gentle splash followed. Yang smiled and padded to the water's edge, the sound of pebbles and fallen leaves crunching beneath her foot gentle, welcome.

The water was cold to the touch, though not unpleasantly so. First, Yang took to washing her hands, letting blood and grime be cleaned from her knuckles. The water turned red on contact then diluted, becoming crystal clear as matter dissolved in it. After deciding her hands were clean enough Yang placed her palms on crushed stone and leaned down, flicking her head and greedily lapping up water. It was cool, crisp and refreshing. She closed her eyes as liquid splashed against her cheeks, ignoring as her bangs became wet.

For a moment she considered stripping down and bathing. The water was clean and flowing, so she didn't need to worry about sitting in her own filth. Tempting, but she decided against it. After picking a few strands of grass from her hair she found a rock and sat on it. With her boots removed she dipped her feet, hissing at first as the cold bit into her fresh wounds, then sighing as the chill soothed it.

Yang rolled her neck and it cracked loudly in her ears. Her shoulders followed, and she assumed if she tried the rest of her joints they'd follow suit.

Across the water the bank rose up at a sharp incline, tufts of grass and stubborn weeds jutting out of the uneven surface. The occasional reed and cattail grew along the water's edge, and in some places, where the water spilled into tiny pools, duckweed grew. Further downstream a fallen oak tree hung out over the water, several limbs dragging through the flowing water, disrupting its even flow. Cobwebs woven between thin branches glittered as the water did whenever sunlight caught it just right.

It was scenes like this that helped Yang appreciate nature. Sure, nature was dirty, noisy, and oftentimes cruel. There was rarely a soft place to sleep, warmth was fleeting, and just as many things wanted to eat you as you did them. Loath as she was to call Grimm 'natural', they were part of it too; it went without saying she hated Grimm. Everyone hated Grimm.

Almost everyone.

Nature could suck, but whenever Yang took the time to just sit down and look she was reminded of its beauty. People were nice, preferable even, but now and again it was nice to just get away from it all. Nature didn't judge you. Everything was more or less equal out here.

A soft cry made Yang's ears prick up. Not that they could do anything like that, she wasn't a Meera, or Toro, or anything of the sort. At first, she thought it was a baby, but seeing a baby in the middle of nowhere would be weird, for more reasons than one. Plus, babies didn't walk on all fours. Okay, maybe they did - it was called crawling, but babies weren't covered in brown fur.

From an unseen path a fawn ambled to the water's edge. It was unsteady on legs thin as the cattails brushing against its white-flecked coat, with wide, dark eyes scanning the water for safety. Immediately behind it came a doe, and behind her, a buck. Two miniature trees sprouted from its skull and Yang wondered what it must be like, having something growing out of your head like that. It must be so awkward.

The fawn leaned over and nearly toppled, drawing a silent snicker from Yang. It clumsily drank while its mother joined it, the buck remaining nearby, alert. When it finally realized something else was nearby its eyes met hers, stomping one hoof and snorting. Yang simply smiled and waved, conveying, however unsuccessfully, that she wasn't a threat.

Sure, some lightly seared venison sounded like absolute _heaven_ and the mere thought made her stomach growl and mouth water. But this was clearly a family, and unless she killed them all, which she wasn't about to do, she wasn't going to be eating them today. She wasn't a total monster!

If the deer didn't mind her, they minded whatever else was nearby. Three heads shot up in an instant at six ears stood on end, swiveling. Then, without a sound the trio turned and rushed back into the woods, the fawn helped along by its mother.

"Huh… Wonder what's up with that…?"

Yang stood and retrieved her boots. She shook as much water from her feet as she could before slipping them back on, leaving the purple cloth she bound them with loose. Using the same root from before she clambered up the bank and back to the road, wiping dirt and chips of bark off on her trousers.

From the direction she had come she saw a pair of horses, and between them a man in a long coat. Then she heard the squeak of wagon wheels in desperate need of oiling. It made her grit her teeth and wince as they came closer, stopping short of plugging her ears with her fingers. The wagon came to a halt and a lone man with reins in hand smiled curiously down at her. She smiled back, albeit guarded.

"Well hello there, traveler. Didn't expect to see anyone out these ways."

"Neither did I! Haven't seen anyone for ages!" Technically it had been less than a day, but Yang wasn't counting Avery. She hadn't been on the road.

The man smiled easily and nodded. "I'd reckon not. Aside from the town nearby there isn't much reason for folk to be here. Not much besides woods and the mill."

"Mill?" Yang asked, idly curious.

"Mhm. Alabaster's mill. Sure, she isn't the most pretty of places, or the busiest as of late, but that's about the only reason anyone comes here." Giving Yang an appraising look, a respectful one, he raised an eyebrow and adjusted his cap. "Though judging by your lack of, well, anything, I'm assumin' you're not here to buy no lumber."

Feeling playful Yang flexed her arms, biceps taut and deltoids hard beneath her top. "What, think I can't carry a few trees with me?"

Laughing at that the man held up one hand, letting the reins drop into his lap. "I never said that, now! Just making an observation's all."

"Well, you're right, I'm not here for lumber. Just trying to get to town, find a place to rest a bit." Yang glanced at the wagon before smiling, placing her hands upon her hips. "You mentioned Alabaster… Heading there now?"

"Sure enough. Live there, after all." He glanced back at his vehicle before smiling. "I… Reckon you'd like a ride?"

"Is it that obvious?" Yang asked, feigning bashfulness as she turned away.

"Isn't any trouble. Might have to squeeze in with the goods, but there's room for ya. Hop in!"

Yang carefully considered her fortunes for a moment. A random wagon pulls up while she's resting and offers her a ride to town. Convenient? Definitely. Suspectly so? Perhaps. Call it paranoia but there was a legitimate cause for concern. The man might seem disarming and friendly but looks could be deceiving. Still, he was alone, and if he knew who she was then he wasn't going to try anything. Not until he had help, anyways.

Passing off her deliberating as indecision Yang finally nodded, flashing the man a grin. "Sure, I appreciate it!"

Circling around and peering inside Yang wondered where she might fit. Crates lined the walls of the wagon, and a few smaller containers littered the middle. The ceiling of the wagon was low, and as the vehicle dipped when she climbed inside, hauling herself up on a step, she wondered if it really would support her weight.

"Settled in?" Yang nodded, then vocalized her readiness with a sheepish grin. "Good! We aren't far, just relax and we'll be there in no time." The reins snapped, and the horses snorted, stomping their hooves before moving once more. The wagon lurched a bit and Yang grabbed the side to steady herself. A crate slid across the floor and she eased it back in place with her foot.

Yang was grateful for the ride. Already her feet felt better for being off them, her legs too. Shame she couldn't lean back without potentially ripping through the canvas covering though. In her pack she found a few scraps of dried fruit and tested it before tearing into the food ravenously. It was flavorless and probably even past due, but food was food. She caught the scent of flour in one of the containers and glanced around at the others. Some were labeled "Ingots", and others "Medicine".

She was sat upon a short, wide container. A label between her legs read "Tools". There was other information on it that was meaningless to her: a string of numbers and a signature. All of the containers were marked in the same manner.

The rear of the wagon provided a small window into the outside world. The bridge creaked as they passed over it, a sign Yang hadn't noticed before with bold lettering stated, "Now Leaving Alabaster". She really had been close, hadn't she?

Trees thinned, and Yang began to see stumps more often. The road, while still worn, was somewhat better maintained. Instead of piles of leaves and brush, short grass blanketed the sides of the roads, a dark blue much like the needles of the spruce trees. For a brief moment the world darkened and Yang almost panicked until she foolishly realized they had passed through a small tunnel. The wagon stopped momentarily, the driver exchanged a few words with a guard, and she heard chains rattle as a gate was drawn open.

With the gatehouse behind them the wagon moved further into town, but not much. Seeing a railing alongside the vehicle Yang was told to get out, and so she did. Any trepidation she felt washed away at the easy smile of the driver, his face covered by a trimmed chestnut beard that matched the short hair poking out from beneath his cap.

"Sorry, but this is as far as the wagon goes. They'll do the unloading from here," he explained, lifting his cap and itching at his brow. "I just drive the goods back is all."

With a stone foundation and wooden walls, a storehouse loomed over the wagon. Four large pillars supported a walkway that wrapped around the first floor, and a second, with windows aplenty, looked out over the road below. The main building was small, but as Yang peered around the corner she saw two warehouses further along, with a bustle of men and women busy at work. A handful of workers came forward and exchanged brief words with the driver. Some looked her way, giving polite smiles and nods to the stranger in their midst.

"Welcome to Alabaster, by the way." The driver smiled and adjusted his roughspun green tunic. "Should have mentioned it earlier, but if I'm being honest…" He chuckled and rubbed at the nape of his neck. "Sorta… Forgot you were in the wagon."

"What can I say, I'm pretty forgettable!" Far from it. People in town were already staring. Most folks had brown or black hair, making her brilliant blonde all the more outstanding. They were all Muran too as far as the eye could see. At least the folks here weren't assholes. Yet.

"Are you going to need help finding a place to stay?"

Yang pursed her lips. She'd kind of expected to just find a barn or something to hole up in. "Uh… Sure. What's around?"

"Well, there's Mica's tavern down by the mill. Cheaper, if Lien's tight, but he's a good man and will do right by you." Scratching his chin in thought the driver frowned. "Then there's Joseph's. More expensive, on account that the lad usually houses any important folk that pass through, rare as that is. Good beds and food, if you've got the money for it."

"Right… And just, like… Hypothetically speaking." Yang chuckled and itched the scales on her cheek, eyes drifting towards a birch tree nearby. "What would you recommend if I had no Lien?"

"Er… Absolutely none?" Yang turned her pockets inside out to illustrate her point. "Well… I suppose you could come stay with my family and I. We've got a spare room…"

Eyes wide Yang held up her hands and shook her head. "Woah, woah. I can't do that! I mean, not that I don't appreciate the offer, cuz I do, but you don't even know me."

"I know you're a good person, and that's all I need to know."

Blinking owlishly the Dimuran tilted her head. "Say what now…?"

"I saw those deer come up from the river, then you came up too. But it wasn't you that spooked 'em," the driver explained, grinning easily. "Animals got a way of knowing if folks are decent or not. And considerin' they had a baby with them and didn't consider you dangerous, well, that's all I need to know."

Were deer really a good judge of character? Yang wouldn't agree, but then she wasn't about to tell the man offering her a bed that he was an idiot for believing it. This all seemed awfully convenient to her. First, he showed up to bring her to town, then he's offering her a place to rest? It was practically deception 101: get the person to trust you, then stab them in the back when you've gotten it.

Other people were watching them, but Yang couldn't pick out any hostility. There were some curious looks, some stares that made her want to shout at the men giving them to sod off. A few women looked on as well, more jealous than anything. She couldn't help the smile that came to her face and waved at a pair of women nearby, snickering as they turned up their noses and sauntered off.

"If it's not too much trouble, I can't really say no," Yang answered after a moment. "Besides, not like I got much other choice!"

"Won't be no trouble if I wasn't offering. It's the least I can do." For what? Before Yang could ask she glanced down at the outstretched hand, taking it and returning the man's smile. "Devin, by the way. Don't believe I introduced myself."

"Yin," Yang lied, feeling a twinge of guilt as she shook hands. "Thanks for the help, Devin. I'll figure out a way to pay you and your family back, I promise!"

Devin dismissed her offer and started down the road. Yang followed suit, folding her hands behind her head and interlocking her fingers as they walked. "Like I said, it's no trouble, Yin. I just like to do right by others is all. World's got enough problems as is without folks treatin' each other like strangers."

"But we are strangers…?"

"We exchanged names, so I don't think so. And like I said, you seem a nice enough type of folk," Devin explained. "So even if we was, ain't no harm in acting friendly, now is there?"

Yang supposed not. She smiled and nodded once, confirmation enough for Devin to be content. Her feet ached as soon as they began to walk again but she withheld her complaints, not wanted to come across as spoiled. The wagon ride had been too short, too brief for her liking. Would Devin carry her if she asked? He seemed awfully helpful. One look at his spindly frame and Yang scoffed to herself. Nevermind if he would, could he? Probably not.

For as small as Alabaster might be the town was plenty busy. Nowhere near the bustle of a city, but busier than Yang might have thought. After the warehouse was a general store, something she only knew thanks to the oversized sign over the door. A rocking chair creaked while an old woman swayed in it lazily out front, her hands busy knitting what seemed to be either a scarf or a really, really long sock.

A sow whined, and Yang watched a young farmhand chase the animal around, grabbing hold of it only for it to slip free. She snorted as the poor boy fell into the mud, already covered in it. His father called for him to quit playing around and he protested before redoubling his efforts. Down he went again.

Yang itched her cheek again and watched as a small crowd of children kicked a ball around, giggling and shouting playful taunts as they raced down the road. A few smiled and waved as they passed, not at all bothered by the unusual visitor to their town. Nearby, a woman set out a pie on a windowsill, the dark green shutters thrown open wide and allowing delicious smells to spill into the road. Yang sniffed at the air and heard her stomach growl, flushing when Devin smiled at her.

"Bit hungry, are we?"

"Just a touch," Yang laughed, patting her stomach. "I don't suppose there's some work around here I could do? Just to earn my meal."

Devin shook his head dismissively. "It's on me. Though if you're so intent on repaying me…" He smiled mischievously, and Yang shifted under his gaze. "You can watch my daughter when she and my wife get home. Deal?"

"Watch a kid? That's all?" Yang grinned and crossed her arms. "Kids love me, it'll be easy!" Devin began to laugh and the Dimuran furrowed her brow, hands out, palms up. "What? What's so funny?"

"You're sayin' that because you haven't met Cassie yet. She's a handful, I'm warning you."

Please. She'd dealt with Hunters - total idiots, but Hunters nonetheless, and Grimm in the past two days. No way was any child going to measure up to that. Yang rolled her eyes and waved a hand. "Trust me, I've got this! Like I said, kids love me!"

"Sure, sure. Don't say I didn't warn you."

How bad could one kid be?

Yang smiled and let her arms fall to her sides, casually glancing around as they cut through town. Most everything was made of wood, which made sense; Alabaster was surrounded by pines and spruce, so not using what was readily available would kind of be dumb. While everything should be dark wood structures were instead painted to break up the monotony. A small home was white as snow with blue shutters and a red door. Another was deep blue, with white shutters and a strange, flat roof made of what appeared to be thin stone. When Yang noticed the kiln attached to the side of the building she realized it must be a potter's shop, not a home. Or maybe both.

There was no rhyme or reason to Alabaster's layout. Shops and homes were slapped together, residential intertwined with commercial. If the planners of Vale ever saw this place they'd probably have a stroke and drop dead. The only sign that something might be a shop were, well, the signs out front. They passed a baker's, with steaming loaves of bread visible through the large front window, and a tailor with several pieces hung out front on display.

Shirts in a variety of colors formed a rainbow, and trousers to match were laid beneath the rack. A quilted vest hung out to dry nearby, and heavy mitts for a blacksmith laid across a low table with an assortment of accessories. A young woman with dirty blonde hair emerged, wearing a green apron over a ruffled beige tunic. She smiled at them as they passed, waving to Devin and nodding politely to Yang.

At one point the main road forked. To their left it led down, descending along a hill. At the bottom Yang could see the beginnings of a river peeking out from behind tall buildings, and a few large carts lined up outside of it. "That's the lumber mill down there," Devin explained. "Most of the town who don't work a trade work down there."

"You guys get a lot of business?"

"Here and there. Whenever a nearby settlement needs some lumber we provide it." They took the right path away from the mill, the ground rising up and twisting between homes and trees. "Occasionally a noble sort might come through, have the carpenters repair his carriage or some such."

"So, Alabaster is known for its woodworking then?" Yang smiled and nodded along with her guide-turned-host. "Isn't the name of this town something fancy? Woodworking seems kinda…"

"Dull by comparison?"

"I wasn't gonna say dull! Just not…" Yang picked her words carefully and offered a sheepish, apologetic smile. "Not… Fancy?"

"Dull." Devin laughed, and Yang could only smile and shrug in defeat. "You're not the first to think that, Yin, and ya won't be the last. Yeah, Alabaster's some fancy stone or some such, seen it in the cities. Obviously we aren't gettin' our name from that." Devin shook his head and chuckled. "Nah, the man who found the town just happened to be named it. And yes, it is confusing to outsiders."

"Still a nice town though! It's quaint, and I mean that in the nicest way possible!"

"I like it. Go into the cities often enough for work. Much too busy for my tastes, too noisy too. Even if I lived next to the mill it wouldn't be as bad."

The road forked again, this time with a smaller offshoot that they took. Houses continued along the side road, smaller than most. A few had fences enclosing their properties, but most were open, with the occasional small garden or well out front. Among the many homes was one with a dog out front. The black and grey furred husky lifted its head and barked, rising to all fours and bounding forward. Devin smiled and met the dog in the yard, kneeling to pet it.

"Hey girl, miss me?" He laughed as the animal licked his face, then bound around circles at his legs. The dog took notice of the stranger and barked again, approaching slower and sniffing at Yang. "Her name's Luna, she's friendly."

Yang knelt and still managed to be almost a head taller than the husky. Grinning, she ran her fingers through its soft fur, giggling as it assaulted her face and showered her with affection. "Woah, easy girl!" she laughed, stroking Luna's back and watching as she bound excitedly back to Devin.

"See? Animals like you, that's how I know you're a good sort." Devin gestured towards the short walk. "We're here, let's get off our feet, eh?"

Yang nodded a bit too eagerly and wiped her face on her sleeve. "Sounds good to me!"

It wasn't much to look at, Devin's home. Stone slates made a patchwork walkway that led to the front door. Stubborn weeds grew around the edges of the stone, and Yang felt it sheft under her foot. The heavy wooden door creaked as it swung open, the iron handle clattering uselessly in place. Devin paused a moment and brushed some stubborn moss off the stone exterior before sighing and muttering about the futility.

A lone window in the front of the home provided light inside even though Yang couldn't see through it. As far as she could tell, the house itself wasn't much more than two, maybe three rooms at most.

In the center of the main room was a cooking pot over a still smoldering fire pit. "Seems like they had lunch before they left," he observed, kicking some ash with his mud-encrusted boot. "With any luck there's something left over for us! If not, we've got some meat in the ice box."

Trying not to let her obvious enthusiasm show Yang smiled, patting her growling stomach with a nod. Short stools surrounded the fire pit and she sank down on one without a prompt, groaning as she stretched her weary legs. Devin disappeared for a brief moment before returning with a cup. Yang sniffed at it, raising an eyebrow at the slightly fruity scent.

"It's mead, made from the grove near town," Devin explained, raising his cup and taking a glass. Yang hesitated, looking down at her beverage and swirling it in the cup. "It's not poisoned, if you're wondering."

"Eh? Oh, heh, n-no, I wasn't worried about that!" Yang shook her head, and the cup, forgetting for a moment she was holding it. Liquid splashed out and soaked the cracked stone floor. "Ah… My bad!" She watched as Luna came over and lapped up the spilled liquid, whimpering and slinking away when shooed. Okay, maybe she was _slightly_ worried about that.

It wasn't much of a looker, and certainly a far cry from a noble's home. A fireplace was sealed off by an iron gate to her right, a poker and long pair of tongs leaning against the ashen brick. Above it on the mantle was a single painting of Devin, a woman and a young girl. It was faded, and she could hardly make out their faces from where she sat.

Besides the fireplace and cooking pit there wasn't much in the main room. A wooden bench sprawled out beneath the two windows on the side of the home, a small table beside it. From the beams above hung cloves of garlic, clumps of sage, and an assortment of other herbs and spices.

Off in the corner, resting on a small chest, was a worn doll in a dirty white dress, blonde pigtails frazzled and worn.

How old was Devin's daughter? He didn't seem to be that old - mid thirties at most. Was she going to endanger them by being here? Her fingers drummed against the pewter cup nervously. The last thing she wanted was to take advantage of someone's kindness and have it cost them. She'd say lie, but she'd already done that much.

"Yin?"

Maybe she should consider leaving Alabaster. Sleeping in a bed was nice but she could manage without one. She just needed a decent sized hole in a trunk for a shelter. Or since there were so many spruce trees maybe she could fashion a sort of lean-to out of branches. Needles were good at keeping out the rain.

"Um… Yin?"

Yang blinked owlishly and gave Devin a small smile. "Yeah?"

"You okay? You looked troubled."

Troubled? She'd shown it, huh? Rather than lie, again, Yang chuckled and set her cup on the floor. Rubbing her hands together she stared down for a moment, chewing on her lower lip. When she finally looked back her gracious host was watching her, expectant, but not forceful. She didn't have to answer if she didn't want to.

"I uh… Ran into some Grimm recently, might have… Gotten someone in trouble because of it." Yang smiled nervously and shifted around causing the stool to creak.

"How so? Did you bring the Grimm to them?"

"Er… Kind of?"

Devin nodded thoughtfully, or maybe he was just pretending to understand. Did he? Yang doubted it. "You must have been in a pretty bad mood for Grimm to follow just you." Nope, clueless.

"Yeah, something like that." Yang grinned and rubbed her arm, palm brushing over black scales.

"And what became of this person…?"

"Huh? Oh, she's fine!" Mostly fine. Avery had been injured but it wasn't anything some salve and bandages wouldn't take care of.

"So, what's weighing on your conscience then? If you don't mind my asking, of course," Devin raised his hands and smiled. "If it's none of my business then I'll let sleepin' beasts lie. Just wanting to help out, if I can."

"You know, you're awfully altruistic," Yang observed. She lost her put upon smile even as Devin wore one.

The trader… Or was he a merchant? Yang still wasn't entirely sure what it was Devin did besides transport things. He removed his cap and ran a hand through his hair before laying said cap across his lap. "Not exactly. I… Had an inkling when I saw you, and hearin' you're fighting Grimm all but confirms it. Pardon the deception, but uh…" Devin leaned in and lowered his voice to barely a whisper. "You're a Hunter, aren't you?"

 _Don't lie. Mom would be furious if she caught you lying. Dad too._ "Yep, sure am!" Yang flashed a grin and leaned back in her stool, only to wobble and firmly plant her feet back down. "What of it? You guys need some help here?"

"Ah… We do, but we don't have the time to go through official channels for it." Devin hung his head and scuffed his boot against the floor. "We don't have the Lien neither. What little the town brings in goes towards supplies, and to pay folk to maintain the mill. Even if we could send a letter…"

"You don't have the coin to commission a Hunter?"

"The Church doesn't much care for little folk like us, you see. Sure, we supply some lumber, but so do a dozen other places like us, and many more besides. I'd imagine there's plenty that are better than us to. So, it's rare we get a Hunter in these parts."

"Which was why you were so happy to help when you saw me," Yang surmised, earning a nod.

"The woods are dangerous. If the wolves and bears living nearby don't get you, the Grimm will. I figured if you were able to travel alone then you had to be a Hunter. No other folks strong enough - or dumb enough to try it."

"Hey!"

"Sorry, I'm not saying _you're_ dumb, I'm saying folks who ain't Hunters and try are."

Yang nodded, lifting her cup and rolling it between her palms. She stared down into the amber liquid before clicking her tongue. "So…" she mused, glancing up under thick lashes, lips curling into a playful smirk. "Got Grimm you need me to take out?" Devin shook his head and Yang tilted her own. "No…? Then what?"

"Well, you see…" Before Devin could get another word out a knock at the door cut him off. Then it swung open and his face lit up like the smoldering fire between them. Yang turned and saw a woman with a basket draped over one arm, a child clinging to the other. "Trina, you're home!"

"And not a moment too soon," Trina mused, smiling as she stepped aside to make space for Luna. She set the basket down first, reaching into it and handing the young girl an apple from within. "I didn't know we were having guests."

The polite thing to do might have been to introduce herself. Maybe Devin did it for her. Yang was fixated on the young girl at Trina's side, staring, unblinking. She was a tiny thing, no older than four, with a soft, rounded face, pale and unblemished. Black hair framed her delicate features and gray eyes turned to look up at Yang, curiosity turning to delight. The child flashed her a toothy smile and she waved with a pudgy hand, giggling.

"And that's Cassie, our daughter." Yang turned and nodded to Devin, then returned her gaze to the girl. Cassie toddled over, her pink, flowery dress just a bit too long and dragging behind her. Yang smiled, waving to the little girl. Then she yelped, leaning forward as her hair was grabbed.

"Ouch! H-Hey, what are you doing?!"

"Cassie, don't pull her hair!" Trina scolded her daughter and pulled her hand free, pressing a finger into her button nose. "I am so sorry, she's still learning how to be a proper little lady, aren't you?"

If the toddler had any remorse she didn't show it and carried on smiling instead. "You're super pretty!" She toddled forward again, and Yang preemptively sat up taller, brushing her hair behind her back for good measure. Cassie was fixated on her hands now, tiny sausage fingers prodding at the scales on the backs. "What are those…?"

"Scales," Yang answered with a smile.

"But people don't have scales! Lizards and fish do!"

"She's a Dimuran, darling. Dimurans have scales," Devin explained.

"Half-Dimuran, actually." Yang laughed and rolled back her sleeves to show Cassie more. Gray eyes widened and the child let out a gasp, reaching out unabashedly as she poked and prodded. "I have less than a regular Dimuran, but they're the same thing."

Trina scooped her daughter up, much to Cassie's chagrin, and held the wriggling girl at her hip. "I am so, so sorry. She's usually not this curious, she's just never seen a Dimuran before."

Yang almost corrected the woman before letting it go. They got the point. Moving over to make space for Trina to join them she smiled past her cup, taking measured sips of the sickly sweet, tart brew. "I noticed that on our way in. Everyone here seems to be a Muran."

"We've had a few other races in the past, but most don't stay." Trina smiled as she brushed through Cassie's hair with her fingers. "Not everyone in town is quite as… Open-minded as we are."

"Trina and I are from Vale, originally. We decided it was too busy, too noisy. And not the kind of place we wanted to raise Cassie in." Devin offered his wife a cup and shrugged when it was turned down. Yang took it instead, handing back her now empty one. "So, we're used to other races. No different from her and I, far as we're concerned."

"But folks here are set. Founded by a Muran family, inhabited by Muran families. Why, the graveyard up the road is full of them and little else," Trina said. Her features fell a bit and she shook her head. "Had a lot of decent people here at one point, but the townsfolk just chased them out. Some real good workers too."

That sounded about right. Yang smiled slightly and shrugged off the apologetic looks she was getting. It wasn't their fault, and if anything, she'd gotten real lucky being picked up by some of the more tolerable residents. It'd explain why Devin was so willing to help. That, and whatever business he'd been about to bring up.

Yang gave her host a silent glance and raised an eyebrow, asking silently if he wanted to continue. When he shook his head, she let it be for now. Whatever it was could wait, hopefully.

Trina sighed and smiled apologetically. "Anyways, sorry the discussion took such a turn there. And forgive Cassie if she gets a little grabby, she's just curious, that's all."

"Hey, no worries, I'm great with kids! I can handle her no problem!" Yang smiled at the little girl and held out a hand, chuckling as Cassie took it and immediately jumped into her lap from her mother's. "Looks like someone's not afraid of strangers!"

"We have to keep her from hugging everyone we see," Devin grumbled, rolling his eyes. "If she's like this when she gets older…"

"Then her poor father is going to be quite the busy man," Trina finished, laughing at her husband's forlorn look. "How about I cook you two some food? I'm guessing you just got back dear, and I'd hate for…"

"Yin," Yang answered.

"Yin to not be shown some proper hospitality. Why don't you two go freshen up and I'll get a stew going?"

Food sounded wonderful, as did freshening up, but Yang couldn't quite go take a bath. Not with Cassie clinging to her midsection, chin pressed into her abdomens. Meeting those little pools of gray made Yang's chest tighten and eyes prick with tears. "I can wait to wash up, how's about Cassie and I go play for a bit?"

"Yeah! Play with pretty lady!" Cassie squealed.

"You're sure? We have a bathhouse out back, with warm water and everything."

Yang would like nothing more than to go and submerge herself, but she shook her head. "Nah, I mean it'll be there later, right? Besides…" She hopped to her feet and lifted a giggling Cassie in her hands. "I think someone wants to play, and who am I to say no?"

If her parents were willing to let them play then Yang wasn't going to turn it down. Though she carried Cassie in her arms it was the toddler who took the lead, directing Yang back outside and into the yard. After demanding to be put down Cassie pushed her leg, declaring Yang 'it' and taking off across the small yard. It would take one step, maybe two to catch up to the girl. It wasn't even a contest.

" _Come on, Yang! Catch me!"_

"Catch me, miss Yin! Catch me!"

Yang's eyes stung, and she forced a smile, squatting and wiggling her fingers threateningly. "I'm going to tickle you when I catch you!" Cassie squealed and raced away as fast as he stubby legs could carry her. Which wasn't very fast. In fact, Yang was pretty sure the fawn from earlier could move quicker.

Her legs ached, and her feet burned with each step. Yang didn't care. Her heart throbbed painfully when she scooped up the small girl, reveling in her laughter before setting her back down once more. Gray eyes caught the dimming sunlight and, for a brief moment, flashed silver. Maybe it was a trick of the fading rays, but Yang swore she saw stripes of red in Cassie's black hair, too.

Nostalgia wasn't something Yang tasted often. It was bittersweet.

In her mind she pictured Patch. A small wooden cabin on an acre of land, surrounded by quiet, serene woods. Chasing Cassie made her feel smaller, and she could almost visualize the pigtails tied into her hair, bouncing against her shoulders as she ran. In front of her a girl with a red cloak raced ahead, given the head start Yang always afforded her. She looked back, smiling and giggling. "Catch me, Yang!"

She did. Yang scooped Ruby up and beamed. Her sister was just as she remembered. Tiny, precious, innocent. She wanted to hold her forever, protect her and keep her safe. Her heart swelled hearing laughter and Yang ran her hand over Ruby's messy hair.

"Noooo, put me down, Yin! I wanna play!"

Yang blinked and stared down at Cassie, acutely aware of Luna at her legs, barking. Paws scraped against her thigh and she glanced down, smiling seeing the dog wagging its tail happily. Treating her like a priceless vase she set Cassie back down and ruffled her hair, laughing when the girl stubbornly tried to smooth it back out.

"Let's play more!" the girl squealed, already taking off mid-sentence.

 _Sure, why not?_ Yang let out a playful roar that made Luna bark louder and Cassie squeal in mock-terror. "I'm a Grimm, I'm gonna eat your toes!" the Dimuran growled. A couple passed by and watched the odd display with fleeting interest, then disgust, before continuing into town.

Yang didn't give them so much as a glance. Her laughter coupled with Cassie's drown out any thoughts or reservations she might have about any of this. For right now, for just a moment, she was having fun. She was laughing, smiling, and in this window, she was able to remind herself that Remnant wasn't so bad after all.

/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/

The cities always had lights burning. Whether from the lampposts that lined the streets or the braziers that lined the city walls there was always a light on. Maybe Yang just never paid attention, but gods were towns dark. If not for the fact the clouds had finally parted and allowed the moon to shine she'd have been bumbling about blind. Not knowing the town nearly well enough even by day she relied heavily on Devin's instructions to lead her along the shrouded streets.

Vale had walls that towered over most buildings. Alabaster had walls that Yang thought would fall over if she sneezed on them. Little more than shaved logs stuck into the ground and reinforced by metal braces, the barricades hardly instilled much confidence.

"More to keep wildlife out than anything." Devin had explained on their way down. Seeing them now Yang believed it. With narrow catwalk allowing people to walk along the tops and rickety ladders being the only means of reaching them it seemed more like a temporary reinforcement than something permanent.

Under their weight the ladder whined and buckled. They took it one at a time with Yang going up first and Devin following shortly thereafter. Barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side, the narrow walk forced them to move single file. After circling around half the village, they reached the gatehouse, the one part of the entire wall Yang felt might actually hold something back. She'd not looked at on their way in - the wagon prevented that, but seeing it now made her feel a little better. A heavy iron gate blocked entry pulled up by thick chains bound around a pair of heavy spoked wheels. The gatehouse itself was brick and mortar, and at a glance, a meter or two thick on both sides.

Devin took a seat atop the gatehouse, pulling a small chair from the wall. Yang did the same and reclined, laying her back into the wall and folding one leg over the other. She bounced her foot as they sat in silence. Crickets filled the air, their rhythmic, steady chirping an eerie melody. Devin rose and moved across the room briefly to ignite a wall lantern, turning the dark spruce walls orange.

"So…" Yang rubbed at her nose. "Any reason for the whole sneaking around thing?"

"Rather Trina not know about this, that's all."

What now? Yang leaned forward on her stool, ignoring the unpleasant feeling of her bandages rubbing against the rough soles of her feet. "Devin… The way you talked about it earlier made it sound like this is a town problem. What're you hiding it from her for then?"

Devin reeled back and held his hands up. "It's not what you think! You're right, it's a problem for the whole town. This isn't me trying to settle some debt or anything, but…"

"But?"

For someone who was gung-ho about enlisting her help before someone was suddenly shy. "Devin… If there's something you're not telling me I'd suggest putting it out there. Now," Yang warned, keeping her voice low. Her eyes might not be red, but they didn't need to be; the way she glared at Devin was enough to make him squirm.

"Alright, alright! I brought you here because… Well, because Trina wouldn't approve of what we're doing. We've tried bringing this up with the others in town but most of them don't want to hear it."

Yang tapped her foot impatiently and rolled her neck, groaning as joints popped. That bed she'd been in was really nice. Then Devin woke her up. What exactly was keeping her from going back right now? "Can you please get to the point…?"

"My point… R-Right. You see, those supplies I brought back, they're for the town… In a manner of speaking." He stopped fidgeting long enough to remove his cap and Yang caught the brief glint of flame on his scalp. "They're not for us. They're payments of sort."

"And who are they for?" Yang pressed.

"The White Fang."

Yang reached up and rubbed at her ear, then checked it. Nothing in there. For good measure she knocked the side of her head with the heel of her hand. The wall lantern continued to burn away gentle, the faint flames flickering. Down below in the gatehouse a pair of guards chatted. One yawned, then cursed when his partner punched him in the arm. Nope, she wasn't mishearing things, her hearing was just fine. All the same Yang tilted her head and smiled. "Er… Run that one by me again. You're paying the White Fang…?"

Devin nodded, and Yang felt air rush from her lungs in a long sigh. "You're sure it's not just… A horde of Grimm you're all dealing with? A wild, rabid bunch of wolves? Literally anything else?" No, of course not. She finally finds a place to sit back and relax a little and _this_ happens. Yang folded her hands together and bounced her knee, chewing on the inside of her cheek. "Explain. All of it."

"A few years back our mill broke down. Needed a lot of repairs, a lot of metals that we can't get around here. Back then too the Grimm in the area were a lot worse. We'd fallen on some hard times, on account of the mill being busted, and so leaving the town was pretty much impossible." Devin sighed and rubbed at his face. For a man of thirty or so he suddenly looked a lot older. The shadows really weren't flattering. "We were trying to get in touch with the Church, sent a couple of messengers out, but nothing ever came of it. Hell, none of them ever even came back."

"Grimm?" Yang voiced aloud, then frowned. "Or… White Fang?"

"Either way, we never got help from the Church. When things were seeming bleak though they started to show up. It was pretty obvious from the start they weren't exactly helping us out of the goodness of their hearts. Sure, they offered to repair the mill for us, but we had to hand over all kinds of supplies in exchange."

"Let me guess…" Yang folded her arms and arched an eyebrow. "People here took that suuuper well, being ordered around by Faunus."

Devin rubbed the back of one of his hands, face draining of color. He swallowed a lump in his throat, licked his lips and closed his eyes. "Yeah, not well. After the first few deaths though we gave in. Not like we had much choice. Alabaster's got no Magi, after all."

"Anyway, short of it is they fixed the mill, but ever since they've been taking more and more supplies from us. If we don't pay up, they take something else, or… Someone else. It's getting to the point where most of the town's funds are going to paying them off, and it's just getting worse."

 _A pretty scummy thing to do, but then that's the White Fang for you. Bastards._ Yang stared out over the wall into the open land beyond the walls. Spruce trees swayed lazily, a cool evening wind rustling pines and sweeping fallen needles off the forest floor. A bat flew precariously close to the gatehouse, landing briefly before taking off again.

"So, these guys are extorting your town, and you guys are sick of it, that about right?"

"More or less," Devin said. "Most of the townsfolk are content to just keep paying, but they've got to realize by now we can't keep it up. Eventually they'll ask for more than we can pay, and when that happens…" The shudder said it all. It wouldn't just be a few items, or a person or two. They'd probably raze the whole town if it was decided there wasn't anything left.

Yang scoffed. The White Fang wasn't interested in their tithe or whatever this crap was. They were just trying to bleed the town dry. They would succeed too unless something changed. "Alright, and where do I come in for all of this, exactly?" Yang asked. "What did you want me to do about it?"

"Well… You're a Hunter, and… I'm no expert, but you seem like you can handle yourself." Yeah, the squirming and hand wringing spoke volumes of his confidence. Yang hoped he never had any aspirations for being a motivational speaker. Or a speaker in general. "Can you… I don't know, scare them off?"

She'd expected that much but hearing it still made her laugh. It was short and unpleasant, and honestly a bit more biting than she'd intended. Devin hung his head and Yang smiled slightly. "Look, it's not that I don't wanna help you guys, I do. But do you know what you're asking here? The White Fang ain't just some tiny group. There's _hundreds_ of these guys and loads of 'em are Magi. There's a lot of members that only veteran Hunters would even bother trying to fight."

"And even if I do beat whoever shows up," Yang interrupted, raising a hand to silence Devin. "What then? They'll send someone else. Even if I stick around, which I'll be honest, I won't be, I can't protect the town sooner or later. Fighting them is just gonna make it worse on yourselves."

"Then what do we do?! We can't keep paying their demands! Sooner or later we'll be short, or they won't like what we provide. When that happens…" A wind rattled the walls of the building, causing the chains outside to rattle and shake. "I can't let anything happen to my family, or the people here," Devin mumbled. "I know the folk here can be… Narrow-minded, but they aren't _bad._ Just… Stuck in their ways."

"Do you think it's because of how they are that they're being targeted? The White Fang's all about 'equality'." Yang spat out the word and snorted. Yeah, equality alright, if that meant killing everyone else so only your kind remained.

"I… I d-don't know, probably? Please, Yin, you have ta' at least try! I'll give you anything you want. I have Lien, or… I'm sure the town can scrounge something up. Name your price, anything, we'll pay it. We can't keep doing this."

Yang drew back when Devin knelt before her, frowning as he lowered his head to the floor. "We can't…" he repeated, pounding a fist on the floor.

It's not that she didn't want to help. The White Fang could go suck a big one as far as she was concerned. It wasn't just a matter of beating a single party though. More would come, and if it was a big enough issue, a Commander might be sent. The town would be totally forfeit at that point.

Yang stood and moved towards the door. Her hand hovered over the handle and she glanced back at Devin, who still hadn't moved. Guilt demanded she at least try to help. Common sense told her to steer clear.

"Look… I can… I don't know, try and get in touch with someone at the Church, have them send someone out." That was a bigger stretch than her singlehanded defending Alabaster, but at least then the place could have a regular detachment of Hunters. "It's not that I don't wanna help, and I really want to, especially after how nice you were. But I can't."

Slow to rise and slower still to face her, Devin nodded and wrung his hat in his hands. "I understand… I'm sorry for asking so much of you. I'd hoped… Maybe introducing you to my family, maybe if you heard us out…"

"I want to help, Devin, seriously. But you've gotta know things will only get worse if we fight. Like I said, I can get you guys some help. Maybe the Church can be enough of a deterrent to stop the payments, I don't know. We can think of something else."

As if she didn't feel bad enough about turning the guy down now her mind was ridiculing her. The town wouldn't last whether they fought or not. People would die, maybe everyone. Trina and Cassie would die. Yang pictured the little girl's smiling face, the eerie similarity that it shared with her own sibling. Despite having only just met the family she already cared for their well-being. Not enough to condemn the town by drawing the White Fang's ire. Though she was doing the same thing by letting the extortion continue, wasn't she?

Down below one of the guards shouted for someone to halt. Boots and chain shifted loudly as two more joined, forming a human wall before the heavy metal gate. More shouting from the guards, replies to words Yang couldn't hear from where she stood. They were hostile almost immediately, and for good reason: who showed up at a town like Alabaster in the dead of night?

When 'animal' was thrown out she heard a blade drawn, the sound of metal scraping against leather. A woman's voice commanded calm, and the weapon was put back. Exchanging a worried look with Devin, Yang hurried outside and peered over the side of the wall.

Four figures stood down in the road just outside of the gatehouse. Three were dressed in white and black, their features concealed by hoods. One wielded dual swords, another a battle axe. The one flanking them had a bow on their back. Yang's eyes were drawn to the one in front, a literal shadow among the night. With black attire and a mask resembling a Grimm, the lone piece of white in their whole outfit, they seemed to be the one in charge.

Slowly, the lead turned, and amber met lilac. Yang's eyes widened as she stared down, her hands gripping the edge of the wall, fingers digging into wood. The woman below stared back unblinking before looking away, dismissing her. One hand brushed her poncho back and she revealed a nasty curved blade and chain at her waist. _Try me._ She was daring Yang to do something.

"They're here already…?" Devin hoarsely whispered, backing away from the wall, face blanched. "We're not ready. We… We don't have everything together. We were supposed to have another week!"

Yang grit her teeth, glaring down at the woman at the head of the group. The week was up, the White Fang was here to collect. And, judging from the weapons they carried, they were more than ready to dole out punishment too.

It was no longer a matter of if Yang wanted to do anything or not. They were here, and according to Devin, the town was short. There would be blood spilled tonight if the White Fang had their way then, no question about that.

The only question that remained was what would Yang do about it?

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and giving my story a chance! If you really liked something, or if you even hated something, leave a review and let me know! And at the risk of sounding even MORE like a cutout YouTube end card spiel, I'll see you guys in the next chapter!**

 **P.S. It's really, really cold outside. Time to go back to being a blanket burrito!**


	9. Chapter 9: Squandered Chances

**Gambol here with your (ir)regularly scheduled upload! I do wish I could say "X day is when I'll post", but being on call for work makes planning ANYTHING so bothersome.**

 **I've taken some feedback from people around Internet-land and will be trying to adjust how I write some things moving forward. So, thank you to anyone who has left any words of advice/critique, I appreciate it! And I appreciate anyone who's been reading along too!**

 **That said, feel free to add anything if you happen to have any criticism! And to make it clear: While it's nice to hear what I do well, I'd prefer to know what I don't, so I can improve. Whether via Review, PM, whatever.**

 **With that out of the way... Have some Blake! Oh, and obligatory "Adam is a jerk" warning.**

* * *

Blake hated surprises.

In another line of work, in another life, surprises might be pleasant. An unexpected birthday celebration, a declaration of a child to come. When life was comfortable, surprises were welcome, and even if a surprise brought hardship, well, things were settled enough that your entire livelihood wouldn't be disrupted.

For Blake, a surprise often meant a job was at risk of failure.

Her eyes held the peculiar blonde Dimuran high atop the walls. Unblinking, she studied what she could of the other woman's features. Battle-tested - even from afar Blake could surmise as much. A Hunter? She tried to pick out a mark on her neck, yet that was impossible from where she stood. She was at least a Magi; better to assume too much and be disappointed than write off a stranger as harmless.

Potentially a Hunter, then, and most certainly a Magi. Nothing of their intel said anything about someone like that in Alabaster, which made it twice now that her information was off. Blake ground her teeth in frustration, fingers grazing over the cool metal of her kusarigama. Droplets clung to the metal and made her fingertips slick as they passed over, leaving her hand cool and clammy.

"Who is that…?" Ilia whispered beside her.

Blake shook her head. She didn't know, and she hated not knowing. The others shuffled impatiently behind her and she glanced back, raising a hand to stay their weapons. If they jumped, then the woman might too. The town couldn't stop them, they knew that. What they had yet to learn was what the stranger was capable of.

It occurred to her that a long, uncomfortable silence had fallen at the gates. Devin shifted his weight about and the Dimuran, content to simply glare from above, leaned over the wall. "Hey, you guys comin' in or what?" The Dimuran grinned and Blake shifted uncomfortably. What was she smiling about? "There's Grimm out there, ya know. Not safe for travelers!"

Devin regarded the Dimuran with the same perplexed look Blake did. She glanced back down the empty road, peering through the fog that had begun to roll in. The trees were alive with sounds of owls and insects, and the occasional, distant howl of a wolf. Were Grimm nearby? Probably. Did she intend to linger and try their luck?

Blake moved towards the gates in silence and three sets of feet followed close behind. The guards at the gate moved to block her path at first, then with reluctance, they drew back. One moved to a large wheel and began to pull. A call was made above to do the same, and with a grinding screech chains began to shift. The gate rattled, lifting from the ground slowly. Clumps of earth clung to the tips and dripped like liquid off the bars, splattering back against the soft earth.

"Our horses are by the treeline," Blake said, nodding outside the walls. One of the guards scoffed; subsequent dissent went silent when she flashed her weapon. "Put them up in the stables. Please."

Her ear flicked as a ladder nearby creaked. The blonde approached, giving a disarming smile, hands folded behind her head. Devin kept his distance. Blake kept her hand on her weapon. Taking a few steps beyond the gate she met the strange woman and had to crane her head to meet her eyes. She was a bit taller, and from what bits of flesh Blake could make out, had the build of someone who either spent a lot of time in hard labor, or training. Behind her mask Blake frowned, amber eyes drifting back up to unusual lilac ones.

"And who are you supposed to be…?"

Still smiling like an idiot, the Dimuran shrugged. "Me? I'm a nobody, just passing through town!"

"Right… Which is why you glared when we arrived." Blake scoffed and peered past the woman to Devin. He looked listless, hands fumbling with his tunic. "So, let me ask again…" the Meera looked back up and eased her weapon from her waist. "Who are you…?"

Most people tended to react poorly when a weapon was drawn. Most panicked, others reached for their own. In a display of what Blake could only describe as insanity the Dimuran whistled, then reached for the curved blade. Blake jumped back and raised it threateningly, keeping the blade level with the woman's neck as she began to laugh.

"Wow, someone's jumpy, eh? Relax! I was just curious, I've never seen a weapon like that before is all." As though someone wasn't currently training a blade on her the blonde stood on her toes and whistled. "You're all packing, huh? Hey, I get it, roads are pretty dangerous! Never know when some bandits or Grimm might jump ya!"

"Devin…" It was obvious that the woman wasn't going to answer the question herself, and Blake's patience could only last so long. She kept her tone passive as she glanced at the lone Muran. "Who is this? She wasn't here before."

Gaping like a fish the man tried to answer, managing only to let out an incoherent slur of sounds. Either he was fumbling with his words or speaking in some long-forgotten, ancient tongue. Finally, and with a little encouragement from the blonde herself, he found his voice. "Yin. Her… Her name is Yin, and she's a…"

"Just a traveling Magi lookin' for a place to stay the night," the Dimuran interjected. "Don't mind me." Easier said than done when Yin insisted on looming over them like an overprotective parent. Call it paranoia but something rubbed Blake the wrong way about the woman. "Devin mentioned you weren't supposed to show for a bit longer?"

The statement made her frown and the three behind her exchange glances. "We were told to pick up early," Blake explained. Offered a hand, she studied it for a moment, contemplating on whether it would be rude to refuse. They shook hands and she had to resist the urge to wipe it on her trousers.

"Sweet! See, I'm tryin' to get somewhere, and if you guys are traders then… Maybe I can hitch a ride with ya?" Yin grinned, throwing an arm around Devin and pulling him to her side. "Apparently there's some bandits around, and 'course can't forget about Grimm. So, you understand if Dev here doesn't want to go back out."

"I see…" Blake glanced at Devin, or rather, stared at the man until he squirmed, then glanced back at Yin. "Unfortunately, I doubt we'll have the space for a passenger. We're pinched as it is."

"Oh, that right? No worries! In that case let's get your stuff so we can head to bed." Yin shook Devin and pat his chest. "Devin will go get it together now."

"I… I will?" Devin winced and rubbed his side, nodding emphatically. "I mean yes, yes, I will! Please, uh… Right this way, ma'am."

The Muran took the lead. Yin stayed put, smiling while gesturing for Blake to follow. The Meera eyed Yin for a moment, perhaps a bit longer than necessary. People who had something to hide tried to come across as disarming. The only question then was what was it the Dimuran was keeping from them?

She sent Ilia and the others ahead, keeping back with Yin. "After you," Blake insisted, waiting until Yin moved before following behind her. How quickly could she take her out? Alabaster didn't have Magi, they hadn't had one for years. If there was one here now, after all that time of going without, they had to have come from somewhere else, obviously. _Either she's sincere and she's just passing through,_ Blake thought as she pursed her lips. _Or she's a Hunter._

"Ya know… This town sure doesn't seem to get a lot of visitors. I mean, it's all the way out here in the middle of nowhere, doesn't have much going for it 'sides the mill." Blake nodded lazily, keeping her eyes on Yin's back. "Nice town. Quiet, I could get used to a place like this," Yin went on. "Not much goin' on though. Probably why the Church doesn't have Hunters out this way."

"The Church doesn't care about these people." Blake bit her tongue after the remark and watched for a reaction. Laughter wasn't what she expected, and she couldn't help but tilt her head when Yin smiled at her.

"Yeah, probably not. Buncha folks in the woods, cutting logs all day. What's there to protect? Not like Vale isn't covered with trees."

She wasn't wrong. Blake's fingers wrapped around her weapon, thumb grazing the dull edge of the blade. Before them Devin came to a halt, stood before a large sliding door. The handle was as large as his forearm and Blake gave the order for Brinne to help. The small Canis huffed and pushed. Smaller than even the spindly trader and with barely an inch of muscle visible, Brinne and Devin strained to open the door. Wood scraped loudly on stone as it slid, filling the night air with an unpleasant grinding. Well-trodden, packed earth stopped abruptly in favor of a stone foundation. Dust had kicked up when the door was moved, creating a thin film that caught the moon's rays.

Her eyes had no problem seeing inside the storehouse, but for his own sake Devin began to light torches inside. Rows of crates lined the walls, some sealed, others simply laying to collect dust. Moonlight shone in from skylights, pale light clashing with the orange glow of flames.

There was plenty inside the building, but Blake's only concern was the cart off to their right. She ignored Yin and motioned Ilia with her, moving through the room. A canvas cover over the wagon obscured its contents. Unfastening a few straps, she drew back the cover, peering inside the wagon. A dozen containers of varying sizes, with labels clearly indicating was inside: leather strips, blades from a blacksmith, preserved jars of foodstuffs, and a container of medicines. Blake stepped back and frowned.

"You're short." Devin nodded and said nothing. Blake sighed and crossed her arms, unmoved by the man's apparent guilt. "You know this by now, Devin. We were clear with our order, weren't we? Then why is it short?"

"I… They didn't have everything we need. I made a request for more, they'll have it in as soon as they can, but…" But? Blake approached and frowned when the Muran stepped back. Her eyes went to Yin, to that unsettling smile she still wore. She chose to ignore it. For now.

"I'm not trying to intimidate you, and I'm not trying to threaten you, but you know what's going to happen if you're short." Her arms fell to her sides and Blake shook her head in disbelief. It was like they were just asking for trouble.

She spoke low, barely above a whisper. It was a shame then Devin didn't get the memo. "It's not my fault!" the Muran protested loudly. "I tried, I did. I asked around, I… I even went to other towns on my way back! No one had -"

"Stop making excuses!" Ilia snapped. "We're not asking for much, and you've had the same amount of time as you always do."

"Ilia," Blake warned, keeping her tone measured. She waited for Ilia to back off, motioning to take a seat on a nearby crate. "Look, I'm not trying to make things worse for you," Blake said, placing a hand on the skittish trader's arm. "We're just here to collect what's ours. Maybe… I don't know, go through whatever else is in here. We can take whatever we need to complete our request, nothing more."

Between a full storehouse of crates there would surely be enough to complete their order. It might take some time to gather, sure, but it was preferable to spend time on that then return shorthanded. For everyone involved.

"No."

Blake blinked slowly, then raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "I'm sorry…?"

"No," Devin repeated. He trembled as he shook his head, glaring her way. "We're… We're not going to sacrifice our own supplies for you. T-Take what's there and… And leave!"

The Muran's posture didn't match his words, nor was there much bite to them. Devin trembled, his face blanched and arms stiffly at his side. Blake did notice a fire in his eye though, one she hadn't thought to see in the wiry man. Interesting. Suddenly someone in the village had a spine.

A lesser person might lash out at the denial. Blake simply sighed, itching the corner of her mouth through her black scarf. "You know what will happen if you refuse. Again, I'm not threatening you, but -"

"Then tell them we refuse! Alabaster is… We're done being under your heel!" Devin snapped. His fire seemed to grow, and for a second Blake swore she could actually feel a heat, a warmth radiating from him.

"Let's just take what we're owed and leave," Brinne insisted from behind her. "Unless you plan on stopping us, Muran?"

They didn't have time for this. "Get the carriage ready and go through the crates nearby. Grab whatever you can, we'll sort out the rest when we get back." Even if they didn't have exactly what they'd requested they could still salvage this. Adam wouldn't be too angry if they returned with a full wagon, regardless of what was in it.

"I s-said no! You can't take that!" Devin stormed towards Blake and the Meera reflexively reached for her weapon. Yin grabbed the back of his shirt and hauled him back, smiling as she did. "Yin, what are you doing?!"

"Go ahead and grab your stuff, guys! Don't mind us." Yin nodded and released the Muran only once Blake moved her hand from her weapon. "Say…" the Dimuran drawled, tapping her chin. "Does Alabaster have wards…?"

"W-Wards…?" The man blinked owlishly. "What do you -"

"Is the town protected against Grimm? Has the Church set up wards?" Yin repeated.

"Yes, but they haven't been by in months to renew them. I'm not sure…" Blake's ears twitched, then stood on end. Fire crackled and at first, she'd discounted it as the slow burn of the torches on the walls. Devin had noticed it first, somehow, and was already backing away. Fire snapped angrily, the air in the warehouse rapidly growing warmer.

A small flame danced in Yin's palm, little more than a waning candlelight. The unspoken warning made Brinne back away from the wagon. "Oh, sorry! I was just getting chilly. The torches don't exactly offer much heat, ya know?" Yin laughed and extinguished her flame, closing her hand and snuffing it out.

Cold. In mid-summer heat. A Dimuran? Blake rolled her eyes and pulled her scarf up a bit higher, humoring the woman. Using blades and whatever else they could find, Ilia, Brinne and Flemish began tearing open containers around the storehouse. Devin gawked, then stormed towards Blake. "You can't do this! We have an agreement, what's in the wagon is yours and the rest -"

"What's in the wagon is ours _if_ you have everything. If not, we'll make up for the difference ourselves," Blake retorted coolly. She eased her weapon off her hip to make it clear the matter wasn't up for discussion. Any further arguments died out there, though the Muran continued to glare at her, stewing in silence.

Blake kept an eye on Devin, and more importantly, Yin, while the others went about their business. Containers were pried open and most had nothing of importance. It was only a matter of time until they had what they needed and after a few minutes of searching - and a couple of rejections when extra goods were nearly pilfered, the wagon was loaded and ready to go.

Now, how to get it out of the storehouse?

"You guys need a hand pushing?" Yin asked, grinning as she moved towards the cart. Ilia moved to cut her off, the Dimuran ignored her, rolling her shoulders and moving to the back. "Grab the sides, someone grab the rope on the front and I'll push."

Offering to help, was she? Blake shrugged when the others looked to her for direction. Play along, keep the woman from suspecting anything. Blake moved to the front and grabbed the harness normally meant for horses, taking each of the thick ropes, one in each hand. The coarse material bit into her palms, small strands pricking her skin like needles.

Ilia moved to the right of the wagon, and Flemish and Brinne on the left. Placing her hands on the back-end Yin stomped a foot on the ground loud enough to create an echo. Then, after rolling her shoulders, she lowered herself and dug in.

"Give it a good pull! And watch the bump on the way out, kitten!" Yin shouted playfully. "Don't want to trip!"

A growl of displeasure rumbled in her chest at the nickname. Blake's arms tensed, and she grit her teeth as she pulled. The others pushed, and with a squeak the wheels slowly churned. It was slow moving at first and they might as well have been pushing through mud, but once the wheels started to spin, moving the wagon became much easier.

Moving the wagon became easier but ignoring the squeak of the wheels didn't. They hadn't even reached the door when Yin stopped pushing, slapping the back of the cart and coming around to the front

"Why are you stopping?" Flemish barked as the Dimuran passed him by.

"You telling me that squeak isn't driving you nuts? They've gotta have oil somewhere nearby." Yin knelt down beside the wagon, waving off Ilia and reaching inside. "Man… This thing's rusty as heck! Devin, can you grab some oil? Or… Heck, lard, anything!"

Devin opened his mouth to protest before hanging his head, shoulders slumping. With a nod he stalked off and disappeared into a side room for a moment. He returned with a dark tin container, a thick black liquid sloshing around, spilling over the side and splashing on the floor. He handed it to Yin with a puzzled expression, one which turned to utter dejection as she smiled went to work.

"Thanks, chief!" the Dimuran said, kneeling by the offending wheel. "Just gimme a second guys and we'll keep going."

Why was Yin helping them? Was she trying to avoid conflict? Blake wouldn't attack Alabaster on her own - she didn't need to. Adam would see to that personally. Devin had been uncharacteristically bold moments ago only to become perplexed when Yin made him back off. Why was that?

Yin set the can aside and shook her hands, grimacing as viscous oil saturated her fingertips. "Well… It ain't pretty, but it should be a little better!"

"Good, now get back behind the wagon and push," Ilia demanded, exasperated.

"Yeah, yeah, just gimme a second. I want to make sure we're good!"

Blake folded her arms and watched as Yin leaned under the cart to inspect the axel. She mumbled something about rust and reached for the oil, dipping her fingers back in the can and soaking it. A little too much since she created a mess and a trail of oil, nearly dropping some on Ilia's boots. The Dimuran huffed, tugged on something before emerging with a smile.

"We're ready then…?" Blake asked.

Yin nodded, flashing a grin and thumbs up. "Looks good to me! Shouldn't squeak anymore!" She gave the wheel a pat, then smiled at Blake. "I figured it would have driven you guys _nuts_ , ya know? Just trying to help!"

Blake nodded, keeping her expression neutral. "Thanks. Let's get moving."

She'd barely made it two steps when the sound of wood snapping made her stop. Yin gasped and Ilia growled, drawing her weapon. Blake turned back and gawked as the wagon fell on its edge, the axel bending under the weight of everything inside. Coyly, Yin smiled and held up a broken wheel, torn right from the wagon. "Heh… Woops!"

A container crashed against the canvas cover. With holes aplenty already a new one formed, the corner of the box piercing the material with ease. Then another hit it, and with a loud tearing noise the canvas ripped apart, spilling several smaller boxes out onto the stone floor. Blake watched in silence as the materials they had just gathered littered the floor, metal glistening in torchlight, and food wrapped in wax paper becoming soaked in spilled oil.

"What are you doing?!" Ilia leveled her blade at Yin. "Fix the wagon right now! Fix it or…"

"Or what? You'll attack me?" Yin smiled mockingly, fluttering her eyelashes. Ignoring the blade inches from her face she dropped the wheel beside her, setting a hand on the floor. Blake's eyes followed, and her heart sank as she put two and two together. Yin's hand sparked over the 'accidental spills' Yin had made, spills which made a convenient trail right up to the wagon.

"Ya know… If you were gonna try and pass yourselves off as traders, then _maybe_ you should have dressed the part." Yin chuckled, raising her other hand brandishing a nut, removed from the axel of the wagon. "You really don't even look the part. Like, at all."

Blake grabbed Ilia's shoulder and pulled her back. She then ordered Brinne and Flemish to back off as well. Yin didn't budge, keeping her self-made torch hanging precariously over the spill. Yin grinned and held her palm dangerously close to the wagon, sparks dancing on her palm.

"Wait… You don't want to do that," Blake said, holding her hands up as she approached. "Just help us get the wagon outside and we'll be leaving."

"See… That's where you're wrong. Cuz let's say I do help you guys out, then what? You're back in a few weeks doing this again? As soon as I'm gone you guys will probably come back and punish the nice folks here too, wont'cha?"

Blake would hardly call a town full of bigots 'nice'. Inflammatory comments wouldn't help her case though. Amber eyes drifted to the wagon longingly, and after taking another step closer she came to an abrupt halt when Yin lowered her hand. "Don't!"

"Then leave." The Dimuran stopped smiling. It must have been a trick of the light, but Blake swore she saw red mixed in with lilac. "Go back to wherever your camp is and let your boss know that Alabaster isn't your bitch anymore."

"It's not that simple. If it were up to me we would leave," Blake lied. "I'm being reasonable here. Our leader won't, and trust me, you'd rather deal with me than him."

"That so? Lemme see… You're a Meera, that guy there's a Kanin, right?" Yin nodded towards Flemish, then grinned at Blake again. "And the other girl's a Canis. And you're a… Talpa!" She pointed to her cheeks, indicating the marks dotting Ilia's face. "That makes you guys White Fang, I'm guessing. Not exactly the best people in Remnant, are ya?"

"Don't act as if the Church is free of sin!" Ilia sneered and approached again, drawing her other sword. "You Hunters have more blood on your hands than any of us. Your organization -"

"Who said I'm a Hunter?"

Blake let her eyes drift away from Yin's hand and went to her neck instead. The Hunter's Mark would be there. It _should_ be there. The Dimuran obliged and used her free hand to peel back her hood, showing faint traces of red ink in her skin. It was barely legible, but Blake was certain of it: the woman had, at one point, borne the mark. By some means it had been removed, or Yin had tried to remove it. "You're a rogue…" Blake muttered.

"Got it in one, kitten! And of course, you guys know what that means, right?" Yin grinned wickedly, letting her hand flare up. The oil sizzled, not quite catching, but dangerously close to it. "I care as little about laws as you do. Only difference is I'm not the sort to go robbing people. So… Here's what we're gonna do."

Yin grabbed the side of the wagon and stood. Liquid dripped from her palms, smearing over the canvas of the wagon. Then she lit her other hand on fire. Flames greedily devoured the oil on her palm, roaring when their food depleted, dancing across her skin and reaching out towards the wood of the wagon.

"You're gonna leave, and you can tell whoever is in charge that Alabaster is under my protection. Or… We can hang here, and you guys can fight me for this stuff…" Yin placed her palm against canvas and burned a hole right through it, waving her hand over flames and extinguishing them. "Maybe you four can beat me, maybe not! Aside from me I doubt there's anyone else in town that can fight you. But…" the Dimuran paused and winked playfully at Blake. "I don't go down easy. Even for cuties."

The redness coloring Blake's face wasn't what Yin had hoped for. Her fingers squeezed her weapon to the point of discomfort, and in the back of her mind she reached out for shadows anywhere she could find them. Like frayed threads she could feel them, and a single cast would unravel everything. She had ample shadow to use, but then Yin had flame; light was the antithesis of shadow. Poetic, in a way, and frustrating. Could she overpower the woman's flames? Did she care to find out?

Failure carried with it a slew of unpleasant consequences. Potentially losing someone in a fight, one that could be avoided, did as well.

Frustration mounted but reluctance to fight dulled her anger. Blake left her weapon at her waist, motioning for Ilia and Flemish to return theirs. "But…" Ilia protested only to be silenced by a glare. This wasn't up for negotiations. With all their weapons returned Yin smiled, then gestured towards the doors.

"Grab your horses and get out of here. Tell your commander he can come by if he wants, but he'll be dealing with me. And I ain't gonna be as nice with him as I was with you."

 _How courteous,_ Blake sneered, internally damning the woman as she began to back away. They were likely damned if they stayed and fought. _She_ was damned if they returned without supplies. Adam wasn't going to be pleased.

Blake's ears went rigid hearing the draw of a bowstring. Brinne notched an arrow and aimed at Yin who was busy chatting with Devin. "Brinne, put the bow…" The Canis let her arrow fly, the projectile crackling with lightning magic imbued. The ground beneath turned purple as it streaked through the air, closing the distance between Brinne and Yin.

Ash fell at Yin's feet and she glanced down at the pile of crackling soot. Then she turned her eyes on a pale Brinne, smiling at the girl.

"We can dance if ya really want to, but I think your boss lady there wants no part of me," Yin laughed. She winked at Blake and kicked at the pile at her feet.

"You're only hurting this town, Yin," Blake growled as she backed away. "I tried to make it easy for them."

"Oh yeah? By robbing them? Sure, real considerate of ya!" Snickering, the Dimuran flicked oil from her hand, then tossed her hair and grinned. "By the way, it's Yang. Or… Wildfire, you guys might know that one. Let 'em know who sent you home!"

At least Blake now had a name to curse. Sparing the now ruined wagon one last glance Blake turned on her heel, shooting Yang a look of pure disgust before storming out. If the others wanted to complain they held their tongues.

No one said a word as they reached the stables, retrieving their horses from the now smug stablehands. Blake again had to stay weapons, including her own, even going so far as to threaten Flemish when he approached with a hand on his. It wasn't a comfortable silence that they rode out on, and fittingly, the moon was on full display, letting the entirety of the town see their abject failure.

It didn't take long for Alabaster to be a speck on the horizon. Only once it had disappeared completely, concealed by the many bends and turns in the road, did Blake will her horse to a stop. She hadn't realized she'd been clutching the reins so tightly and her palms ached where her nails dug into flesh. Letting the reins drops into her lap, the Meera closed her eyes and growled.

What should have been a simple, mindless job had ended in failure. Could they have fought? Should they have? Nothing was keeping them from turning back around and taking what was theirs.

Yang's face flashed in Blake's mind and she scowled. That woman, that _rogue_ had convinced the skittish Devin to defy them. How many others in the town would follow suit? Their refusal would only condemn them and yet Devin had turned them down. Would they be fighting the entire town? Without Magi, Alabaster would fall in less than an hour. With Yang? Without knowing her strength there was no saying, but then she was willing to fight the four of them moments ago.

 _Either she's suicidal or she's strong enough to back it up._ An untrained Magi could still best someone without magic, this much was true. What was also blatantly obvious was a trained Magi would invariably outmatch an untrained one just as badly. _A former Hunter, though, and one strong enough to resist attempts on her life…_ Blake's jaw clenched, and her eyes bore into the back of her horse's head, anger displaced. She scoffed and raised a hand to slap the animal only to drop it into her lap a second later. Adam was rubbing off on her again.

Her head turned when a horse trotted up alongside her own. Ilia looked at her, worry plain on her face, accentuated by a hint of guilt. For a moment she said nothing, opening her mouth several times as if to speak only to go silent. After fighting for her words, she cast a glance back down the road, peering through the darkness of night.

"We should go back…" Ilia suggested. "It's only one person. We can beat her."

"No."

"But Blake! The Muran can talk all he wants but he's harmless, the whole town is. Once we deal with her -"

"I said no, Ilia." Blake's curt tone silenced her friend, as did her glare. Softening her expression, the ravenette reached out and placed a hand on Ilia's, offering a consoling smile. "I'm not going to risk you all being injured for supplies. We went there to collect the wagon, not to fight a rogue."

"Yet we went with our weapons," Flemish argued. Sat atop his horse he still managed to be shorter than the rest. His young face, marred by a scowl, was free of shadow as he pulled his hood back, rabbit ears standing free. "We came prepared to fight, even if we didn't plan on it. So let's go back!"

And do what? Fight a rogue, one who, through either confidence or foolhardiness, threatened four trained White Fang operatives? Fighting Yang might have been easy with their numbers, but the battle wouldn't have been without cost; even if none of them suffered any grievous wounds the supplies would more than likely have been destroyed in the ensuing battle. Yang knew what they were after, and all it would take was one spark and their whole reason for coming to Alabaster would be up in flames.

There was a chance the Dimuran wouldn't do that. To do so would mean robbing Alabaster of its own much needed stocks. _Then again, we know nothing about her, save for what she told us. For all we know she's insane and would willingly burn the building to the ground - and us with it._ Realizing the group was waiting on her answer Blake shook her head. "We are not going back. It's not worth the risk."

Brinne nervously ran her hands along her reins. Her horse, sensing her trepidation, whinnied until she stroked its mane. The diminutive girl's eyes sought Blake's, and unlike the fiery anger of Flemish, or the uncertainty of Ilia's, the Canis' were remorseful.

"Adam's not going to be happy…" Brinne mumbled, voice wavering.

"I'll deal with Adam. We left on my orders, so the fact we're leaving without anything to show for it is my fault and mine alone."

"I still say we should go back," Flemish argued. "If we go back without anything to show for it he's going to beat you again."

Blake's hand went to her side, fingers gingerly prodding at a still fresh bruise. The trio with her cast down their eyes, crestfallen and faces wearing guilty masks. "I'll… Think of another way to get supplies. There are other towns nearby, or even a trader's caravan. There are other ways to get what we need."

It wouldn't be easy, and Adam would be furious, but Blake could come up with an alternative. A small raid wouldn't be difficult, and with enough Magi in their ranks no small settlement would resist them. Attacking a caravan would be even easier, provided they could find one.

Ilia drew her horse closer and Blake held still as she was hugged. Stiff, she frowned when arms tightened around her, making no noise even as the ache of her ribs was agitated. "You shouldn't have to bear the brunt of his anger, Blake…" her friend whispered. "We all failed. Let us share the blame."

Blake pried Ilia's from around her and shook her head again. "No," she said resolutely. "Because, unlike you three, he won't _kill_ me." Blake smiled hollowly as her friends paled. It was a small condolence and one that hardly soothed anyone, but it was the truth. She could be beaten, have her name cursed and dragged through the mud, and lose rations or the chance to participate in missions, but Adam would never kill her.

Blake liked to think he wouldn't. _He'll be angry, but it's not unreasonable. We need those supplies for our raids._ Her hands picked up the reins again and her heels knocked against her horse's sides. With a huff and stomp her steed began trotting down the road again, the gentle bouncing of its gait making the bruises on her thighs ache. _And even if he hits me, he's always sorry. He's angry we won't be prepared in time. He doesn't mean it._

Silence was normally a soothing thing. In the waning hours of the evening, as darkness fell over Vale, Blake enjoyed the solitude it brought. She was comfortable in the shadows. There, hidden away despite being so involved, she could think. The darkness gave her time to recollect, consider her options, and find respite, however brief, from the constant toll her life took on her. This evening however would offer no such peace.

Adam was going to be livid. No, he'd be absolutely incensed, and she'd be the one he'd take it out on. Blake doubted the long ride back to camp would do much good to quell her already frayed nerves. It was fortunate they hadn't battled in Alabaster, otherwise what was to come would only be infinitely more painful.

A rueful smile crossed her lips and Blake pulled her cloak tighter. Freeing one hand she pulled her scarf up, concealing most of her face as her eyes stung. She wanted to feel small, to hide away in the shadows. What normally brought her solace now felt threatening. Adam couldn't walk among shadows as she could and yet she felt like he was all around her. Watching her, silently considering how best to punish yet another failure on her part.

There had to be something more she could do. Something to avoid his wrath. Apologizing wouldn't be enough, but there had to be _something._ Hanging her head and staring listlessly at the empty road before her Blake chewed on the inside of her cheek. She had time, she'd come up with a solution.

/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/

Blake was used to the beatings. If her parents were alive and saw the way Adam treated her, well, they couldn't have done much to stop him, but they would have been appalled. Bruises healed, cuts mended. Adam would hurt her with his displaced rage, but he'd never inflict serious wounds. Most times he even tended to the wounds he created, apologizing for them repeatedly. She was used to that.

Blake was not used to Adam's silence. Rather than yell or lash out he paced through his tent, moving at a leisurely stroll. For the second time in as many days silence was unsettling, and Blake yearned for something, anything to disrupt it. Odd that she welcomed being yelled at: at least then she'd know what he was thinking then.

Eventually Adam ceased his pacing. Behind his visor she could feel his gaze on her, staring through her. When he came closer Blake withdrew into herself, shoulders raising to conceal her neck on reflex. Leaning down to be eye level with her Blake held still as a hand cupped her cheek, shivering as a thumb stroked just beneath her eye.

"One Magi. You said there was one Magi there, right?"

The calmness juxtaposed his tantrum just seconds earlier. It unnerved her, though Blake did everything she could do conceal that fact. Nodding slowly, she gasped when Adam tore her scarf from her face, grabbing her chin and forcing their eyes to meet.

"The people of Alabaster are powerless. I sent four of you there. It was more a show of power than anything…" Adam frowned and released Blake's chin only to grab her arm. His fingers squeezed a bruise and she couldn't help but wince. "But you were more than capable of fighting a single Magi. So, Blake, why didn't you?"

"I…" Her eyes left his and she searched for an answer that would assuage his anger. "I didn't want to risk the supplies being destroyed," Blake mumbled. "I thought if we fought -"

The Meera gasped when her arm was wrenched Fresh bruises and welts protested as Adam's iron grip tightened further. "I didn't send you there to think, Blake. I sent you there to get supplies. I thought that was an easy enough job, one that even you couldn't manage to screw up." As soon as Adam released his hold Blake cradled her arm to her chest. The Toro sighed and ran a hand through his fiery red hair. "I gave you a second chance and you failed. Why do you keep squandering your chances…?"

Protests died long before they could even reach her lips. Blake's eyes fell and her posture with it, slumping. Adam dropped the scarf into her lap and her hands immediately sought it out, fingers nervously working with the black fabric.

"Blake… Please, tell me, because I'm having trouble understanding." Adam's voice was soft, pleading. He knelt before her and took Blake's hands in his own. Despite the pain they could inflict she noted how soft and warm they were. He sought her eyes and eventually she looked up with a hesitant smile. "I want us to succeed. I want a better life for our people, don't you?"

"Of course I do!" she answered hastily.

"Then why do you keep failing? It doesn't seem like you're making a sincere effort…"

Blake frowned, looking away uncertainly. She had tried, though. She'd gotten close in Galloway only for Hunters to stop her. Then Yang had interfered in Alabaster; their information hadn't said anything concerning a rogue in town. They couldn't have planned for Yang and losing the supplies in the ensuing conflict would have rendered the entire task moot. Even if, logically, Blake knew these things to be true they felt like excuses.

"I'm sorry. I'm trying, I really am!"

"I know you are, Blake. I know." Adam cupped her cheek again and Blake closed her eyes. His lips wrapped around hers and she held still, breath catching in her throat. When her lungs began to protest for air he slowly removed himself, his hand moving to run through her black locks.

"Unfortunately, trying isn't good enough." She froze as fingers gripped her ears and Blake whined in protest. Adam smirked, pinching the sensitive skin and scoring a wince before releasing them. "When I was given command in Vale I chose you as my second. I thought I could rely on you, and yet you've failed me twice now. And your failures haven't been small, either. A noble still lives, and now we're unprepared for our raid."

"Fortunately, I expected this." Adam stood, and Blake hesitated to follow, only doing so once he offered his hand. A full head taller she had to lift her chin to look up at him, smiling weakly as a hand ran along her side. "Which is why I requested help from Sienna. She sent someone over to assist us, and he's done a wonderful job in your place."

Adam had sent for someone else? When? Before Blake could ask, the tent opened behind her and she turned to the man entering. Wearing a clearly stolen burgundy suit, with short cropped, rust-red hair and a trimmed goatee, the man looked far too refined to be in the middle of nowhere with the rest of them. "Yuma…?"

"Sister Blake, it's been far too long," Yuma said, grinning, his voice raspy. Blake offered a slight nod, watching him enter the tent and take a knee before Adam. "It is done, commander."

"It's so nice to have someone competent working with me again." Blake cringed and made an effort to move away only to be dragged back to Adam's side. The hand on her hip tightened its grip, making it clear she was not to move. "You've secured everything, then?"

Yuma nodded. "I convinced the Murans to reroute their caravans to our camp. Sister Trifa and others are acting as their guides, and they should be here within the next few days."

"Perfect. And you'll dispose of them once we have their supplies?"

"Naturally, sir," Yuma answered, grinning.

Blake shivered and looked away. How callously they could treat lives, how indifferent they were, it always unsettled her. Adam mistook her discomfort as a chill and began to rub her side, drawing another unpleasant shiver.

"As for the rest, I believe we're ready for the raid any day now. Once the supplies are in camp and the troops are armed we can march on your orders." Yuma stood, glancing down at himself and frowning. Grabbing the neck of his shirt he pulled and sent buttons flying across the tent. Fine quilted fabric tore and he regarded the ruined article with a shrug, wrinkling his nose. "Stuffy thing… The shirt still reeks of Muran. It's like wearing a pig's skin."

Offended but knowing better than to question Adam, Blake remained silent. She rolled her eyes at Yuma's comment, wondering why he still wore the garments if they smelled so bad. Then she focused on Adam again, silently prodding him to elaborate on 'the raid'. When he made no mention of it she hesitantly tugged on his shirt, cringing as he frowned. "This raid… You still haven't told me much about it."

"Because I'm uncertain whether I can involve you without having it fall apart," Adam answered. The reply made Blake wither and she bit her lip, looking up again when Adam rubbed her hip. "If I do let you come along you're to stay by my side, understood? I'll be relinquishing your usual role to Yuma, and you'll act as my support."

Blake wanted to protest. It was usually her task to sneak behind the enemy and cause disarray; shadow-walking made her uniquely suited for acting as a disruptive force. Yuma could accomplish the same, given they shared a class of spells, but she'd thought her rapport with Adam meant the job was hers.

Instead of arguing however she nodded and smiled. "I won't leave your side for a second, I swear."

"That's a good girl. As for the raid itself…" Adam trailed off and shrugged, smiling. "It's nothing too complicated. We'll be attacking a few towns near Mount Glenn, that's all."

"Towns?" As in plural? Blake frowned and looked past Yuma, out towards the camp she couldn't see. At best they had a few dozen members, maybe just over a hundred. "How many towns? And what's the reason for it? Do they have supplies we need?"

Adam placed a finger over her mouth, removing it once Blake's ears folded in submission. "No supplies. The towns themselves are unimportant."

Blake's brow furrowed as she shifted at Adam's side. "Then what's the reason…?"

Yuma scoffed loudly and shook his head. "I can see why you're disappointed in her, commander. She's clueless." Blake shot the man a glare and he chose to ignore it, though he did smile before addressing the question. "Isn't it obvious? We're not after what they have. We want their people dead. It's to make a statement, nothing more."

"You can't be serious. You mean we're to kill all those people?!" Blake paled and turned to Adam, grabbing his shirt again. "Adam, please tell me you're kidding!"

Blake winced as her wrist was wrenched, hand pried from cloth. Adam pulled her arm and kept her close even as she unwisely tried to pull away. He gripped her jaw to keep her facing him for good measure. "The people in those towns have robbed and killed our brothers and sisters. They're only getting what they deserve."

"What will more violence solve?" Opal had been right when she'd said their organization was changing. Bloodshed begets bloodshed, and neither side was going to win in the end. Blake wished Adam to see that obvious truth. Maybe he did. Maybe he simply didn't care anymore.

"The only way the kingdoms ever respond to us, ever listen to us, is through violence. We've tried other means and they've all failed. If they refuse to gives us any quarter by peaceful protest," Adam shrugged, then grinned maliciously. "Then we'll show them the fault in their choices."

"We are not the ones to blame here, Belladonna," Yuma warned. "Our people have tried and tried to take our rightful place as society. Murans see us as animals. All races are below them and are treated like worms."

"Yet some races have profited, haven't they? Ydrans have taken to licking their boots and eating whatever scraps their Muran masters will throw them. A once proud, nomadic peoples, reduced to spineless wretches serving another." Adam sneered, arm tightening its grip around Blake in Adam's anger. "Dimurans are no better. Every tribe we've tried to enlist has wanted no part in our movement. And those who live among the Murans are content to be peddlers and craftsmen for them, caring nothing for the plight of others."

"You can't force people to fight, Adam." Blake shrank back when glared at, feeling two sets of eyes boring through her. Somehow, she kept her composure, stifling nervousness and standing as tall as she could muster. "Sienna has said so herself. Those who are with us will fight, and the others will go ignored. We can't blame anyone but the Murans for our lot in life."

"Complacency is cooperation. Anyone who allows the status quo to continue is every bit as guilty," Adam retorted. He finally let go of Blake, pushing her aside and heading for the exit. Yuma followed close behind, smirking at the Meera as she stood alone. "It falls to us, races of people scorned and discarded, to take up the fight," he continued. Holding open the flap of the tent Adam glanced back, smiling as he placed his free hand on his weapon. "And before you try to argue it's against Sienna's rules… Who do you imagine orchestrated these raids?"

Silence. As soon as Adam and Yuma departed Blake was left in complete, unnerving quiet, save for the distant voices beyond the tent walls. She was beginning to hate silence.

Left alone as she was Blake could only stare into vacant space as the two men left. She could accept robbery as part of their life. When no trader would give them the time of day, much less their business, what other choice was there? She'd even accepted the necessity of killing nobles after no small degree of reluctance. After all, how was society to ever change when those in power enforced injustice?

 _What good comes of slaughtering villages?_ Blake pondered. There was none. Bloodshed for the sake of bloodshed. There was no equality to be found in that. _Adam doesn't want equality. Not anymore,_ her mind chided her. _You've known that. The entire White Fang wants superiority._

Superiority by killing their enemies? Blake shambled to leave the tent, wincing and shielding her eyes as the sun's rays assaulted her eyes. Like the night before she felt incredibly exposed, the brightness of the day out of place. How many would die from these attacks? How would the Church respond? More death. More with hunts, searching for White Fang members. Innocents on both sides would die and for what? A small sense of grim satisfaction?

Did the others know about this? She needed to find them. This couldn't stand. Maybe she could convince Adam to stand down, to cancel the raids, or if nothing else, only kill a handful of people. Wiping out an entire town wasn't proving anything other than how ruthless their kind were. They would be justifying the slew of names Murans spat at Faunus.

If all else failed, if Blake couldn't convince Adam to stand down, then… What? Did she try to stop them? Blake wandered through camp aimlessly, coming to a halt when she realized she'd walked right to Opal's tent. The old woman was sat out front, needles in her hand, working on fixing another member's torn shirt. Noticing Blake's arrival, she smiled warmly, nodding in greeting before returning to her work.

Fighting Adam was tantamount to suicide. There were people here who she didn't want to see put at such risk. If Adam couldn't be convinced to stop - and Blake knew it a fool's errand to even try, then there was only one option left to her.

She needed to find the others. Opal, Ilia, everyone who showed even the remotest sense of loyalty not to Adam, but to her. Opposing Adam might be suicide incarnate but so was this new plan of hers. Blake gave Opal a wavering smile, nodding before turning and hurrying towards her friend's tents.

* * *

 **Well, it took 9 chapters, but we're FINALLY getting the plot proper rolling. Someday I'll find the balance between world-building and pacing!**

 **A few new things were mentioned this chapter, so just to add a tiny bit of clarification, and for a bit of trivia knowledge:**

 **\- Talpa refers to a race of Chameleon-like people, with a natural ability to camouflage oneself. It's also Latin for "Chameleon"!**

 **\- And yes, this means I've had to research particular species and use their Genus/A species for each canon-Faunus in order to assign a race. It's... Daunting. Maybe I'll figure out a way to insert a guide of sorts as an aid, because there's a LOT of smaller-population races in Name.**

 **\- Yang asked about "wards" this chapter. You'll all get more of that in 10, so I won't explain more of that just yet.**

 **\- This first encounter, the major first conflict, is obviously going to be White Fang centric. It is NOT the primary antagonist of the story, the White Fang, just the vehicle to get things going. Hope that helps anyone who's a bit overtired of seeing so much of it in canon (Or is it too little? I don't know!)**


	10. Chapter 10: Missing Persons

**Chapter ho! Would have been out sooner but work got a little bit busy over the weekend. Better late than never! Not that I have an actual schedule...**

 **I'll fix that someday.**

 **As an aside - or I guess an ACTUAL important notice: I'll be away for a few days visiting my grandparents. I might, and emphasis on might, be able to tidy up Yang's chapter and get it out before then, but no promises. I won't be pushing it out the door before I go unless it's 100% ready.**

 **Without further ado, I present to you the Ice Queen, feat. Ruby Rose (album dropping late 2019!)**

* * *

Weiss' hands sweat as she stood nervously in the lift. Along with Ruby she would be departing for her first mission within the hour. The rest of her friends - Pyrrha and Jaune, Ren and Nora, had all left earlier that morning. _Yesterday_ morning, actually. Her impromptu breakfast with Ironwood coupled with a brief tour of Vale left their schedule in shambles. Thankfully, there was leeway with when they would depart.

Beside her Goodwitch huffed and Weiss chanced a sidelong glance at the woman. Green eyes set under a thin brow narrowed at Weiss and at once she wished she wasn't trapped in such a small space with her.

The Church gave leeway for their departure, but that didn't mean Goodwitch liked it. The woman was very particular about keeping initiates on task, after all, and had everything scheduled down to the second. To have to move anything out of its preordained time slot must be maddening for the woman; Weiss imagined her task was maddening enough without making accommodations.

Wiping her palms on her trousers as the lift came to a stop Weiss remained where she was, letting the senior Magi leave first. Goodwitch didn't pass her a glance as she went, heeled boots clicking loudly in the silent space. Before them a solitary, empty desk stood at the leftmost wall, stacks of paper adorning it. A bookshelf at its back with volumes thick as Weiss' thigh lined the shelves, their spines devoid of any titles.

Weiss took a deep breath and followed Goodwitch out of the lift. Lattice doors slid closed behind her and she glanced back, silently deliberating going back inside and heading down again.

"Miss Schnee, need I remind you we are on a strict schedule?"

And risk earning even more of Goodwitch's ire? Weiss nodded at once and continued to follow. Wide windows stretching from floor to ceiling covered the entire wall to her, offering an exquisite view of the city below. Roofs of black and red tiles rose and fell like waves, creating a sea of stone and masonry. Further beyond the sea turned brown, wooden buildings replacing stone. That would be the mercantile ward, and further beyond, the industrial and agriculture.

At any other time, Weiss might have stopped to admire the view. Instead she allowed herself a brief appreciation for it - and just how high up they were, before following her instructor. The corridor beyond Goodwitch's desk was long and lined with low-burning candles and little else. A few potted plants added color to the simple space space. Soft beige rugs covered the floor and were cushions under their feet, silencing the loud clicking of Goodwitch's footwear. A fine trim lined the wall along the floor.

"I'd like to remind you to remember your place as we enter the archbishop's study," Goodwitch warned for the dozenth time since entering the lift. Stood before a pair of sturdy doors she gripped the handles, throwing them wide open and strolling inside.

Weiss hesitated at the threshold, as if entering would somehow reduce the sanctity of the space. One stern look from the blonde proctor made her hurry inside. The doors were closed behind her and she became acutely aware of Goodwitch's eyes trained on her back, stiffening on reflex. Putting on a smile to mask her nerves Weiss moved into the room, towards the wide, semi-circular desk at the far end. A leather-bound chair swiveled to face her, revealing the man sat within.

Ozpin smiled, a warmth that made Weiss' own smile come easier. "Weiss, thank you for coming. I understand you're about to depart on your first mission, so I'll try to keep this brief."

Weiss nodded, stood before the desk, hands awkwardly held at her waist. When Ozpin motioned for her to take a seat she did so readily and sank into one of the armchairs. Unexpectedly she sank into the plush furniture, marveling at how soft it was. Goodwitch approached with a tray in hand. She set a mug before Ozpin and another before Weiss. Much to her delight there was freshly brewed coffee inside, the steaming brew a godsend. The sluggishness of waking still hung over her like a stifling cloud.

"Before we get to business though I must ask, how are you faring? I like to speak with our initiates before they leave, especially on their first mission." Ozpin paused for a spell and sipped at his drink. Weiss did the same, relishing as the warmth, and more importantly, the caffeine slid down her throat.

"Just fine, Archbishop. I'm… Nervous," Weiss admitted. She then smiled and shook her head. "Excited, though. It will be nice to finally put all of our training to practice."

Ozpin hummed thoughtfully, smiling as he set his drink down. "Eagerness is good, but don't let it turn to arrogance. Many an initiate have gone into their first mission thinking themselves invincible, only to fail… Or not return at all." Weiss stiffened, and Ozpin shook his head. "I tell you this not to frighten you, but only as a cautionary tale. A Hunter always has more to learn, and our training is never truly over."

"Oh, of course not. I wouldn't dream of doing anything rash."

"We certainly haven't heard that before," Goodwitch said, snorting.

"Glynda…" Ozpin chuckled as his assistant rolled her eyes. "That is good. Confidence is important, as is bravery, but arrogance is often times lethal. I've seen many a good man and woman succumb to their fates as a result."

"But you're not here for lectures, and neither am I a fan of giving them. I'm glad to hear you are well - Ironwood certainly recounted as much." Ozpin smiled when Weiss flushed yet again, suppressing a laugh behind his drink. "So, let us attend to the matter at hand because as I'm sure you're well aware someone would have both of our hides if I were to drag this out."

On cue Goodwitch cleared her throat, folding her arms and lifting her chin, causing her ovular glasses to slide down the bridge of her nose. "Yet you insist on prattling regardless."

"Paperwork prevents me from speaking to anyone. Pray forgive an old man for wanting to chat with his initiates." Weiss barely held back a giggle as Goodwitch grumbled behind her and Ozpin smiled playfully.

The Archbishop of Vale was, to most, enigmatic. He rarely left his tower and many people assumed it was because he was too busy. That, or he was simply too good to be seen among the masses. Weiss eyed the towering stack of folders, books and envelopes pushed off to one side of the desk, teetering precariously. She'd decided it was the former: Ozpin's workload made Goodwitch's seem slim by comparison. _Comes with the job, I suppose._

"At any rate, I've called you here to make you an offer. You see, the kingdoms are enjoying an unparalleled period of peace. We owe much of this, naturally, to the undying efforts of Hunters. The Church might orchestrate our efforts, but without our recruits, people such as yourself who wish to see Remnant remain so, we'd be powerless. I think it goes without saying that we owe our Hunters a good deal of thanks, don't you?"

Weiss' heart swelled, and she nodded, smiling. She wasn't really a Hunter - not yet but hearing that one of the Archbishops thought so highly of them was heartening. Their efforts didn't go unnoticed, and at least behind closed doors, even those at the top acknowledged who was really to thank for Remnant's current state.

"Now, as you're well aware, a Hunter's main task is to help control Grimm incursions. This can range from preventing attacks, if we have reasonable evidence to suggest one might occur or helping to protect or reclaim lost territory. There is, however, yet another job a Hunter might be assigned." Ozpin smiled playfully while Weiss leaned in, clearly anticipating whatever he had to say. "Tell me, Weiss, you understand how the wards operate, correct?"

"Yes sir!"

"Care to elaborate?" Ozpin chuckled, leaning back in his chair and waving a hand, leaving the air open for Weiss.

"Of course. Every major city and settlement has a ward, placed and maintained by the Church. These wards serve as a primary defense against Grimm." Weiss couldn't help but sit a bit taller as she confidently recited knowledge from memory. It was commonly held knowledge, but she felt she had a better grasp on it than most. "The wards act as a barrier, concealing negative emotions from the Grimm and protecting anyone inside its radius."

"That's the gist of it, yes. As much as we might encourage positivity, realistically we cannot stamp out negative emotions. They are every bit as natural as our need to breathe, after all. In lieu of that, a pioneering young Magi, centuries ago, developed a means of protecting large settlements from Grimm." Ozpin paused to sip at his drink, adjusting the green scarf wrapped around his neck. "These are the wards. And tell me, do you know precisely how they're established? What kind of magic creates them?"

Weiss tried not to answer too readily. "Rune magic, sir," she answered. Pride swelled in her chest and she smiled broadly. "Rune users establish the wards and Hunters use their magic to maintain them."

"Any Magi can maintain them, given the training to do so, but yes. Generally speaking Hunters are tasked with lending their strength to reinforce barriers." Ozpin stood from his seat and circled around the desk. Even if Weiss had been standing she was certain he'd tower over her regardless. Not wanting to be rude she stood as well, and sure enough the man loomed over her.

"While any Magi can assist in maintaining them, only those who are familiar with Runes can actually create them," Ozpin said. "And Rune wielders, as you're well aware, are far and few between."

"Vale typically has about two dozen at any given time," Glynda said. The stiff-postured woman adjusted her glasses and frowned. "We've lost two in recent weeks to Grimm attacks, and another is nearing retirement. To get to the point, because some people seem content to talk all day," she shot a meaningful glance at Ozpin. "We would like to offer you the chance to learn the art of creating wards."

Weiss blinked, glancing between the two adults. Her, creating wards? It was within her ability, at least she assumed so; with the right combination of Runes Weiss could create the barriers. "That's… An incredible honor, sir. I'm flattered that you'd even consider me for the position."

"You've shown great promise as a Hunter, Weiss. We would not be asking if you hadn't." Ozpin smiled as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "And though I know your displeasure at it, you are a Schnee. And while I would not exercise your name to influence you, it does carry some weight with. If anyone is capable of this I should think it would be you."

It took a concerted effort to hide the displeasure on her features. She was a Schnee, though in the loosest sense of the word. Weiss forced a smile to the surface and nodded. "It would be my pleasure, though…" She chewed on the inside of her cheek, fingers drumming against her stomach. "What would become of my being a Hunter? My other duties…?"

"You would conduct missions as per usual, only called upon to assist with a ward when necessary." Goodwitch answered. "Your particular specialization of magic may be few in number, but you are rarely called upon. We have so many simply because of the importance of your art. One which, I should think, would be trained more if _someone_ introduced it into the curriculum."

Ozpin's smile wavered a touch under Goodwitch's glare and the man held his hands up in surrender. "Not everyone is capable of performing the spells, otherwise I would have. Not to mention the time it would take familiarize everyone with the Runic system and learn the combinations." He shook his head and looked back at Weiss warmly. "You have an aptitude for Runes, both by virtue of your heritage, and your natural inclination for them. It makes you an ideal candidate."

Funny thing, that. Ozpin had just warned her not to think too highly of herself and yet Weiss couldn't help but do so. She was already among a select few users of Runes and now she was being bestowed a high honor. If they wanted to humble her then they were doing a poor job of it. Not that Weiss Schnee would ever have an ego.

Flattered as she was Weiss still hesitated. She glanced out of the wide window behind Ozpin's desk, semi-circular much like the furniture itself. The entire study was a peculiarly shaped room, a complete circle, with furniture designed to match. If Goodwitch's view beyond the corridor was awestricking then Ozpin's was breathtaking. The sun rose high over Forever Fall to the north, its golden rays spilling over the mountains and setting the brightly colored trees aflame. Every morning he would see the day start this way. What a beautiful scene wake to.

"May I have time to consider the offer…?" Weiss asked. "Not that I don't intend to accept, it's just… Well, I've got a lot on my mind as it is. I feel like I should think on it before deciding."

"Naturally. I didn't expect a decision immediately, nor would I ask for one. And do not feel pressured to accept either," Ozpin assured her. "Yes, we are now without a few, but we still have many more besides. It's merely a habit to have so many trained in the event something unforeseen happens."

"We would, however, like an answer before long. Within the next week or so if possible," Goodwitch added. "While we can make due without your help it would make matters inconvenient. As it is now, there is a lot of territory for so few to manage. To ask so few to do so much is challenging. And while a single addition won't change much, it would nonetheless be appreciated."

"But… As I said, there is no rush. Take time to complete your mission with Miss Rose, then relax and come to us when you've had ample time to weigh your options." Ozpin smiled and folded his hands behind him.

"I will, sir. Thank you." Weiss smiled hesitantly at Goodwitch, nodding back when the woman did so. "Not to sound rude, but… If that's all, may I go? Ruby is waiting for me at the stables and I'd rather not keep her waiting much longer."

Ozpin gave her leave and Goodwitch opened the doors for Weiss. The woman didn't join her this time and Weiss was left on her own as she rode the lift back down. A smile fell on her face and made her cheeks ache, a nervous excitement not only returning but growing.

 _They want me to work on the wards! I must tell Ironwood and the others!_ Her hands shook, and Weiss clutched them to her chest, closing her eyes and taking breaths to steady her racing heart. The door to the lift opened and she exited the small chamber, walking through the main hall filled with pews, an empty lectern at the head of the space. Too early for services, though before long its seats would be filled with the devout.

She could do wonders as a Hunter, save people from Grimm. As someone who maintained the wards? Who could create them? Weiss could prevent so many attacks with the barriers. If that didn't earn her some kind of acclaim, some recognition, well, then people were blind.

Weiss hurried to the stables with a vigor that felt out of place given the earliness of the hour. The caffeine helped a little though most of her pep came from excitement. Would she brag to the others later? Probably, after all it wasn't every day an initiate was given such an offer. With a smile firmly stuck on her face she hurried along, eventually taking to jogging slowly to hasten the process.

By the time she arrived at the main gatehouse Ruby was nowhere to be seen. Weiss could spot their horses easily enough: Ruby's scythe was fastened to the poor animal's back and rose up like the mast of a ship. Thankfully Ruby hadn't packed anything besides her weapon, otherwise the saddlebags on the horses would be cluttered messes; Weiss had seen to the other provisions herself.

Weiss went to her own horse - a mare with a snow-white hide and black splotches, stroking its mane when she drew near. It stomped its hooves in protest, settling down quickly when she offered a carrot from a nearby bin.

Where had that dolt gotten off to? Nearby a few stablehands tended to other steeds. A carriage came in and its inhabitants piled out, handing off Lien while workers went about unlatching the horses and guiding them into pens. Weiss waited with growing impatience - ironic since she was the cause of their delay, for Ruby to return.

Eventually she did, smiling broadly while brandishing a pair of still-steaming buns. She offered one to Weiss who accepted despite her annoyance, the gnawing in her stomach a greater force. "About time you got back!" Ruby chimed, grinning as she tore into her snack. "I was wondering if you got lost!"

"I've been here for…" Weiss paused. "Fifteen minutes at least. Why did you wander off?" Ruby waved her bread in the Schnee's face and giggled. Weiss rolled her eyes and wondered why she even bothered to ask. Keeping her bread wrapped for now she climbed onto her horse with the help of a stablehand: Ruby managed to mount of her own accord.

With their belongings prepared and a destination set there was little else to keep them in Vale. Weiss took one last brief moment to double-check they had all their supplies on hand. Deciding they were prepared, she ushered her horse towards the gates with Ruby immediately behind her. The guards manning the station nodded, waving them through without a second glance. A few merchants and travelers recognized them for what they were and offered encouragement to the young initiates. One or two glared at Weiss, scorning her with their gazes and biting their tongues.

Ruby hummed merrily, tearing into her bread like a starved animal even as steam poured off it. "Yummy! Sweet bread is the best!" Of course it was sweet. Was anything Ruby ate ever not? "So… What did Ozpin want to talk about? Anything important?"

 _No, you dolt, he wanted to discuss the weather._ "He offered to have me trained in creating wards. He thinks I'd do well," Weiss answered instead, smiling as she peeled back paper. "That, and he wished us luck."

"Ooooh, you'd be a Warden! That would be awesome!" Ruby beamed, then tilted her head and adopted a thoughtful expression. "Though… Would that mean we wouldn't be partners anymore? What happens then?"

"I'd still be a Hunter, obviously. Ozpin assured me I can continue my regular duties, only to be called upon when necessary." Weiss smiled and picked at her bread. She sampled it, humming thoughtfully at the flavor.

"And do you plan on taking him up on it?"

"I intend to consider it very carefully. I haven't made a decision yet." Weiss raised an eyebrow as Ruby worked her horse up alongside her. She glanced at the extended fist, raising her own and bumping her knuckles against the brunette's. "Copying Nora now, are we?"

"I'll come up with a handshake for us sometime!" She really didn't need to. Ruby's cheeks puffed, and she tore into her snack, smiling once more. "If you go through with it though then I'll support you! I think you'd be awesome at it!"

Weiss smirked, shrugging as her horse trotted along and caused her to bounce. Thank goodness they'd had the foresight to opt for padded saddles; two days on horseback would leave them badly chafed without some kind of buffer. It probably still would.

She _would_ be good at it, wouldn't she? Ozpin had praised her on more than one occasion and she was second only to Pyrrha in ability. Weiss allowed herself a small taste of the arrogance the archbishop warned of, if only to see how it felt. She knew she had talents and they were being recognized at last. Being a Hunter is always going to be my primary focus, of course," she mused, biting into her bread in earnest. "But… Perhaps being a Warden wouldn't be so bad."

Ruby nodded emphatically. She kicked her legs, a bit overexcited, and spurned her horse into a gallop, gasping and dropping her bread into her lap as she clutched her reins in desperation. Weiss scoffed, shaking her head and sending her horse after her partner.

Life as a Warden would be interesting, if largely the same as a Hunter. She could wait for the extra duties for now though. They had their first mission to worry about, and as Ruby finally managed to slow her horse, giggling as the flustered animal shook its head, Weiss rolled her eyes. Someone had to keep Ruby out of trouble in the meantime, and that in of itself was a full-time duty.

/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/

For better or worse the trip to the Mount Glenn region had largely been uneventful. Three days of traveling by horseback left Weiss and Ruby sore. The weather, mercifully, had remained clear and spared them the torrential downpours that periodically tore across Vale's countryside. Nights were spent in separate tents, and mornings together before a makeshift fire, dining on rations prepared days in advanced. Easygoing yet mundane, their journey to town had been as simple as one could have hoped.

Weiss felt bored. Ruby decided to give that boredom a voice by constantly chatting or trying to play a game. On the first day Weiss had entertained the idea and gone along with whatever games Ruby could come up with. 'I Spy' dominated most of their afternoon, and by the first evening Weiss had grown dreadfully wary of it; one could only point out leaves so many times before it became tiresome.

Their map told them the general area of the town. Many small settlements had sprouted up around the mountain in recent years despite concerns of heavy Grimm presence. There were rumored to be mines with valuable ores within the mountain and despite the dangers plenty of perspective merchants, craftsmen and workers alike had traveled out to forge a new destiny for themselves. Towns had come naturally, as Weiss understood, and before long simple camps had turned into proper settlements and villages.

Holbrook was one such town. They saw Mount Glenn long before they ever encountered the settlement itself. Two days before arriving they could make out the shape on the horizon, imposing even so far away. One day from their destination and Mount Glenn rose obstinately against the clear blue sky. Tall enough to split the heavens themselves, the gray behemoth of a landmass served as a wonderfully convenient guide on their journey; the occasional road sign and traveler served to ensure they were heading in the right direction.

Weiss slowed her horse to a stop and looked out across the open field. Over patches of corn and wheat were the walls of Holbrook. Massive sheared timbers were stuck into the ground and towered over the sparse fields beyond them. On either side of the gate into town were two guard towers, their flat roofs holding flags that bore Vale's insignia upon them. Weiss could make out figures inside, standing dully at attention. When she and Ruby drew closer one of the men called down to them, forcing them to stop.

"We're Hunters, sent from the Church to help!" Ruby smiled as she waved to the perplexed guards. "We've got our orders from the Cathedral, if it helps! Can we come in?"

Weiss would think there was little cause for concern seeing two young women arrive at the gates. She pursed her lips and tapped a finger impatiently on her thigh as the men spoke between themselves. After a lingering silence the guards in the tower signaled to someone down below. Weiss' ears picked up the sound of a heavy wooden beam moving, and with a loud groan the gate swung open. Three armed guards stepped outside.

The foremost guard stopped before them and raised an eyebrow. "You're Hunters, then? Prove it."

From her saddlebag Weiss produced a rolled-up parchment, complete with a wax seal from Ozpin's office. She relinquished it readily, smiling as the man inspected its contents. Glancing up from the paper he nodded once, waving for his men inside. "About time you showed up. We were beginning to wonder if they'd bother sending anyone at all."

Weiss' rolled her tongue in her mouth before deciding against insulting the man. His outfit wasn't impressive - with simple chain and a dark red quilted tunic over it, an aged sword at his hip, he was slightly better equipped than the others who wore leather, but not by much. "I assume I'm speaking with the captain of Holbrook's guard?"

The man nodded his bald head lazily. "Aye. Captain Laurel Pine. And I'm assuming you're…" Laurel narrowed his eyes, studying Weiss. "Weiss Schnee, which makes the other one Ruby Rose."

"Nice to meet you!" Ruby smiled nervously and waved.

Laurel sniffed, unamused, before waving his men off. "The stables are right inside. Have your horses put up, then come meet me in the barracks. Back of the town"

Weiss frowned as the captain turned and vanished back inside the gates without another word. That was it? That was their greeting? She hadn't expected a celebration or a parade, but at least they could be given a blasted smile? A 'thank you for coming', if nothing else. The man seemed downright annoyed by their presence.

Pettiness made her want to turn around and leave. Thankfully common sense was louder, and Weiss huffed, ushering her horse inside. The guards ushered them in without a word before promptly sealing the door behind them once more. They were directed towards the stables and Weiss managed an air of politeness, thanking the man with a terse smile. Not that they needed directions to the stables themselves, not when they were visible as soon as they passed through the walls.

Their horses wouldn't have the best accomodations. Where Vale's stables - by virtue of the city's affluence and size, were lavish and spacious, Holbrook's were more like a repurposed shed. Weiss could even see where a wall had been knocked out for space, the floor stripped to give the animals inside more comfortable footing. Bales of hay were set out and Weiss relinquished her mount, waiting expectantly for someone to help remove the saddlebags. No one did, and with no small degree of annoyance she heaved her belongings off her steed.

"They certainly know how to make us feel welcome," Weiss grumbled. The straps of her bags dug into her shoulder and she teetered for a moment before correcting herself.

"Well… They're giving us a place to put the horses at least! And they're being fed!"

A small consolation made smaller still immediately when one of the workers held a hand out. They expected to be paid for that? Naturally it made sense, but Weiss was so disgruntled by their lack of a warm welcome that she almost refused. With an indignant huff she dug Lien from her pocket and placed it in the man's hand, wiping grime on her trousers when he left.

With the matter behind them Weiss and Ruby made their way through the town proper. "You would think they'd be happier to receive Hunters…" the Ydran girl grumbled.

Residents were out and about, milling idly or busy at work. Despite the presence of two Hunters in their midst the duo went largely ignored. A few even gave the girls resentful glares that Weiss had to fight not to return. What was with these people? They'd hardly been in town ten minutes and she already found them insufferable.

"They are a little… Off," Ruby agreed. They passed by a man hauling logs and she squeaked as his shoulder bumped into hers, making her stumble and grab Weiss for support. A little? They were being rude and unwelcoming. Blatantly so.

"Let's just get this over with. Whatever these people are upset about isn't our concern."

Weiss didn't know how wrong that statement was, otherwise she'd never have made it.

Holbrook was, by all standards, unremarkable. Simple wooden homes, few commodities, and so dreadfully mundane and plain that Weiss wondered how people didn't go mad. She hadn't expected the colorful variety of Vale - no simple settlement would match it, but the incessant, droll color palette of the town, brown upon brown, made her wish for some variety.

"Maybe this is why people here are so miserable…" Weiss muttered thoughtfully. "Their town is abysmal." If one could even call it that.

"Weiss be nice! I'm sure there's a reason they're so… Not happy. Maybe they're upset with us?"

Weiss scoffed. "How? We've only just arrived! What possible reason could they have for being angry?"

"Well… The captain did make it sound like they've been waiting for Hunters for a while. Who knows how long ago they sent their request." Ruby smiled uncertainly, pressing her index fingers together as they walked. "I mean… You'd be pretty cross too if you had to wait forever for something."

Weiss folded her arms only to drop them to her sides when her saddlebag dug into her chest as a result. "I suppose. Still, it's not our fault. We only go where the Church sends us, and they know we're coming from the capital. They could at least pretend to be happy we're here."

Ruby offered a small smile and shrugged. "Maybe. But we don't know what's happened since they asked for us. Maybe things have gotten worse…?"

Perhaps. Weiss thought about the assignment, recalling Goodwitch's words as she'd spoken them. Recent Grimm activity had increased in the area and the town, rightfully concerned, had requested Hunters be sent. They hadn't been told when the request had been made, that wasn't for them to know. Given how large Vale was, though, and its number of towns, it wasn't unreasonable to think it had been made some time ago.

Maybe the residents were justified then in their sour attitudes. It would explain why Holbrook was all but silent, save for the occasional strike of a blacksmith's hammer or random shout. Still, Weiss couldn't help but feel annoyed. _We're here to help these people! It's not our fault they've had to wait. It's not like we purposefully avoided coming out._

Weiss sighed and shook her head. If the town was miserable then her grumpiness wasn't going to help anything, and the last thing anyone wanted was to give Grimm more reason to appear. Instead she forced a smile to match Ruby's and focused on finding the barracks instead.

Much like the rest of the town, the barracks were hardly impressive. With Holbrook settled at the base of Mount Glenn the rear of the town was carved directly into the rockface. Here the barracks stood, half wooden, half carved stone. It was clear that the residents had used whatever resources they had on hand to construct it as wooden beams sat exposed to the elements, and in place of glass windows were hanging cloth and shutters that creaked whenever a breeze caught them. The front of the building was made entirely of lumber, stacked so unevenly the roof slanted to the right.

An overhang outside covered barrels filled with spears, relatively few of which seemed in any decent state. A lone man in leather armor sat outside the barracks, fast asleep with a spent mug dangling from his fingers. His snores drowned out their footsteps as they approached and Weiss, against her wishes, reached out and nudged the man's shoulder. He stirred for a brief second before falling back asleep, swatting blindly at the air.

Weiss walked past the maladroit guardsman, grabbing the barracks door and throwing it wide open. Her patience fled as cool air flushed from the interior of the building. Light flooded from half a dozen windows, and combined with a large fireplace, illuminated the room.

Five men gathered around a table nearby looked up from their card game. Three were in leather armor, two in chain; none seemed pleased to see her or Ruby.

Captain Pine approached, one hand resting upon the hilt of his sword. "You found the place. Seems you're at least somewhat capable."

Venom hung on her lips and Weiss drew them back, exhaling through her nostrils. Ruby grabbed her hand and smiled, though silver eyes were strained and flashed a warning: don't antagonize them. Heeding her partner's sensibilities Weiss nodded. "We did. It wasn't difficult, given your directions." Which were about as vague as could be, she might add. "Am I to assume we'll be discussing our purpose here, now?"

The captain nodded, waving the girls over as he turned away. Weiss blew heated air through her lips and sniffed, lifting her head as she followed. The five men watched as they went, and she could feel their eyes on her, boring through her. Neither she nor Ruby looked the part of a Hunter: she was too dainty, Ruby too childlike.

And if they knew what Weiss was: a bastard, disowned and outcast. A halfling.

Laurel's quarters didn't instil any more awe than the main barracks themselves. Cut into the mountain itself, with a stone ceiling and walls made of carefully cut timbers, the space had obviously been fashioned as an afterthought. It was certainly decorated as such, with a few animal pelts hung on one of the walls, dyed in random colors.

"Sit and show me your missive again."

Weiss did as she was told, settling into a worn, wobbly chair. After handing over the parchment she frowned, watching the captain's expression turn from disgruntled to blatant spite. He scoffed and rolled the paper back, setting it on his desk. "You've come to wipe out the Grimm in the area, is that it?"

"That's what our mission statement said, yes."

"Well, then you're wasting your time. There are no Grimm, at least not near Holbrook."

What? Their information couldn't have been that old. If someone else had come to the town and cleared out the Grimm then the Church would have been informed, right? Weiss took her paper and packed it away.

"But sir, the Archbishop himself gave Weiss that scroll! He'd know if your town was safe or not. Are you sure that there are no Grimm?"

Laurel's frown deepened, and he leaned across the test, elbows on the table to pull himself closer. "Child, do you mean to imply I don't know what happens around my own town…?"

"N-No! I just… How would the Grimm have been killed? Holbrook doesn't have any Magi, right? N-Not that regular people can't kill a Grimm, just…" Ruby's voice faltered and she shifted nervously under the captain's gaze.

"Killing Grimm without magic is very difficult, even for trained soldiers," Weiss finished. "It isn't that we think you or your men incompetent, but it does warrant the question of how they were killed."

"Tell me. What would you suppose the population of Holbrook is? How many people live within our walls?" Weiss quirked her lips and tilted her head thoughtfully. "One hundred and fourteen," Laurel answered immediately, the question rhetorical. "And for that many people we have a measly force of ten. Nine really, given one of ours tends to be hopelessly drunk most days."

Weiss nodded as she counted off in her mind. There had been the two in the towers, then three that greeted them at the gates, including the captain. One outside the barracks - the drunkard, and five more men inside. "Ten…? Unless I'm mistaken, I counted eleven men in armor."

Laurel regarded her with a puzzled expression before sighing. "Ah, you mean the men in leather? They aren't guards, far from it. Those are civilians who are volunteering to help us."

"You're enlisting civilians?" Weiss repeated, bewildered. "But why? I'll grant you that a contingent of ten men is hardly fit to guard a settlement, but is asking untrained citizens to fight the solution?"

"When half of your force was wiped out, yes, I think it's a solution."

"Are you asking civilians to fight Grimm?!" Weiss balked at the very idea of it. Even soldiers trembled before the beasts. How as the common man expected to do any better?

The captain scoffed and waved his hand dismissively. "Don't be ridiculous, they're just here to keep order in town. My men and I know we're hardly a match for Grimm either. I'm not about to ask the plainclothes to do something my men or I can't."

"How did you get rid of the Grimm then…?" Ruby asked, bewildered. Weiss leaned slightly on her seat and stared at Laurel for answers.

"Isn't it obvious? The Church couldn't be bothered to send help, not until we were wiped out, apparently, so I did the only thing I could: I sought the help of mercenaries."

Weiss stood from her seat, nearly knocking it over as she kicked it back. "Let me see if I understand this correctly," she began, leaning forward and placing her hands on the table. "Rather than go through the proper channels, or seek another town's aide, you hired criminals to fight for you?"

"Should I have waited instead for the Grimm to tear down Holbrook's walls? To let the beasts ravage my people, or to have women and children torn to pieces by soulless monsters?" Laurel remained seated, leaning back and folding his hands. "Don't lecture me on what's right and wrong. You live behind Vale's towering, impenetrable walls. You don't know what it's like to lie in bed at night, sleepless, while Grimm howl and claw at your meager defenses."

She didn't know what that was like. In Atlas she'd been, however briefly, within Schnee manor, within a city more protected than any other. Even when she'd been exiled from her own home and ended up in Vale she was still leagues safer than any minor settlement or town could ever dream of.

And like that Weiss felt her fire turn to cinders, her anger a smoldering shadow. Averting her gaze, she returned to her seat, hanging her head and closing her eyes. "I… Spoke out of turn, and I apologize. I… Suppose I should have considered your situation more carefully."

"That you should have. But I suppose I can't blame you entirely. It's clear the Church wasn't as forthcoming about your mission. That…" Laurel shrugged. "Or they're actually as incompetent as I think and never received our second notice."

"Second notice…?" repeated Ruby.

"Aye. And considering the parchment your… Boss, whatever, gave you, it seems they didn't. The Grimm aren't a threat now, that much is true. We had asked for Hunters to help us recover some of our men instead."

"The missing guards?" The captain nodded, and Weiss leaned back in her seat, studying the man carefully. He seemed concerned, and rightfully so: half of his force was missing. "How long as it been since they went missing?"

"A little over a week."

 _They're likely dead._ For obvious reasons Weiss kept that comment to herself. Nodding, she rubbed the back of her hand and glanced at Ruby. "And these mercenaries you mentioned… Do you believe they might be somehow connected?"

"That's a bit of a stretch… But you're not wrong. Yes, I believe they're the reason for the disappearances. In fact, I'm positive they are. Tell me… Can you spot the difference between a wound made by a blade, and one made by Grimm?"

"A blade, unless terribly dulled, often creates a clean cut. Opposite that, a Grimm's fangs and claws often shred flesh like a jagged knife. So… Yes, I believe I'm aware of the difference." It had been part of their training, as strange as it had seemed at the time. Oobleck had spared no expense in making certain his students could tell the difference between the two.

"We found two of the men recently in a nearby pass. Slain, and from the wounds they sported, not by Grimm. Now, it could be bandits, but we've never had any in the area before, and there's little of value outside the mines, which are still littered with Grimm themselves. No, I think it was those men we hired."

"But what reason would they have to attack you like that? You hired them for a job and you paid them, so everyone should have been happy." Laurel frowned and glanced away, jaw tightening.

Weiss' eyebrows rose, and she leaned closer once more. "You did pay them… Right?"

"Holbrook isn't exactly well-to-do. We offered to pay them, and they accepted the terms. When it came time to pay them, however, they suddenly decided it wasn't enough and they wanted more Lien. We didn't have more, and so they stormed off, taking what we'd given them." Laurel rubbed at his face, then ran a hand through his hair with a long-winded sigh. "I expected them to retaliate somehow, sure, but not by kidnapping half of our guards."

This wasn't at all what they had expected. Weiss had anticipated Grimm, not bitter mercenaries trying to squeeze every last Lien out of a homely settlement. It would be easy to blame Laurel for the town's misgivings, for hiring the men in the first place when there was no guarantee they could afford it. Easy, and Weiss recognized, wrong. The mercenaries had clearly no intention of letting the town get off easily, perhaps even using extortion as an excuse to seek a blood price instead.

"If I am to understand correctly, and please, do feel free to stop me if I'm wrong," Weiss began. "You're asking us to try and locate these people, find your men, beat these mercenaries and return your people to you. Does that seem to be the gist of things?"

Laurel gave a stiff nod and said little more. "Sir… It's not that we don't sympathize with you, but…"

"I'll give you whatever you want from the town. We all want those men back, so whatever you want: Lien, goods… We can even secure ore from the mine if you'd like."

Weiss held up a hand to stop the captain from going further. "The price isn't the issue, sir. Killing Grimm is one thing, we're trained for that. And… I suppose, if I'm being frank, we're trained for… Killing people as well." Weiss paled and clenched her hands in her lap. "It's just... "

"We didn't want to ever have to do it," Ruby said. "Especially not on our first mission…"

For the first time since their arrival Laurel did something besides scowl. He offered a small nod and smile. "It's… Not something that any man should relish doing, and any who do are more beast than man. I still grow ill whenever I'm forced to turn my blade on someone else, but sometimes it's necessary."

Perhaps, though Weiss didn't like the idea any more than before hearing it. "We could… Perhaps we could broker a trade with the mercenaries? Something in exchange for your men's lives? If they're after Lien then… We could try and gather some, somehow. Perhaps a traveling merchant?"

"Oh! The others are in nearby towns, we could always ask them to pitch in!" Ruby exclaimed. She smiled broadly and clasped her hands together. "Between all of us we might have enough money to pay off the ransom."

At the far end of the desk Laurel began to laugh. He continued even as the young Hunters exchanged puzzled looks, holding up a hand as he wiped his eyes. "Were you not just a moment ago condemning me for paying these people?"

"This is different; they have hostages. This isn't pay for services due, this is a ransom." And short of killing the group Weiss wasn't entirely certain how else they could free the hostages. Unless… She looked down at her palm and smiled, bringing to life a single rune. With two bent lines on the outside, a vertical one in a middle, and a flat line horizontally beneath all three acting as a base, it was the rune for 'fire'.

"We don't have to kill them, far from it. I have magic that can subdue people. Well… Restrain, really. We can just best them in combat, tire them out, and once they're beaten, you and your men can arrest them." Weiss smiled at the captain. "Provided we can get knowledge of their magic beforehand, and a general idea of where their camp might be… We could feasibly pull this off."

It was a risky suggestion, and everyone present knew it. If successful they would recover the remaining guards, bring in some dangerous people, and potentially prevent further Grimm spawning via whatever misery might be created by the mercenaries. Should it run afoul, however… Well, executing prisoners wasn't something mercenaries were probably above.

"It's… Possible. I'll discuss it with the others, see if we don't have any other options."

"That's all we can ask. I do need to point out, however: Hunters don't typically handle missing persons cases. Though…" Weiss tapped her finger on her knee thoughtfully. "I'm sure that changes if a few vagabond Magi are involved, and it's safe to assume they do have Magi, yes?"

"Of course, it's how they were able to handle the Grimm so easily."

"Well… Rescuing your men or not, we can't let a group of roaming Magi terrorize towns, can we Ruby?" Weiss asked with a smile.

"Nope! It's our duty to make sure they don't do… Well, that!" Ruby snickered. "Well, that, and to kick Grimm butt!"

Not as eloquently put as Weiss would have phrased it but close enough. Rising from her seat she offered the captain a hand, shaking it and smiling. "Please, take the evening to consider my plan, or come up with a new one entirely. We are here to help, after all. Just because the nature of our mission hasn't changed doesn't mean we can't still lend our aid."

Laurel finally gave an earnest smile, releasing Weiss' hand only to shake Ruby's vigorously. "I'll send word as soon as we've made a decision. Until then, and I'm afraid it might not be much, but we do have housing arranged for you two."

"About that… I hadn't seen an inn anywhere in town earlier. Did we… Miss it?" Weiss asked.

"Unfortunately, no. Holbrook doesn't get nearly enough traffic to justify an inn. No, one of our residents has agreed to provide lodging for the Hunters who arrived. I should warn you, however." Laurel itched at his bare scalp. "He's not overly fond of the idea. In all honesty he drew the short straw when deciding, so don't expect the warmest of welcomes."

 _Because the one you gave us was oh so friendly._ "I'm sure it won't be terrible. And besides, anything is preferable to sleeping outside in a tent."

"If you say so…" Laurel muttered.

With that vote of confidence Weiss and Ruby left the barracks, making their way to their temporary housing. The captain had provided directions clear enough to find the home, yet Weiss still found herself double-guessing. Holbrook wasn't large by any stretch of the imagination. From the center of town, one could see the outer walls with ease, just barely taller than the single-story buildings within.

Due to the lack of resources, or rather, a variety of resources, every building looked the same. Shops had signs and storehouses lacked windows but otherwise every building was made of timbers and little else. Sturdy, easily replaceable, given enough wood - of which Holbrook had plenty nearby. Weiss found the town to be horribly bland in appearance, especially compared to the ornate, sometimes ostentatious buildings found in Vale.

The home they would be staying at was one of the very few two-story structures. The bottom floor served as a shop, a dusty, worn sign out front designating it as a carpenter's. Sawdust and metal shavings littered the front yard, a workbench left unkempt with several piles of nails and a hammer left laying idly: no one was going to steal from a carpenter, not when they were the ones who maintained your home.

Weiss had the mind to go directly to the front door and knock until her ears caught wind of a low grinding sound. She frowned, circling around the house, ducking under a low branch that hung out from a nearby birch. The noise grew louder, and she realized it was the sound of a saw cutting through wood, its teeth chewing away at pulp and fiber greedily. The back of the house was open and even more disorganized than the front had been. Half-finished furniture stood in random clumps, with chairs missing backs, a table leaning precariously on two legs, and a cabinet without doors. They were fine pieces, Weiss assumed, though clearly unfinished.

Sawdust kicked up as she walked through the yard, clinging to her shoes and the bottoms of her trousers. A man was leaned over a low table, oblivious as they approached, diligently cutting into a long plank. Weiss stopped short and cleared her throat loudly, meaningfully. When the man didn't notice she did it again, smiling politely as he finally acknowledged them.

He didn't look pleased to have company. Maybe it was because his work had been interrupted, or maybe because he knew who it was. Either way he frowned, setting down his saw and removing thick leather gloves. "You must be the Hunters…?"

"Yes sir, we were told to come see you about housing?" Weiss said, asked really. She glanced at the man's house and wondered if it was in the same disorderly state as his yard.

With a small huff the carpenter nodded. "Aye. Well, let's get you in, then. Sooner you're put away the sooner I can get back to work."

Sawdust fell away as the carpenter dusted himself down, though plenty more remained clung to his black tunic and arms. In the shadow of several trees they moved through the cluttered yard and to the back door. Hinges creaked as it opened, and Weiss winced, raising a hand to cover one of her ears. Stepping inside, she carefully knocked her shoes against the floor by the door to rid them of litter: it wouldn't be polite to track a mess into the home.

The carpenter didn't bother, throwing his gloves onto a nearby table and running his hands over his stubbled face. "Oi, Lauren! Hunters are here!" he shouted, glancing back at Weiss and Ruby with a frown. "They're a couple of little girls. Told you they'd sent runts."

Why the nerve of… She should teach that oaf some manners! Weiss grit her teeth, but it was Ruby who spoke first. "I'm not little! I drink milk!" Not the time for that argument, you dolt. Undeterred, the brunette smiled and pointed at Weiss. "She's short, but she's older than me! So… Neither of us are little!"

Scratch that, now she wanted to reprimand Ruby instead. Overhead footsteps struck the floor, muted by carpet; the footsteps grew louder when Lauren came down the stairs, holding up the skirt of a long red dress. "Oh, they're here already? I haven't finished setting up the rooms." The woman paused when she reached the bottom step, her young face twisting into a furious scowl. "Riole, I told you not to bring that mess inside! Now I'll have to clean again!"

Riole grumbled unintelligibly, waving a hand as he turned back for the door. "Aye, aye. I got work to finish. See they're put up, won't you?"

Ruby shifted awkwardly on Weiss' right and visibly strained to maintain a smile. For her part Weiss rolled her eyes, wondering why in the world the universe decided this was to be their first mission. Not that the universe decided, obviously - Ozpin was powerful and influential but he was, very clearly, _not_ something so grand. Why did he see fit to send them to somewhere so clearly unwelcoming?

 _Probably to show us our jobs won't always be easy._ Unlike her abrasive husband Lauren offered a small smile and waved the girls along. "It's not much," she explained as she started up the steps again, "But we've got just enough room for you both. I hope it's to your liking."

Glad for the civility at long last Weiss managed a smile and followed the woman upstairs. There wasn't much to see, really. A narrow hall with four doors made up the entirety of the second floor, with faded paintings hanging from the walls. Two of the doors were open, one on each side, and Lauren stopped between them. "These were our children's rooms. They're a bit small, and I couldn't really get new bedding in time so…"

"Whatever you've provided is sure to be enough, thank you."

Making way for them Lauren stepped back, allowing Ruby and Weiss to inspect their rooms. Bland, just like everything else in Holbrook so far. A graying carpet covered part of the floor, a dresser to the left, tucked in a corner, and a bed opposite that. It was the entire room, those three pieces, and a lone window between the dresser and bed to allow light in. A cursory glance across the hall told Weiss that Ruby's room was much in the same.

Their hostess looked concerned and Weiss assuaged her worry with a smile. "It's more than enough, thank you," she said. Lauren visibly relaxed and nodded. Sparse, sure, but preferable to spending another evening in a tent and on the hard ground.

"I'm glad. Dinner will be ready in an hour, please feel free to relax until then." Lauren gestured towards the door beyond Ruby's, the last before the one at the end of the hall. "There's a washroom there if you need to freshen up. I'll get you two when it's done."

Riole might be abrasive but at least his wife was making efforts to be accommodating. Maybe Holbrook wasn't without manners after all. As their hostess excused herself and disappeared back down the stairs Weiss considered what she should do next. A bath sounded lovely, but with no change of clothing it would be ultimately moot. Then again, after three days traveling without any refreshment, maybe she should do it for virtue of feeling clean alone. Did Ruby want to go as well? She thought to offer first, turning her eyes from the stairs to her partner. "Would you care to wash yourself first? I can wait a bit longer if you'd like…"

"Nah! I might before bed, but I'm in no hurry! Besides, I don't smell that bad!" Ruby tried to prove a point by sniffing herself only to wrinkle her nose and turn away. "A-Anyways, I want to take a nap! My butt's sore from riding and I'm pretty beat. So…" She stretched her arms and groaned as she popped her back. "All yours, Weiss!"

Tempting though it may be Weiss shook her head. There was something else she wanted to do first. "Go take a nap, I'll see you at dinner, okay?" Ruby tilted her head quizzically before smiling and nodding. Giving Weiss a hug, much to her chagrin, the silver-eyed girl skipped into her room, waving exaggeratedly before closing the door.

Gods above she did smell. Curious, Weiss grabbed her own shirt and took a whiff, wrinkling her nose. She'd have to ask about washing their clothes too. Maybe they had a basin outside, or if nothing else, perhaps a pond nearby.

Weiss didn't think she'd ever put anything above cleanliness, and under normal circumstances she wouldn't. Something had been agitating her since she'd arrived in Holbrook. The town was unwelcoming, yes, but given the tardiness of their apparent arrival - something not of their own doing, she might add, it was understandable.

Weiss crept down the stairs, pausing at the bottom to look for Lauren. The woman was in the kitchen just off the living room, cutting up vegetables for supper. Weiss frowned and snuck out of the house, careful to close the door behind her without a sound. What she didn't understand was if other towns were nearby why Holbrook had to resort to mercenaries to protect itself.

Settlements often helped each other in times of need. It wasn't altruistic, Weiss wasn't so naive to assume that. Another town nearby meant more people capable of fending off Grimm, or bandits, or whatever threatened your home. And, in a more cynical way of thinking, more towns meant more targets for would-be aggressors. Letting Holbrook fall wouldn't make sense.

Not unless other towns wanted Holbrook to disappear. It was a stretch and an idea brought on by a sudden whim, but it was too nagging, too prevalent in Weiss' thoughts to ignore. Perhaps a little bit of snooping around would provide some answers, or if nothing else, dismiss her concerns outright.

The people here in Holbrook were bitter. Angry at Hunters, Weiss had assumed, a notion corroborated by their cold reception. But what if there was another reason for their distant disregard?

So much for a straightforward first mission.

* * *

 **I promise you that Laurel having "Pine" isn't at all foreshadowing about anything. Nope. Tooooottally irrelevant.**

 **Thanks for reading, ya'll! Hope you have a wonderful week, and as always, any and all feedback is appreciated. Stay awesome!**


	11. Chapter 11: Gratitude

**I'd like to apologize for that extended absence. I won't go into detail, both because I don't want to bore ya'll, and frankly a lot of its quite personal.**

 **I had a lot of family stuff come up, as well as personal stuff, and these past few weeks have been pretty emotionally and physically draining to say the least. I've had zero drive to write as a result which is infuriating when you have the entire plan right in front of you. But I digress.**

 **Things still aren't great. They're better, but not great. That said I'm going to be trying to write again and post as regularly as possible because goodness knows my sanity needs it.**

 **This blurb or whatever isn't to get pity from anyone, I'm just explaining why it's been a long time - by my standards, since my last upload.**

 **Now, with the nitty gritty, mopey wopey out of the way, here's Yang!**

* * *

Yang's back tensed as she heaved, putting all of her weight into her efforts. A tree three times her size and many more her weight balanced precariously over one shoulder. The Dimuran's jaw clenched, and with a grunt she stood from her squat, lifting the tree into the air. It was awkward going for the first few steps yet once she found a rhythm walking with her bulbous load wasn't too difficult.

Men gawked as she strode past them, grinning and waving with her free hand. Many of the same men had glowered at her earlier that morning, calling her names and giving her the cold shoulder treatment. Many now looked meek or awestruck. _Not going to be mouthing off anymore, are ya?_ Yang mused, chuckling to herself. Carrying a tree was a pretty good deterrent for mouthy men.

A narrow stone bridge crossed the gap between Alabaster's outer walls and the mill proper. Workers moved to the very edge to make way for Yang, some ducking to avoid being knocked out cold. More still stepped off the road entirely to make space, and the few minding the door didn't need to be told twice to open them wide for her.

Taking a second to adjust the tree she grimaced as sap clung to her shoulder and neck, leaving her clothing sticky. Wood chips and strips of bark peeled away, revealing insects inside. A lesser woman might have panicked. Yang didn't. She was perfectly reasonable, holding a hand by the wood and burning the writhing creatures alive. Okay, maybe there was a _slight_ panic as a maggot fell onto her shirt, but she managed not to freak out. Just… Flick it away and burn it for good measure.

Low-bearing wooden archways made her shift the log into an underarm position, leaving Yang teetering a bit as she carried it through. More workers slipped into side rooms or sat on the floor, dodging what few limbs had yet to be stripped away. Once through the hall she made it into the wide-open sawmill. Gears ground together, teeth gnashing furiously as the water wheel outside forced them along in perpetual motion. Saws with teeth sharp as any blade cut through logs with ease and littered the floor with wood chips.

The tree hit the floor with a heavy _thunk._ Bark fell away, and small limbs snapped, and Yang took a moment to brush herself down, plucking a few pine needles from her hair. The foreman, a stout, aged man with a mustache as bushy as her hair came forward. Beady brown eyes darted between her and the latest tree she'd brought in, pudgy, sausage-like fingers wringing together nervously.

"That's the last of them!" Yang grinned and slapped her hand onto the tree, immediately regretting it. Sap stuck to her fingers and she looked around, whistling as she pat the back of a passing worker. All clean!

Nodding, the foreman smiled weakly. "Yes… That's… The last of them," he repeated. "That was… Remarkably quick."

"Aw, it was nothing! I've handled way heavier things!" Yang popped her back and grunted, then followed with her shoulder and neck. "Need a hand with anything else? Setting them up? Moving some of the lumber?"

"Actually, erm… I was hoping to speak to you about that…" The foreman glanced back and Yang rose onto her toes, peering into a small side room. A group of men leaned out and watched the exchange from afar, their faces a mixture of contempt, nerves and disgust.

She had a pretty good idea where this was going already. Yang smiled nonetheless and placed her hands on her hips. "So, I'm guessing I'm not getting that Lien ya promised, eh?"

"No, no, you're still being paid! We wouldn't dream of not paying you!" the foreman assured her, waving his hands frantically. "I-In fact we even decided to give you a bonus for finishing so quickly!"

Okay so she was still getting paid. That was good. So why was the little guy sweating so bad? "'Kay…" Yang drawled, looking up and blowing bangs from her vision, growling and swiping them back with her hand. "What's the problem then, bossman?"

"The problem? Oh, well, um… S-See, there are a few people here that are… Um, how shall I put this… Not exactly _receptive_ to your being here."

"Oh? And why's that?" The Dimuran smirked, leaning forward and cocking her head to the side. half breed, or an outsider?"

"A-All of the above, I'm afraid. You've been remarkably helpful but, well, many of my workers are growing agitated. You're… Making them look bad, I believe, and they're threatening to stop working until you're sent away."

Wait, seriously? That was actually a problem? Yang was doing these people's work for them and they wanted to complain? She had to laugh, and so she did, her voice filling the now silent mill. "Aw, did I hurt their little egos? Make them feel small?"

The foreman didn't answer, looking away and shrinking again under so many watchful gazes. Oh, Yang was acutely aware of how many disdainful looks she was getting. They could stare all they wanted - it wasn't like these people could actually _do_ anything to her.

"Fine, fine. I'll just take my pay and beat it, then." Yang grinned and held her hand out expectantly. "I wouldn't wanna hurt anyone else's feelings after all!"

"Ah… Thank you for your understanding, m-miss. It's nothing personal, just business."

Riiiiight, business. Good excuse for misogyny and racism. Yang plucked the Lien pouch straight from the foreman's belt and tousled what little hair remained on his round head. It would be so easy for her to get angry or break something but then she'd only be justifying these people's hatred of her. She'd be the better person, even if she really, _really_ didn't want to.

No one said a word to her on her way out. Not that it was weird: no one spoke to her on the way in either. Oh, but there were plenty of stares, and she was sure if she looked back she'd catch a few crude gestures too.

Sunlight blinded her as she stepped out of the murky mill, shielding her eyes as she twirled her earnings. She could tell from the weight alone it wasn't much, probably less than the average worker got. Still, anything was more than having zero. A few incoming workers passed her on the way up the hill into town and she grinned at them, returning their glares with a winning smile. Or maybe it was a losing one considering they were still glaring. Whatever.

Her reception in the town square wasn't much better. Alabaster was busiest early in the mornings and most of the town congregated in the square. More people naturally meant more unpleasant stares.

Yang smiled warmly at a woman behind the counter. Her small shop held most of Alabaster's produce, which was just about all she could afford with her measly pay. What she'd love would be a perfectly seared steak, a few potatoes stewed in broth and maybe a nice loaf of bread on the side. What she could afford was two apples and a small bushel of berries. Not even strawberries, icky blackberries. Her sister _loved_ strawberries and Yang, after years, had managed to not completely hate them either.

"Fourteen Lien," the owner said curtly, her palm outstretched.

Yang raised an eyebrow and glanced back at the small signs. "Pretty sure it was ten when I counted…"

"Prices went up. Fourteen lien," the woman repeated.

Setting her jaw and smiling through tight lips Yang dug through her pouch and tossed the Lien onto the counter. The woman glared, because that seemed to be the only expression anyone in this town knew how to make. Yang kept on smiling all the way to the door, making sure to slam it closed on her way out. Was that a hinge that broke? Oops.

Three days. She'd chased away the White Fang, managed to keep the town's storehouse mostly intact and theft free, and even taken up a part-time job at the mill. That had been three days ago and people's opinion of her hadn't seemed to change much: if anything, it had gotten worse.

She was used to getting stares. Despite her race men of all walks of life often liked to let their eyes linger a bit longer than they should. Some women too, though those were usually stares born of jealousy, not longing.

No one in Alabaster eyed her like a piece of meat, like some prize to be won. If anyone did view her as meat, then it was diseased and rancid. Men turned their eyes way and noses up in her presence. Women pulled their children away and even the youth, tainted by their upbringings, made a wide berth any time she passed them by.

Devin and his family were the only ones to give her any modicum of hospitality since arriving in Alabaster. Trina greeted Yang with a warm smile as she arrived back at the small house. Cassie, energetic as always, bound over to meet Yang at the gate. "You're back!" the four-year old exclaimed, bouncing on her feet and smiling wide.

"Sure am! And lookee what I gotcha!" Yang held out the blackberries and snickered when Cassie's eyes grew wide. "Go on, it's all yours! It's a reward for being such a cutie!"

Not needing to be told twice the toddler accepted her gift with all the grace a four-year-old could muster. Squealing, she clutched the container to her chest and skipped in circles around Yang.

"Cassie, what do you say when someone gives you a gift?"

"Thank yooooou!"

Yang laughed, reaching down and tussling the little girl's hair. "Don't mention it! Just don't eat 'em too fast, 'kay? Don't wanna choke!"

The toddler already had a handful of berries hovering by her mouth when Yang warned her. Gray eyes shined with excitement and she flashed a smile, giggling as she picked at her snack one by one. Letting the little girl sit in the grass Yang laughed when their husky, Luna, tried to steal some of the blackened treats.

"You didn't have to get her something, you know," Trina said.

"I know, but I saw 'em and thought she might like something! Besides it didn't cost that much!"

"Well, we appreciate it. Trying to get her to eat fruits sometimes is a nightmare," Trina smiled, dusting her dirtied hands off on her gray skirt. "It feels like we have this garden for nothing sometimes."

Yang peeked around the other woman, eyeing the assortment of vegetables longingly. Her stomach growled and red tinted her scales, drawing a sheepish grin out of the Dimuran. "Well uh… Ya know, I don't really mind veggies myself…"

"We're making a stew for lunch, if you're hungry. Which judging by the fact you're drooling…" Yang checked herself and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand. Trina laughed and smiled apologetically. "You're invited, naturally. Devin just went down to the markets to get some meat, he should be back soon."

"No kidding? I musta just missed him then."

Trina tossed a few carrots and radishes into her wicker basket, slinging it over her arm. "Well, I'm sure he'll be quite glad to see you're done with work. How was the mill today?"

"Uh, about that…" Yang grinned and rubbed the back of her neck. "They sorta… Fired me, I think. Though not 'cuz I did anything wrong!" she added quickly. Glancing back at the nearby Cassie she lowered her voice, cupping a hand at her mouth and leaning forward. "It's because the guys there got sticks up their butts and can't stand the fact I was doing a better job."

"And let me guess, your being half-Dimuran had something to do with it too?" Yang nodded. It hadn't been said outright but the looks on the workers' faces said it all. The only reason for foreman probably hadn't made any disparaging remark to her face was he worried about being launched through the roof of the mill. "Those men are so unreasonable."

"Ah, whatever. Just a part-time job, ya know? Didn't expect to stay here long anyways!"

In fact, Yang hadn't anticipated spending more than a single evening in Alabaster. The White Fang had seen to that though and forced her hand. Would they come back? Probably, and that knowledge, like an executioner's axe hovering over the throat of the town, created enough guilt to prompt Yang to stay.

She couldn't stay in Alabaster indefinitely. She knew that, the White Fang knew that, and sooner or later she'd have to leave. What would become of the town then? Would the organization even wait for her to leave? Yang turned to watch Cassie giggle and wrestle with Luna, the small husky wagging its tail, slapping against its own hind quarters with a dull thump.

As far as Magi were concerned she was powerful, far more than someone her age had any right to be. But she was still only one person. What could she hope to accomplish against a dozen enemy Magi? Two dozen? She had no idea what the White Fang might throw at her, what lengths they might go to to punish her and Alabaster for their defiance. A defiance that came from Devin and a handful of other optimistic - or perhaps suicidal residents.

Luna barked in excitement and bound towards the gate. Devin had returned from the markets and for a moment Yang grinned, keen to cook whatever meats he'd purchased. Not only was the man empty handed, however, but his clothing was dirtied. He walked past his bounding pet silently and Yang noticed his blackened, swollen eye. A bit of dry, crusted blood clung to his upper lip and his hair was matted.

"Devin!" Trina rushed to his side and grabbed his arm as he teetered. Yang took the stool the housewife had been using to garden and set it nearby, helping the other woman ease Devin onto the seat. "What happened to you?!"

Devin rubbed at his good eye and winced, his hand brushing against the bruised bridge of his nose. "Some of our neighbors aren't happy with how things went…" One look at Yang said the rest. News couldn't have taken long to spread, not in a town as small as Alabaster. By now everyone knew what she'd done, how they - or more accurately, how Yang had denied the White Fang and sent them packing.

And brought down the organization's ire upon everyone's heads.

"But they beat you? What good does that do?" Trina knelt before her husband and began to clean his face as best she could.

"They can't attack the White Fang, so they're going for the next best thing," Yang stated bluntly. She'd probably be the real target, but the residents were privy to what she was; unless they tried to kill her in her sleep, a very real possibility, a normal person had no hope of beating a Magi in a fight. Even a town full of them.

Cassie had long since stopped her play and toddled over to the gathering. One look at her father's bruised, bloodied face brought tears to her eyes and the toddler whined, reaching for Devin with short arms. "Papa!" she wailed, burying her face in his shoulder once lifted.

Blood boiling, Yang looked down the road, past the knotted oaks hanging over the dirt road, through bushes and homes towards the center of town. She could go down there and find the men who did this. Beating them up would be child's play. Hell, killing them wouldn't even make her break a sweat.

"Don't," Devin warned. He met Yang's eyes and shook his head. "They weren't wrong to be angry. I… We were wrong to do what we did. We saved a wagon of supplies, sure, but now the White Fang is going to be furious. Alabaster will be attacked because of what we did."

"And so they thought to attack you? How does that make things right?" pleaded Trina.

"It doesn't." Yang watched as the small family drew into itself, both parents turning to comfort a fitful Cassie. Luna whimpered and buried her snout in Devin's side, then nudged at the crying toddler.

"We have to leave…"

Devin's declaration was barely heard over Cassie's wails. Trina stared at her husband, aghast. "What…?"

"They told me we have to leave, or things will just get worse for us." Devin's face crumpled in equal parts anger and pain. He eased Luna back from his chest and Yang wondered if he might have sustained more injuries than were visible. "They warned it would get worse. Said we can either turn ourselves in to the White Fang and pay reparations, or they'll kill us themselves and hope it's enough."

"That's insanity! They won't do that over one wagon!"

Yang liked to think not, and she wanted to tell Trina that Devin was wrong, but clearly the townsfolk believed it. Nothing was worse than an entire town of frantic, agitated people. "What's going to happen to Alabaster…" Devin muttered, haggardly hanging his head. "If this keeps up, if everyone panics, the Grimm…"

"Grimm will be the least of Alabaster's problem." Damn it, this was her fault! Yang growled and swung her fist at a tree, splintering wood and cracking the trunk. Cassie whimpered, and she immediately dropped her arm to her side. "Hey, it's… It's gonna be okay, alright? No one's going to hurt your daddy anymore."

"Where will we go? You can't honestly mean to send us to those people…"

"Of course I don't!" Devin shouted, then cringed when his daughter whimpered in his arm. "I'd never do that," he added softly, kissing Cassie's forehead and rubbing her back. "We… I know some people. They live in a town near Mount Glenn, only a few days from here. We could go there, maybe move in."

Trina paled, and for good reason. Yang didn't like the idea any more than Devin's wife, but given the alternatives it really might be the only option. At least no angry mob had come back with Devin; Yang wouldn't have been able to resist knocking a few heads for what they'd done, had someone been stupid enough to show up. As things stood only a tree had suffered for it.

"When do you have to leave…?"

"Today. They want us gone by tonight at the absolute latest," Devin answered.

Not a whole lot of time to decide. That was probably the point. Yang growled again and ran a hand through her hair, mentally kicking herself. She'd been so eager to muck up anything of the White Fang's that she hadn't stopped to consider what might happen. Now a family was paying for her mistake. Hell, the entire town was probably screwed whether Devin left or not.

 _If they don't want him though then screw this place. These three are the best the town has to offer. Without them here this place sucks._ "I'll take you guys there. There's probably going to be Grimm out, not to mention bandits, or even White Fang." Yang managed a ghost of a smile and pounded a fist on her chest. "You can count on me!"

"I've put you through enough trouble as it is. We can't ask you to do that for us," Devin said, shaking his head.

"Then how are you gonna get there in one piece? There's lots of stuff out there that'll try and kill you, ya know." Yang wasn't trying to scare these people, she was just being honest. Remnant was dangerous on its best days and downright lethal most others. Without a Magi, or even a few guards, most travelers were in danger just leaving settlements.

"She's right, Devin. We need her help if we're leaving," Trina added. She smiled at Yang and nodded. "We'd appreciate your protection, Yang. Thank you."

They shouldn't be thanking her. This was all her fault. Without her compliance Devin wouldn't be able to defy the White Fang. Hell, she'd lied about who she was - her name, the fact she was a Hunter, and even what she was up to. Yet none of that seemed to matter to these people. Devin hadn't even told anyone she was rogue, letting his family and the town believe she was a Hunter all along.

Yang felt a lump form in her throat and she cleared it stubbornly, forcing a wide grin as she gave a thumbs up. "Don't mention it! It was getting kinda stuffy around here anyways, and it'll be nice to have some company for a change!"

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up." With Yang's help they got Devin to his feet. Hearing the man wince and listening to his strained breathing all but confirmed some bruised - if not broken ribs. Nothing Yang could help with, frowning as she lifted Devin's arm over her shoulders, leaning forward a bit to match his height. She didn't have an ounce of healing magic.

Another life she'd ruined, all because she couldn't just keep to herself. Yang smiled when she caught Cassie staring at her, heartstrings snapping when the young girl, despite her tears, managed to smile back.

She'd make damn sure these three got to wherever they were heading. She owed them that much.

/+/+/+/+/

Gratitude was a hard thing to come by.

Sure, Yang knew her actions had probably - definitely made things in Alabaster more complicated. The arrangement with the White Fang hadn't been perfect but at least it had been clear: give us what we want and you're left to do your own thing. Then she'd gone and picked a fight, threatened to scorch the supplies they'd come for, and pissed off a whole lotta people in the process.

Did she regret it? Partly. Devin's plea to put those jerks in their place had prompted her to act. Logic, which as usual was just a bit too slow to catch up with her, told her she shouldn't have intervened.

Grumbling as she felt a rock in her boot Yang reached down and undid her straps, removing it and shaking the offender free. The wagon continued on ahead of her and after strapping her boot back on she raced after it, easily falling in line beside the vehicle.

The air was thick and unpleasant, and it wasn't just the heat or fatigue making it so.

Now, Devin and his family might be without a place to call home. He knew someone by Mount Glenn but that was hardly a hospitable swathe of land. Settled by a bunch of miners, conscripts and folks with nowhere else to go the settlements around there were hardly what Yang might call 'home'. Yet unless the family with her wanted to become nomads it would have to do.

Despite the clear animosity shown by the residents Yang still couldn't help but worry about Alabaster's fate. The White Fang had wanted them turned over or dead and neither had happened. The organization would come back and take supplies, probably more than they'd originally demanded, and maybe a few heads along with it. Yang had tried to point out the idiocy of sending away the lone Magi in town, but the residents would hear none of it. Honestly, it's like the people in town were welcoming their own demise.

Laughter erupted from the covered wagon and Yang peered back over her shoulder. Cassie squealed, and her tiny feet slapped against the floor as she ran in the enclosed space, possibly trying to avoid her mother. Luna barked, and Yang could hear her tail slapping furiously against boards.

"The weather's holding up. We're lucky in that regard." Devin smiled, his face wan and tired. Bruises didn't help him and if Yang was honest he looked like shit.

"Sure are. Though dunno how long it's gonna last." Gesturing over her shoulder with her thumb she nodded at the cluster of gray hanging over Alabaster. At least where she was pretty sure Alabaster was. A few hours removed made it a hesitant guess at best.

"At least we have the wagon for cover, though…" Devin paused and nursed the bruise under his eye. "Not sure if we can all fit, not with the junk we brought with us."

"I can sleep outside, ya know. Wouldn't be the first time."

"Oh, no, that wasn't what I was suggesting at all!" Devin hurriedly answered. "I'm sure if we moved some things around we could make space."

"And sleep on top of each other?" Yang flashed a playful grin and shook her head. "Nah. Somehow I think Trina would kill me for that. Seriously Dev, don't sweat it. I can find a place to sleep no problem!"

She could find something, sure, but getting to sleep was another matter. Traveling constantly, coupled with being unable to safely rest in towns, left Yang often without a bed to sleep in. Or even a roof over her head. She'd become rather adept at tying herself to tree branches or crafting a leanto. Her muscles would ache, and she'd sleep like crap nine times out of ten but she'd sleep all the same.

Devin didn't appear happy and made it known with a deep frown that agitated his injured face. "Ah… Well, at least let me see if we have a canvas you can use. It'll keep out rain better than some branches."

"Sure, sounds swell," Yang agreed.

Her canteen jostled on her hip, the empty container echoing as it bounced. Yang fingered it thoughtfully as she looked around for a water source, then smiled when Devin offered his own. "Thanks." A few tiny sips, hardly enough to quench her thirst. Until they found water that wasn't standing or stagnant they'd have to ration what they had.

"You're positive you don't want to ride with us? I could move over…"

"Nah, I'd rather walk," Yang answered. She handed back the canteen and licked her dry lips. "'Sides, the horse they gave us isn't exactly, uh… Good." It was probably at one point a stallion, now fit for little more than menial labor. Its hair had grown a touch too long and there was a visible scar on the horse's shoulder. A mark left by a Grimm.

Riding would be nice, and gods knew her feet would appreciate it. A few days of leisure - by her standards, let the blisters heal a little. Then hours of walking at a brisk pace undid most of that. _Hopefully whatever town we get to has healers. Is that abusing power, askin' them to heal a few blisters?_

"By the way… I'm sorry about all this." Yang tilted her head and stared at Devin questioningly.

"All what?" she asked.

"Getting you involved. They were all right, it was dumb what we did. Ain't no way it would've ever worked out, I realize that now."

Yang shrugged. "A dying animal still fights back. Just cuz your back is to the wall doesn't mean you can't do something. I'd say the whole town ought to be apologizing to you and your friends." Some friends though. Devin had mentioned others in town shared his sentiments yet not one had come forward in his defense. "They gave up. They're all cowards." And bigots, and weak, and selfish, not to mention outright stupid. Yang bit her tongue: no sense in beating that dead horse any more.

"Maybe, but 'least they're cowards with homes and walls to keep them safe."

Without anything meaningful to say back Yang shrugged again, looking ahead down the road. Safe until the White Fang or someone else showed up looking for an easy score. Though as far as places to raid were concerned Alabaster didn't make a whole lot of sense. It was secluded, not exactly the wealthiest, and had just enough to get by. Unless you needed some lumber Yang was hard pressed to see why anyone would bother going so far out of their way.

In a growing list of things that didn't make much sense this was close to the top. There had to be more of a reason than a few supplies, Yang just didn't see it.

The air crackled and roared behind them, the sky bellowing at the world below. Yang caught flashes, streaks of light across the sky. Rain was probably coming down in buckets over Alabaster right now and at the pace they were moving it wouldn't be long until the summer storm overtook them too.

"We should find somewhere to stop soon," the half-Dimuran noted. "Maybe find a cluster of trees, shield us from most of the rain."

Devin agreed, and they found a place among the forest to settle in and brace themselves. The wagon wouldn't provide much cover. Yang insisted the family keep the canvas for themselves to cover the opening, keep themselves dry.

Yang wouldn't be sleeping. She suspected she'd be too busy for it.

/+/+/+/+/

Lightning cracked overhead, loud as a whip, casting the forest below in an eerie purple light. Thunder shook the ground and made Yang's ears ring painfully. If she were something else - Meera, Ydran, or even Kanin, her ears would probably be bleeding from that blast.

Her fist connected with the jaw of a Creep and bone shattered. Driving her hand through its lower jaw she tugged the limb free, grabbing the fizzling corpse and using it to bludgeon another. Lightning and thunder worked wonders to cover the scuffle outside the wagon. Devin and his family were huddled inside with little more than canvas and an irate husky to protect them. It was enough: the Grimm were far more interested in Yang.

Mud kicked up as Yang danced across the open road. Holes filled with murky water and splashed whenever she or a Grimm moved through it. Visibility was low, the only real visual she had on the beasts were the telltale glow of their eyes. A glow her own eyes matched.

Gritting her teeth and sneering she caught a Beowolf's arm and twisted her body, tearing the limb at the joint and breaking it. Hanging uselessly at its side the creature howled in rage and raised its good claw, staggering as Yang bat it aside casually. Silencing a snarl with a hard-right hook she grinned as the Beowolf reeled, kicking its knee and snapping the limb inward harshly.

Stomping through the mud she chased it with concussive blows, punch after punch rocking its body. Black mist poured from its figure before it even hit the ground and her final punch, aimed at its head, blew it apart like it was little more than glass.

The remaining Grimm took exception to that. A chorus of howls filled the night air around her, dozens of red, baleful eyes piercing through the darkness. Lightning cracked and revealed Creeps and Beowolves around her, some emerging from the treeline while others rushed down the muddied road. Yang dug her feet in and lowered herself, grinning as a Creep lunged for her shoulder. She fed it her bracer instead and pulled it close as teeth clamped harmlessly around metal. Cocking back her free hand she let it fly, delivering enough force to make a trebuchet green with envy. The Creep's head collapsed, and its jaw went slack in an instant.

Another flash of lightning revealed a dozen black silhouettes converging on her. Like a stop-motion movie their movements seemed janky, unnatural. Without magic to help her she braced for the first few and began to dodge and strike swiftly. The ground was wet and made movement difficult, for her and her enemy both. Luckily, she had a little experience in mud wrestling - not that kind, she noted with a smirk. Grimm?

Yang sneered as a Creep lost its footing and ended up on its back, stubby legs flailing helplessly. Rolling side to side it tried to turn over and snarled as Yang's heel crashed down onto its chest, collapsing under an axe kick. Another was bat out of the air like a fly, pummeled to oblivion in a flurry of blows.

The rain was cold. Clothing clung to her frame, scales glistened and skin, littered with goosebumps, was slick to the touch. Yang tossed her head and flung hair from her face before ducking under a Beowolf's claws, bobbing and weaving through its furious onslaught. One claw caught her bracer and she swore she saw it smile, right up until she buried its snout in the back of its head. Using the fading corpse as a weapon she hauled it around and slammed it into a Creep, throwing it and the corpse into a nearby tree.

Shadows raced around her as Grimm vied for an angle of attack. They were dumb creatures driven purely by instinct, Yang knew, but even they were smart enough to recognize piling onto one another wouldn't make attacking her any easier. At least Yang thought they were smart enough.

Two Creeps collided midair as she rolled beneath them. A Beowolf's claw sundered the mushy ground, scoring five deep scars in the road. Another snapped furiously at the air as saliva hit Yang's face and mixed with rainwater. She spun on her back foot and kicked the side of the beast's head, then jumped and drove a knee into the top of its skull, driving it down into the mud and burying it.

Magic would make it so easy to kill these Grimm. Magic would also create more problems than it would solve. Yang growled in frustration and darted between two Grimm, tackling a Creep approaching Devin's wagon. Using its tail she heaved and pulled the small monster off its feet, lifting and slamming it overhead into another. A Beowolf's claws glanced off her shoulder and a sharp stinging pain erupted. Warmth pooled beneath her sodden clothes, yet when she moved the arm she was pleased to find it wasn't a serious wound.

The Grimm's red eyes narrowed, flashing as it howled furiously at Yang. Her eyes mirrored it, lilac fully red beneath soaked golden locks. Yang growled and backhanded the creature, leaping into its attack and leaning her head away to avoid its jaw. Her arms grabbed hold of its neck and she squeezed, twisting her body and pushing against its chest with her feet. A loud snap ended its fitful resistance and she dropped just in time to avoid another Beowolf's claws.

A blur in the darkness, Yang was a ceaseless eruption of violence. Grimm continued to appear, and she didn't know why. She didn't care. Her chest heaved as her lungs struggled to maintain her insane pace, adrenaline spiking. Every blow she landed was powerful enough to break bone. Each punch left her hand numb, every kick made her leg tense and muscles twitch painfully. She kept fighting, pushing back against the near invisible foe surrounding her.

The Grimm hated humanity, right? That was fine, Yang did too. Deflecting a Creep's tail she grabbed hold and pulled it in, grabbing its upper jaw and tearing it open. She hated the Grimm more.

She was just trying to help, trying to do the right thing, and this was her reward? Being set upon by a horde? Forced to fight all on her own, the sole defense between Devin and his family and a bloody, violent end.

It would be so easy to run away, to slip into the woods and live to fight another day. Yang sneered as a Beowolf's claw struck her head, ears ringing as her red eyes shook in her skull, vision darkening before refocusing on the offender. Grabbing its claw when it tried again she twisted the limb and broke it, pulling the beast in and punching its chest until she was positive she'd collapsed its chest cavity.

Why was she even bothering? Wherever she took Devin, Trina and Cassie, they wouldn't accept her. Whatever town she ended up in would shun her and send her away. No one was going to help a rogue, after all. No one would help a half breed, a girl caught between two worlds.

Yang screamed furiously as she kicked a Creep's leg, sweeping it off its feet. Another landed on her back and she staggered, reaching over her shoulder and grabbing one of its teeth, snapping it and driving it into the eye of the first before flipping her passenger off.

This wasn't her life. She was supposed to be a Hunter like her mother, fighting to make the world a better place. What good was facing down a horde on a road to nowhere in the middle of a thunderstorm going to do? Were Devin's and his family's lives really worth all this?

It was Ozpin's fault she was here. The Church's fault. Yang grit her teeth, canines digging into her lip and drawing blood as she wailed on an unfortunate Creep. It was Alabaster's fault for casting her out. Lyne's fault for allowing those wanted posters to be put up. The mercenaries for chasing her, Devin for enlisting her help, then being of no use when things took a turn; Devin had been a bystander in the storehouse, and now he was again.

Life would be so much easier if they all would just go away.

Yang's foot caught a rut in the road and she fell forward, barely catching herself from hitting the ground. A Beowolf's foot slammed into her side and sent her sprawling, sputtering as her mouth filled with muddied water. Grime mixed with her wounds and she hissed in equal parts fury and hatred. Hatred for the world, for the Grimm, for people.

"I'll kill you all!"

Adrenaline kept her fighting. Righteous anger added strength to her blows and helped her ignore her own injuries. For every hit she sustained she returned them tenfold, reducing every Grimm stupid enough to attack her a smoldering mess.

Yang wasn't sure how long she had been fighting for. Every time a Grimm died another took its place. They weren't innumerable, there had to be a limit, she knew that. Why were there so many? Why were they after her? What did she do to deserve this? _You know exactly why they're after you._ Her mind laughed as she roared, slamming her hands together over a Beowolf's skull, shattering it. _They all want you dead. Humans, Grimm, the world itself._

She could no longer hear thunder. What she'd thought was thunder turned out to be the hammering of her heart - frantic, desperate to supply her body with much needed oxygen. The world seemed darker despite the rain letting up. The moonlight that illuminated the road and revealed the few remaining numbers of Grimm somehow seemed off, unnatural. Everything shimmered like heat waves rising from a cobble road on a hot afternoon. Colors were faded, sounds muddled, and the air itself felt sharp, crisp, unpleasantly so. The world was wrong.

It was red. The entire world was red.

Yang hated it.

Her legs were like blocks of iron as she trudged through the mud, feet sinking with every step only to be pulled free with a sloppy suctioning noise. She hardly glanced at the Creep that she kicked away, sneered at the one that clamped onto her leg only to have its throat stomped on. Before long only a single Grimm remained. The Beowolf, rather than attack, stepped back and snarled, lowering its lumbering frame and dropping its paws on the ground.

For a moment Yang wondered if she saw fear across its features. The Grimm snarled and slammed its paws before racing towards her. Of course not. Grimm were too stupid to recognize their own deaths.

Fangs sank into her arm as Yang fed it her left, ignoring the searing pain as she let the beast bite down. "Gotcha." She swung her right, staggering along with the Beowolf before stomping her foot down and bracing. She swung again, and again, striking until the creature's jaw went slack and it released her grip. Barely standing she reached out and grabbed the sides of its head, snorting when a claw weakly bat against her side.

"You couldn't kill me, could ya…?" Yang stared into its red eyes and frowned. It didn't know what she was saying, how could it? Grimm, like everything else on Remnant, were fucking idiots.

Yang spun and pulled, snapping the Grimm's neck over her shoulder. As its body faded away she stared at the sky, watching clouds part. The stars were red. The moon was red. The sky, the trees, even the road itself were all painted a sickly bloody red.

Grief at remembering something lost mingled with rage at being denied any happiness. Yang screamed into the void of the night, doubling over. She screamed until she felt hoarse and her lungs gave out leaving her breathlessly gasping for air. Her body trembled as adrenaline began to leave her and fatigue set in. She didn't want to stop. She wanted more Grimm. More fighting. More things to hate.

She wasn't sure when the rain had stopped or when the rear of the wagon was uncovered. Yang barely heard the patter of feet slapping against the muddy ground, or Devin's voice calling out, not to her, but to Cassie. The blonde turned her head lazily and saw the toddler several feet to her right, trembling and staring with wide eyes. Eyes of silver. She saw a girl in a red cloak, with silver eyes, no older than four.

 _Summer isn't coming home, Ruby._ Yang took a step closer to Cassie, swaying unsteadily with each one. _Raven's gone, too. Dad won't say anything and Qrow left. It's just you and me._

Her hand reached out for the girl only to grasp at air when Cassie stepped away. "Ruby…" she rasped, frowning and reaching out again.

"P-Please… S-Stop…"

Stop what? Yang staggered forward and paused when she felt warmth trickle down her arm. Confused she glanced at her shoulder, brushing her hand over it and rubbing the red mud between her fingers. Oh, right.

A final residual crack of thunder made Yang wince, squeezing her eyes shut. Her entire body was on fire. Limbs ached, her heart strained to keep her moving, and fresh wounds stung, mud and dirt ground into gashes. Devin raced into the road flanked by Luna, and Trina stumbled out of the wagon with a container in her arms.

"Yang! Oh gods, you're… Hold on, you'll be okay!"

What was he so panicked about? Yang staggered forward and paused as her foot sank into a puddle. Looking down she saw her reflection. Haggard and barely lucid, lilac and red eyes watched her, unblinking. Mud clung to her body, saturating it in some places. Blood ran from a score of wounds, the source of which she couldn't say for some of them. Her hair was darker than usual, matted and just as filthy as the rest of her.

"Ruby…?"

Gray eyes stared back at her in terror. Cassie took a step away and whined as Devin lifted her into his arms, holding her protectively. Trina hesitated for a moment until he nodded, approaching Yang and gasping in fright as the Dimuran collapsed.

Despite being drenched by rainwater the ground remained hard. Yang groaned as she hit the dirt, coughing and blindly fumbling for a handhold to get herself up. Trina helped, and Devin did too after setting down his daughter. Sat in the middle of the road Yang struggled to focus her senses. Everything was faded. The world was blurry.

"Hang on, Yang." Devin's voice was desperate as he knelt beside her. "We have salve, just stay awake." She wasn't dying. She was pretty sure she wasn't dying: she didn't exactly have a lot of experience with it.

The couple worked as quickly as two untrained medics could. Yang felt hands awkwardly fumble with her clothes, winced when a cool solution was poured into her wounds, rinsing away dirt and grime, cleansing them. Even if she wanted to lash out and push them away she hadn't the strength left to do so; sitting upright took every ounce of energy remaining.

Bandages were wound where they could be. Yang grumbled in protest as she was helped to her feet, teetering and leaning heavily on the couple as they moved towards the wagon. A small blur in the corner of her vision darted away and she turned, expecting an attack. Cassie froze and looked up at her uneasily, keeping her distance.

"It's okay, sweetheart. Yang's just tired from fighting," Devin explained. "She's just going to rest now, okay?"

Yang's arms shook as she tried to haul herself into the wagon. Trina climbed in to pull while Devin pushed her from behind, muttering a string of apologies that fell on deaf ears. She didn't care. What was he sorry for? Everyone else seemed to be just fine with using her or sending her away. Why should these people be any different?

Staring up at Trina's worried face she felt something soft beneath her. A cloth was used to wipe her face clean and Yang coughed weakly, exhaustion pulling her under. Cold metal prodded at her lips and she opened her mouth and greedily drank, relaxing as cold water filled her. She didn't want to rest yet couldn't fend off the sleep that threatened her. Grimm she could battle, but this enervation? It was a greater foe than the beasts the had slain.

The world went dark and remained dark for a long time. When Yang opened her eyes again her body still felt heavy, the clear pain from earlier now a dull, incessant throbbing. Lifting her head she glanced around the cramped space and saw Trina fast asleep beside her, sat against the side with Cassie protectively held in her lap. Beyond the canvas covering she heard the wagon wheels squeak, and their horse snort haughtily. Devin coughed, then spit and muttered something about catching a cold.

What a nice, insignificant problem to have. Yang tried to sit and her body refused, rejecting her whims and electing instead to remain in place. Sleep clung to her like a cloak and her eyelids began to pull themselves shut, demanding she rest longer. Who was she to say no?

Yang fell asleep listening to Cassie's steady breathing and wondered if Ruby was sleeping soundly too.

* * *

 **Bit of a faster chapter this time around with a little less dawdling in each scene. Still teasing out proper pacing!**

 **Poor Yang seems to fight in every single chapter she gets. Hopefully she gets a break soon! Our girl needs some rest and relaxation!**

 **As always thank you to whoever is reading along and I sincerely hope you're enjoying the ride so far. And if you're so inclined feedback - positive, negative, constructive, is ALWAYS appreciated.**

 **Until next time!**


	12. Chapter 12: Deceit

**Took a little bit longer than I'd have hoped but here it is. Shorter chapter this time too, essentially just putting everyone in position for the fun to begin.**

 **Got another hectic weekend and then some coming up so I will try my darnedest to get the next chapter (Weiss') up and running.**

 **As an important side note: don't expect these parallel, 3 character (4 if you count Ruby) story lines to continue forever. It'll all converge eventually on Weiss' PoV and we're quickly reaching that point.**

* * *

"Keep moving! If you stop, you'll be left behind!"

The order was as callous as Adam's voice, ringing out over the solitary stomp of dozens of feet. The earth became packed under their number as they went, three dozen White Fang troops strong, each armed to the teeth. Among them were a handful of Magi - few, but powerful. Any town with Magi would struggle against them. Those without would be cut down like wheat to a farmer's sickle.

Blake's stomach churned with that unsettling realization. The White Fang was accustomed to raids but raids rarely meant much violence. They would kill those who stood against them, typically guards and foolhardy villagers, but no others. Supplies were taken, perhaps a few non-Murans were brought into their fold, but most settlements were left standing.

Blades caught the moon's pale light and reflected it back. Bags clattered noisily, carrying supplies, weapons, and notably, Dust. Such an unruly item wasn't meant for simple robbery, that much was obvious. Dust was volatile on its best days and completely unwieldy others. Using it on a village would destroy everything within its perimeter, rendering pillaging a moot effort.

They didn't intend to pillage, they didn't plan to gather supplies from the villages. _We'll paint the land red with their blood._ Blake's veins ran cold recalling Adam's closing words. So many of those around her, an unsettling majority, had cheered and called for heads hearing that.

"Blake…?" Ilia's voice was strained. Her eyes were concealed behind her mask, but Blake could feel their worried gaze on her. "We're going through with this, aren't we…?"

Nearby Brinne gave her a solemn look of resignation, canine ears flat against her scalp. Liam and Dunst trailed behind her, both tasked to carry large sacks, sporting only small knives to defend themselves. As many people as there were Blake could look any direction and meet eyes staring back at her, silently asking what their next move was supposed to be.

The White Fang wanted equality. They raided out of necessity, killed only the most irredeemable, most deplorable figures. Blake had bloodied her hands on a few occasions and after the first had quickly gotten over her guilt of taking a life and the nausea that the sight of blood had brought on.

There was no willing away the unease that she felt now.

Slaughter was for bandits, for armies looking to score a decisive victory or quell a rebellion.

There was no freedom in slaughter. No equality. Nothing they were doing would lead the Faunus movement closer towards their goals. If anything, it would set them back. Despite that knowledge Adam seemed determined to move forward. With the blessing of Sienna Khan and her own dagger, Yuma, acting as Adam's new right hand, there was little Blake could do to dissuade her commander.

Blake felt guilt every time someone looked to her for guidance. She didn't have an answer besides 'wait and see'. The attack would happen, that much was clear. Her plan was to flee once it started, take advantage of the ensuing battle, however one-sided it might be, and escape with those closest to her.

Attacking in the evening would be ideal. Nearly every race that made up the Faunus conglomerate had substantial vision in the dark - certainly better than Muran and Ydrans, anyways. Without sight they could march their forces up to the town unseen and lay waste to everyone inside within moments.

Underhanded, yet brilliant.

With Mount Glenn another day's march away and the towns scattered around its perimeter they would need to divide their already small force into even smaller squads. Against a fortified city a group of five or six would be completely useless. Against outlier settlements that likely had no Magi, or even guards? Half that would suffice.

And so they marched. Whether due to foolhardiness or sheer confidence Adam had refused to call in any more reinforcements from surrounding sects. Thousands in number yet spread throughout Vale, the White Fang could easily gather a small army if they chose to. It wouldn't be needed. Adam knew that. Blake knew that.

The only ones who didn't were the towns whose lives were about to be taken from them.

Vale's countrysides were vast and empty. With settlements rising and falling like the tides it wasn't uncommon to travel for days without seeing another village for some time. Their only company in their trek thus far had been wildlife and the few suicidal Grimm daft enough to try and fight their sizable force. The shadowy beasts were but a prelude to the slaughter.

 _The villagers will wish for Grimm when we're done._ Adam's cruel smile still held in Blake's thoughts, his cold, uncaring voice ringing in her ears.

As fervent as their march was the group did eventually stop for the night. Bold as they were no one dared to try and travel in such bulk during the day. Even Adam for all his zealousness understood what moving a force so blatantly would cause. A Hunter or two they could handle. Half a dozen? A full dozen? More? Their small force would be lambs to the slaughter.

Through patches of forest and across roving hills they walked, moving until the moon had begun to disappear over the horizon. Silver wisps trailed across the sky and pale light gave way to splashes of orange and red. In the middle of a field they were made to camp, flattening tall grass to create a decent staging area for themselves. Tents were erected as swiftly as possible, forming a circle, with Adam's as the center point.

To a random traveler it might appear like a group of nomads had settled down for rest. Until they noticed the plethora of weapons, and the lack of a single Muran among their number.

With little cause to be silent in the middle of a wide-open field their group soon grew boisterous. Food and drink were produced, and the White Fang began to celebrate. What they were celebrating Blake wasn't sure for they hadn't accomplished anything yet. Her peers must be that confident their attacks would succeed.

The only thing Blake was confident of was that she was feeling sick to her stomach.

People she'd called friends and family were screaming for blood. Innocent blood. Sitting down on her pack she rubbed her face in her hands, folding her ears in a futile attempt to cut out the joviality around her. Happiness brought on by a bloodlust.

This was the White Fang now, wasn't it? They killed before yet never to this scale. Never innocents. What changed? Why was Sienna suddenly allowing such a brutal attack against Murans? Much like the expression on her friend's faces the answer was lost. She might have been Adam's right hand at one point but that was as far up the hierarchy as she'd ever go. Such matters weren't for her to know.

An alien weight hung on her hip and she lifted herself to pull her weapon free. Steel already cold in any other situation bit her skin, prickling it as though she clutched a handful of snow. Casting her weapon aside Blake wiped her hand on her trousers, caring little for where her weapon landed. It was cold now, cleaned and polished to the point of beautification. Come tomorrow, however, it would be warm and soiled with blood, should Adam have his way.

Hunger had gnawed at her stomach as they'd marched yet now she found that it eluded her. Blake stared at her rations, a mixture of vegetables and venison, before wrapping it back up and stowing it in her bag once more. Ilia fared little better, enjoying a single bite before growing squeamish. Liam and Dunst finally joined them and ate, their faces sheen with sweat and clothes sticking. With all the manual labor bestowed upon them they ate out of necessity and to stave off fatigue, though Blake could see even they had to force the meal down.

"Blake… What are we going to do?"

Regarding Ilia with a half-focused stare the Meera blinked once before shaking her head. "I don't know," she answered honestly.

Brinne whined and ran her hands through her short cream hair. "We can't do this. What good is this going to do us?"

"I don't know."

"The Church is going to hunt us down for this," Liam said, scowling as he tore through a tough piece of meat. "And for once I don't blame them for it."

Neither did Blake, and that was the problem. When the enemy suddenly seemed justified and your own actions were worthy of scorn there was a serious issue. How did those in charge not see it? Why did they not care?

"Blake…" Ilia grabbed the ravenette's arms, eyes wide and pleading. "We have to do something. If we stay, if we kill all those people..."

"Is it any different than what we've always done?" Blake was surprised to hear herself utter the words. She'd meant them though and that only unnerved her companions even more.

"Of course it is! We've never wiped out an entire village!" Dunst balked.

"I've killed plenty of people in power," Blake answered with a shrug.

"Those people _deserved_ it! They were rapists, killers, they abused their workers and took advantage of other races." Brinne stood from her seat, tiny frame trembling, eyes on the verge of spilling tears. "They want us to kill everyone in those villages. Including children."

Blake didn't answer because there was no response. Regardless she found herself attempting to justify what they were setting out to do. Why? She had no idea. Even war had unspoken rules in most cases. Soldiers were fair game; only barbarians, bandits, and monsters took to slaughtering women and children. In that regard the White Fang were in terrible company.

So why then did she try to rationalize it? Adam had to have a reason. Ignoring the whirlpool stewing in her gut Blake ran a hand along her scarf absently. "Maybe… The villages are responsible for some horrendous crimes. Maybe they've been selling out our brothers and sisters to the Church. Perhaps…" She paused, licking her dry lips. "Perhaps they intend to attack us, and this is a preemptive strike."

None of her excuses made sense, particularly the last. How would anyone know where their camps were? Even if a force did gather to do just that, attack them at their own homes, their organization was built to be mobile. They would scatter and gather at another location, regroup and continue as if nothing had happened. It wasn't a preemptive attack, it wasn't retribution. It was pure, bloodthirsty slaughter.

The cyclical line of thought continued as her friends continued to chat amongst themselves. They were all worried and none had a clue what to do about their situation. Neither did Blake, and yet they looked to her continually for guidance.

Their only option was fleeing. Blake's ears lifted and twisted as she heard footsteps approaching, seeing a familiar pair of black trousers, mud encrusted boots and a long, slender sheath hanging from the figure's hip. Adam smiled down at her, ignoring the others in her presence as he extended a hand.

"Blake…" The gentle tone made her skin crawl, but she gave her hand anyways. Rising to her feet she managed a smile, however weak it was, and allowed herself to be pulled along. Ilia and the rest watched after her, their faces a mixture of horror and concern. Blake could only smile reassuringly as she was dragged into the thick of their impromptu camp.

/+/+/+/+/

Once, Blake might have considered herself fortunate to sit among the upper echelons of the White Fang. She'd believed in their cause, their fight for equality, and had strove to uphold them. Even while working with Adam and his more… Fanciful whims she had believed, yearned to earn a place among those leading.

Now she wanted nothing but to be far, far away from them.

A desire born of pure selfishness she realized now just how dreary leading could be. Not that she'd ever wanted to be the face of the organization either - gods no, she'd sooner have returned to her duties hauling supplies than do that.

"About how many people live in each village?" Adam asked. He was leaned over a crude map of Mount Glenn. Several wooden markers were placed across it signifying the locations of the villages, or so Blake assumed.

"Our scouts estimate between eighty to one-hundred and twenty, my lord."

Blake cringed inwardly at Yuma's words. _My Lord? Since when do we address our commanders by titles used by nobility?_ Neither Yuma nor Adam noticed her look of discontent, much too focused on the map laid out between them.

Adam smiled and nodded. "And no Magi among them?"

"Well… That is another matter I wanted to discuss with you." Blake perked up and watched Yuma carefully. He seemed… Nervous? No, he was smiling and there was a dangerous gleam in his eyes. His stubbled features spread, and he stood taller, clasping his hands together in excitement. "It appears the Church has sent Hunters to the villages."

"You don't say… How many?"

"No more than eight," replied Yuma. "Young too, either freshly initiated or recently promoted. It appears they've been sent out on their first missions. No veterans among them that my scouts have seen, and certainly no Numen."

Adam smiled and stood straighter. Then he laughed. The cold, cruel sound made Blake draw into herself and avert her eyes. Where had the warmth gone?

"They've sent children then. That changes nothing. If anything…" Adam brushed a hand over the map before plucking up one of his markers, snapping it between his fingertips. "It gives some of our men a good chance to practice against Hunters."

"Do you imagine the Church knows…?" Yuma's smiled waned just a touch and his brow furrowed.

"Impossible. We've not sent letters and communicated only through trusted runners, none of who were caught. It's a coincidence." One that Adam appeared to welcome readily. He stepped away from the low table and clasped another man's shoulder. "Kael go order the troops to begin gathering into their teams. Let them know to expect slight resistance."

Kael accepted his orders and a parchment with an eager grin. A full head shorter yet twice as wide, the stocky Toro nodded, his bright green ponytail bobbing. "As your command, my lord."

Blake watched Kael go with a growing sense of trepidation. "Yuma, I need you to go and check the villages. Watch these children, try and learn their magic if you can. Maybe… Provide some incentive for them to use it."

"Ah, and now things will start getting fun!" Yuma placed a hand on his chest and bowed, stepping back from the table. "I'll have a report for you before sundown."

There was a giddy air and excited energy about Yuma as his eyes met Blake's, lips curled into a cruel smile. He was enjoying himself and the battles had yet to even begin. Winking as tendrils of shadow wrapped around his legs, then his chest, he waved before vanishing into thin air, whisked away by a shadow-walk spell.

And then they were alone. Where the air had been filled with Adam and Yuma's chatter there was now silence. Kael hadn't said much, and she cared little more for his company yet his presence had been a buffer. A buffer Blake now sorely wished she had.

"Blake…" Adam almost cooed when he spoke her name, as if addressing a pet, or a child. She stood, rigid at attention and hands behind her back. "Relax, I'm not giving you any orders. I've had enough of your failures for one week."

Despite herself she cringed, expression turning from indifference to guilt. Adam smiled, satisfied his barb had an effect. Blake wanted to step away when he drew knew yet held her ground. She knew better. Her eyes squeezed closed as a hand reached for her cheek, then frowned when she felt his sleeve brush past her face. Adam took a vial from the crate behind her and held it before her eyes. Dark green liquid swirled inside the glass with specks of brown and yellow mixed in.

"Poison…?" she questioned.

"Nightshade based, according to Opal. Seems she's quite familiar with how it works, too. Though…" Adam inspected the vial, taking off the cork and smiling as he poured it out on the ground. "I suppose that's only natural with how long she's been around."

"Do you know where I got this, Blake?" he continued, holding out the now depleted container. Taking it from him she inspected it for any markings, any symbols that might identify it. As if a would-be assassin would be so brazen. She shook her head, stupefied that poison had somehow ended up among their ranks. "It was inside Ilia's tent. Yuma brought it to me this morning."

Dropping the vial as though set alight Blake stared at the shattered glass. She could feel Adam's eyes studying her beneath his mask, trying to suss out anything besides the panic that was plain on her face. Ilia had a vial of poison? Why? What was she intending to do with it? How had she even gotten any?

"Blake…?"

It didn't make any sense. Had Ilia had it mixed in preparation for the battle? That seemed unlikely. Neither herself nor her friend were practiced with its application and certainly not its creation. Adam had mentioned Opal and, of all the members currently with them, the elderly Kanin would be the only person she could expect to create it.

"Blake." If Adam's voice wasn't demanding enough then the hand seizing her jaw certainly was. Wincing as her neck was torqued painfully she was forced to stare into Adam's mask. His smile was gone, replaced by a strained, harsh scowl. "What was Ilia doing with poison, Blake…?"

"I… I don't know…"

"Liar."

Her head swung to the side and she teetered as a hand cracked against her cheek. Covering the right side of her face with trembling fingers she forced herself to look back up at Adam, eyes stinging. "I don't know," she repeated desperately.

"Do you think I'm an idiot, Blake? That I haven't heard what you've been saying? What you've been thinking?!" Adam hissed. He was trembling not unlike Blake, his shaking brought on by an entirely different set of emotions. "Did you honestly believe that I wouldn't notice? How you've been planning things behind my back?"

"What are you -"

"No speaking until I'm through!" Blake cringed at the shout and her ears twitched hearing several people outside scurry away. They knew better than to be nearby when Adam became like this. Shame she didn't have the luxury.

Composing himself somewhat Adam pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled. His trembling stopped though veins in his neck continued to pulse, his complexion red. "They warned me about you and your little circle, Blake. I ignored the signs because I thought better of you. I knew… No, I assumed that you of all people would never betray me. That I'd always have you."

"You do!" Blake said, desperation thick in her voice.

Adam raised his hand and she drew back preemptively. Rather than be struck however he placed a hand on her head and drew her close. Her face pressed into his chest and she let her arms drop rather than push back.

"So… Either you're lying to me and you've been planning to kill me, or Ilia is acting without your knowledge and she's guilty."

"No…"

"Then what, Blake? What's going on?" Adam demanded.

She'd like to know that herself. Trying to turn her head in Adam's grip she glanced back down at the shattered vial. Opal would be the only person who knew how to concoct it, true, but it wasn't as if poison was that hard to come by. Any number of villages would have apothecaries who could create it. Black markets sold it by the quart in some cases. That poison could have come from anywhere.

Yuma's self-satisfied face flashed through her mind and Blake felt her blood chill in her veins. "Yuma…" she whispered, hands growing clammy, a bead of sweat trickling down the back of her neck.

"What was that?"

"It was Yuma," she repeated with certainty. It had to be. She didn't know why, or when, but Yuma was framing her. Her friends.

Blake bit her tongue as Adam grabbed her bicep and twisted. His other hand cupped her chin and she kept her expression calm despite the hurricane of emotions in her breast. "Say that again…"

She tried but the words died on her tongue and refused to pass her lips. As if to coerce her to speak Adam brushed the pad of his thumb across her lower lip, tilting her head and smiling. She couldn't bring herself to repeat Yuma's name aloud and averted her eyes, hissing in pain as her arm was wrenched again. "Y-Yuma… I said it was Yuma's doing…"

"You're delusional." _And you're paranoid,_ Blake spat back, wishing she was as brave in person as she were in her mind. Adam released his grip and stepped away, pacing and folding his hands behind his back. "You're telling me that Yuma, the man sent by Sienna Khan, is attempting to have me killed."

"He's framing me, Adam. He's framing us," Blake clarified. She didn't know why but he had to be. Ilia wouldn't have asked for that vial, nor would Opal have made it. They knew better. "Please, you have to believe - "

"Believe you? Blake, I can't even _trust_ you anymore." Adam sounded pained, though she recognized it for what the tone truly was: barely concealed fury. "You've failed me twice, probably many more times besides, and now this. You can't even control those around you. And to think I'd had you as my right hand for so long…"

Beyond the tent and out of view screams erupted. Blake recognized Ilia's voice at once and color drained from her face. Immediately she rushed for the flaps and burst out of the tent in time to see a small group of her fellow members subduing Ilia, binding her with thick rope. Brinne and Flemish were bound and dragged along by two hulking men, and Opal was carried by another pair, her frail form hardly able to put up a fight.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Blake shouted, heat rising in her chest as she stormed out. "Unhand them! What do you think you're doing!?"

"Exactly as I ordered them to, Blake." Adam emerged from the tent and Blake's heart stopped. He carried his sword with him, unsheathed, its red blade glowing in the afternoon sun. "I'm doing what any sensible leader would with traitors in their midst."

"No…"

Her friends were brought to kneel before Adam's tent. Liam and Dunst arrived last, each man battered and bruised. The former looked up at Blake shamefully, one eye swollen shut and blood trickling from a cut in his brow. "Sorry, we tried to stop 'em…"

"Adam, they didn't do anything!" Blake whirled around and screamed at her commander. She felt her stomach turn and her clothing stuck to her as she sweat. "Please, Adam, don't…"

"Either you planned this, Blake, or they did…" Adam walked by her, shrugging off her hands on his shoulder. He stood before Ilia and lifted her chin with the tip of his blade. Blood trickled from her throat, yet she remained calm. As calm as one could when facing their executioner. Adam relished in her abject terror and smiled. "So, who did it, Blake? Who's responsible?"

Yuma was. Or someone else. No one in her party would have tried to do such a thing. They wanted to stop the attack, yes, but none of them were dumb enough to try and kill Adam. Even if it had succeeded, and that was if they even had tried to begin with, then what? Where would they go from there?

"Ilia… Tell me that you didn't…" Blake pleaded, approaching her friend. Ilia cast her eyes down and said nothing, unable to turn with Adam's blade at her throat. "Ilia, say something!"

"Should I take her silence as a confession then?" Adam pressed his blade and Ilia whined, turning her head away as his blade bit into her neck. "One clean cut and I can end her, Blake. Is she going to die, or are you going to finally be honest?"

She searched desperately for a sympathetic face in the crowd. She found none. Most looked away in shame or deference while others, disturbingly, smiled and watched the display with grim satisfaction. _Why?_ She asked herself, feeling a chill cold as winter race through her. _Why aren't they helping? They have to know we wouldn't do this. I wouldn't do this._

Brinne and Flemish remained silent, doing a much poorer job than Ilia of containing their fear. Dunst and Liam seemed barely able to remain upright. Blake's eyes sought Opal's and the elderly Canis smiled reassuringly. She was on the executioner's block and Opal was trying to help her remain calm? What was she, suicidal?

"Fine. For the crime of attempting to assassinate a superior officer, and for plotting against the White Fang, I hereby sentence you six to death." Adam raised his blade and sneered. "I hope your souls are dragged through the mud in the afterlife."

"Adam, wait!" Blake raced forward and caught Adam's arm, barely. His sword hovered inches from Ilia's neck and she could feel his muscles tense in her hands. She pulled back and stumbled when he pushed her away." I did it! I got the poison, I meant to use it. They're innocent!"

Calmly, far calmer than he should have been, Adam turned towards Blake. "I don't believe you."

"It's true! I stole some while we were in Alabaster and I planned to use it! I'd… I'd hidden it in Ilia's tent because I knew it'd be found in mine. I didn't think anyone would have reason to search hers!"

Adam studied her for a moment, one that dragged on for an eternity. When voices in the crowd began to stir he finally raised a hand and silenced them before shouting could begin. "Are you confessing to attempting to kill me, Blake…?" He stepped closer, balancing his blade in his hand.

Every fiber of her being compelled her to run, to use a spell and flee. She couldn't, she knew she couldn't, and Adam knew that too. She was trapped. "I… I am…"

"And these people," Adam gestured with his blade behind him. "Your… Friends, they knew nothing about it. You planned this alone?"

"I did," Blake reasserted firmly.

Again, Adam went silent, tilting his head as he watched Blake. Then, after a long, arduous stare down he shook his head. "I don't believe you." Her heart sank, and she readied to plead her case, or rather, her friend's cases, until Adam held a hand up again. "But, if you're so intent on carrying the responsibility for this then I have a way you can make it up to me."

Without hesitation Blake nodded vigorously and stepped forward. "Whatever you want, Adam. Just don't kill them and I'll do whatever you ask of me."

"Oh, I won't kill them, don't worry." Adam chuckled and flipped his blade, holding it by the flat edge towards Blake. "You do it. Prove your loyalty to me and kill the traitors or die with them."

Wait… Blake stared down at Adam's weapon, arms refusing to budge from her sides. When her eyes finally tore themselves away she met the horrified looks of her friends. She couldn't do that. She wouldn't do that. "Kill me instead," she heard herself say, surprised by her own defiance.

"This is an order, Blake," Adam growled. "Kill them now, or I will."

Blake shook her head as her heart clenched. "N-No…"

"Blake, it's okay." Ilia smiled as she tried to stand, only to fall forward from the bindings on her legs. She'd have fallen completely if a soldier didn't grab her and keep her on her knees. "We know you're innocent."

"What do you mean 'we'?! I didn't do anything!" Flemish shouted.

"We've only ever been faithful to the Fang!" bellowed Dunst, the Toro's massive frame shaking. "We'd never do such a thing!"

"It's now or never, Blake. Prove to me that you're loyal," Adam urged, lifting the sword.

"Don't do it! We're innocent!"

Blake reached for the sword and stopped short. Her fingers refused to grip the hilt no matter how much she forced them to do so.

"Blake, it's okay." Ilia leaned forward, or perhaps fell, held up again by the soldier behind her. "Do what you have to. Stay safe."

Flemish fought against his restraints and spat at the ground furiously. "I'm not dying because of her! She already botched the Alabaster job, all because some blonde showed a little fire! She's spineless!"

"If w-we would have fought the s-supplies would have been destroyed," stammered Brinne. "She did what was right."

"What she did was cost us valuable supplies for our mission tomorrow," Adam responded coolly. Taking his weapon back by the grip he approached the group again and knelt before Flemish, smiling as the man leaned away. "You're innocent, you say?"

"Of course we are!" Somehow the Kanin managed to not cower before his commander, his voice strained but face hard as stone. "We wouldn't dream of killing you, commander."

"So…" Adam ran a finger along the edge of his blade. "You're all innocent, which means Blake is the only culprit here, correct…?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying!" Flemish shouted. He grinned desperately and pulled against his bindings. "She betrayed you, Adam, not us! I… I saw her take it in Alabaster, I swears it! We are loyal just like we always 'ave been!"

She was being sold out. There was no way Flemish could know where the poison had come from. Hell, Blake herself was convinced Yuma had brought it in to frame her. She'd been willing to die not a moment ago for his sake and this was how he repaid her? She wanted to hate the man in that moment, to yell at him for being a traitor, to call him a coward for cowing and groveling before Adam.

Blood splattered against the grass and Flemish's scream came out as a garbled mess. His eyes were wide with fright and he looked down at the blade thrust through his chest, gasping inaudibly. With a wet tear Adam ripped his weapon free and waved off the men holding Flemish, watching as he fell to the ground, twitched as his final breath left his body, then laid motionless as the ground ran red with his blood.

Beside Flemish's corpse Brinne began to cry while Dunst and Liam looked terribly ill. Opal hung her head and Ilia, pale yet upright, stared in shock at what had been done.

Blake hadn't taken her eyes off Flemish the entire time. Why? Why had he been killed? Had he done it? She flinched and tried to draw away when Adam grabbed her shoulder, petrified for what he might do. Iron stung her lungs and she glanced with morbid curiosity as Adam's red blade dripped with a darker shade.

"I know Flemish was innocent… Just as I knew you're innocent, and the others."

"Wh-what…"

"I can't have dissenters in our midst, Blake. Not when we're about to go to battle," Adam continued, rubbing Blake's arm. "That poison was a plant, intended to lure out those willing to turn on us. On each other. We're all on the same side here, my love. People like him, trash like that…" He shook his head and scowled. "They have no place with us. If we root out people who might turn on a whim against his brothers or sisters, then we're all safer for it."

That was all a ploy? A game? Blake stared at Adam's back as he addressed the crowd, unable to process what had just happened. Had all that really been just to act as a warning to anyone conspiring against Adam? The White Fang? Leading the crowd in a rally Adam shouted for glory, for blood and for justice. The crowd followed suit, a hivemind forming before her very eyes. Brinne continued to cry and Opal had managed to get close to her, free of her bindings and holding the young Canis comfortingly.

"Make no mistake, brothers and sisters, we no longer have enemies in our midst! I have made sure of that personally! The Church, Murans, and those who lick their boots, they are the enemy!" Adam glowed as people chanted and shouted, standing taller than ever. He basked in their fervor, Blake was certain. It was terrifying how readily those around her gave their support. "Tomorrow we will remind these people what complacency deserves, and why they should respect and fear us. Tomorrow marks a new beginning for our organization. Count yourselves blessed to be there to witness it!"

Adam looked back over his shoulder and smiled. Over all the shouting of the crowd and the cries of Brinne nearby, over Ilia's desperate pleas for it to stop, somehow Blake heard him.

"Let's hope no one else has to die tomorrow, hm?"


	13. Chapter 13: Fool Me Once

**Someday soon life will calm down and I can post more frequently than once every 10 days or so.**

 **This week will not be that point.**

 **Fair heads up going into this chapter: a LOT is going to be happening and, as such, I did cut this one short and left it on a cliffhanger. Otherwise this was turning into a 30+ page entry which... Is a lot to digest at once.**

 **So here's the lead up instead, with the rest to follow ASAP.**

 **As always, thanks for reading and if you're so inclined, let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

* * *

"This is it…?"

"Aye, that's all the village has managed to put together," Laurel said.

Weiss counted the paltry sum again. Five hundred and sixty Lien had been pulled together for the ransom. The mercenaries had demanded nearly six times that much and refused to budge even for a few hundred. Between herself and Ruby they could nearly match the village's wealth, yet even those combined wasn't nearly enough.

Her chair creaked as she leaned back into it, folding her arms, brow furrowed. "There's nothing else of value you could trade? No heirlooms, goods, nothing that the mercenaries might be interested in?"

"Bandits don't have much use for cutlery, and less still for fancy knick-knacks," the guard captain answered. "They wanted Lien and we tried to gather it. Just don't have nearly enough."

"And what of the neighboring towns? Surely if you pulled your resources together…?"

Laurel scoffed at the idea and shook his head. "The settlements out here all have their own problems. And even if they did help we'd be in the same situation: forced to pay someone without anything to show for it."

Ruby's silver eyes grew wide and she leaned forward in her chair. "You mean they wouldn't just help you? Someone was kidnapped! That's more important than Lien!"

"Not when you don't have any. You ladies might not realize this, livin' in the city, but most folks only care about their bottom line. It's not just merchants who want Lien." Laurel scowled as he pushed himself back from his desk. His aged face sank, and his posture slumped as he moved across the dim room, stopping at a small cabinet. "The settlements out here aren't exactly well to do. Moved here on promises that haven't been kept and left to manage ourselves. We manage to scavenge and grow enough to survive, but trading? We haven't the goods or the money for it."

 _Well that explains the ramshackle state of Holbrook at least._ "The town doesn't have the money to meet the ransom and we can't hope to fight them without risking your son's safety…" Weiss pursed her lips, then closed her eyes as she rubbed at her temples. "That leaves us with… What?"

Surrounding towns wouldn't help. If they'd only had Scrying Stones given to them they could contact the others, coordinate some effort to rescue the boy. Then again, Pyrrha and the others had their own tasks to contend with as well; asking their friends to drop their business in favor of Weiss and Ruby's plight was unfair. And likely a failure on their part.

"We only have until this afternoon to give them the Lien, otherwise they're planning to… Well." Laurel produced a dark bottle and swirled amber liquid inside of it. Three dirty glasses were set on the table and drinks were poured. Ruby and Weiss both politely declined. "We need to get that Lien somehow…" he finished, grimacing as he chased down his drink with another.

There was no Lien to gather. Weiss bit the inside of her cheek and looked around the room vacantly. There had to be an alternative. Some way they could make the trade and secure Oscar.

Nearby on a rickety set of shelves Weiss scanned over faded volumes of books, random trinkets, and discarded odds and ends. A folded cloth with a faded insignia, a hair clip with missing teeth, and a locket, its chain broken and cover crushed. A small cluster of discarded pins sat in a loose cluster, their surfaces worn, and emblems faded. Curious, she rose from her seat and examined them, gathering them into her palms. "What are these for, captain…?"

"Meaningless awards for service," Laurel explained, waving the question away. "Gah… They're useless now, just remnants of the past."

On one was a coat of arms, twin axes crossed, and an illegible scrawl carved into a twisting banner. The others were less clear, and Weiss shook them in her palms idly, trying to wrack her brain for ideas. The clips jostled about, clanking together faintly, like a pouch of coins.

… Like a pouch of Lien.

She set down the clips and began to search through the selves, pushing aside containers and digging through others. Were there others? Weiss searched and came up empty, huffing in disappointment as she dusted her hands off on her robes. "Blast…"

"What are you lookin' for…?"

"More of these." Weiss held up one of the pins. "Do you have any others?"

Laurel snorted. "Please, those were just for my retirement, plus whatever else they gave recruits when they finished training."

"Oooh, are you a Hunter too?" Ruby asked with a bounce in her seat.

"Hardly. If I was then we wouldn't be in this mess, would we?" Ruby's mouth formed a small 'o' and Weiss smacked her face in her hand. "It doesn't matter. No, I don't have more of those. Why?"

"Is there somewhere we can get metal in town? Does Holbrook have a smith?"

Weiss hadn't seen one on their way into town and their trips were solely between Riole and Lauren's residence and the barracks. "We do, though much like the rest of our little town, she ain't much to look at."

That was fine. Assuming they had what she was after then it didn't matter what state the smith was in. Weiss excused herself as she gathered the Lien from Laurel's desk, mixing in the pins with it. The captain grabbed her wrist before she could take it away, however, staring at her intently. "What do you think you're doing? We don't have the Lien for them."

"No, we don't…" Weiss smirked. "But they don't know that. Just trust me, sir. We'll get your son back, and if everything works out, the mercenaries will be far and away before they ever realize what's happened."

Piling the collection into her pouch Weiss motioned for Ruby to stand, already halfway to the door. "Where can we find the smith?"

"Marcus' house. It's a small stone place by the gates. Just head straight out of here and go left past the well, can't miss it. Probably a big cloud of smoke comin' from his forge this time of day."

"Thanks, Laurel!" Ruby called back, waving before shutting the door behind them. The barracks were empty, devoid of even the loafers, their card table empty. In anticipation for their mission today Laurel had put all guards on alert. Probably a good thing, though Weiss did question their usefulness, especially the drunken doorman's.

"Hey, uh, Weiss…?" Weiss glanced back at Ruby and raised an eyebrow in question. "Do you think you're going to tell me what you're planning?" The brunette smiled and skipped along, hair bobbing. "Not that I don't think you don't have the awesomest plan ever, I just don't want to be left in the dark!"

"And you won't be. Just bear with me for a moment, will you? I should think it will be obvious what I'm planning before long."

Ruby nodded, puffing up her cheeks and crossing her arms in silent protest. "Weiss...!" she whined, not so silently.

"Just be patient!"

Patience was a virtue and one Ruby lacked, sorely. Luckily for her the blacksmith wasn't too far from the barracks and Marcus was easy to find. To call Marcus' residence a 'home' would be generous: it was more akin to a blast furnace with a small shed built onto it, almost as an afterthought. Considering the man's heavy leather apron was caked in soot and dust Weiss didn't think he ever left the forge. His outfit, apparent scraps of cloth thrown together haphazardly, showed he didn't exactly dress for appearances either.

With a thick red beard with streaks of gray and limbs like trunks he was an imposing man. Weiss tried not to shrink under his steely gaze, the dark brown pools under his brow burning just as hot as his forge.

"If you're wantin' work done I got a backlog," Marcus grumbled. His hammer struck a red-hot slab of metal, shaping it into a flat blade. "Put in an order an' I'll get to ya when I got time." Weiss shook her head and Marcus paused, briefly, before shrugging. "Then off with ya, I got no time for entertainin' children."

Weiss swallowed her pride and smiled at the grimy smith. "We don't have a commission for you, good sir. I was hoping…"

"Good sir?" Marcus chuckled, then spat black mucus on the ground and snorted. "I ain't no noble, lass. Marcus'll do."

"Er… Right." Disgusting. Why did the man insist on being so… Gross? Roderick managed his profession and hygiene just fine! Suppressing the overwhelming desire to gag Weiss coughed into her fist instead. "I was hoping we could take whatever scraps of metal you might have. Shavings, broken pieces, whatever you can spare."

The smith paused in his work and furrowed his bushy brow at Weiss. After staring for a moment he set his hammer down and wiped sweat from his face on his sleeve, leaving streaks of grime across the material. "Lookin' to make an alloy? You won't get much out of junk."

"Not an alloy, no. I just would like to take your scraps, that's all. I'm even willing to pay if you'd rather not give them away."

Marcus studied Weiss before shrugging, easing himself up off his stool. "If you want whatever junk I got layin' around, fine by me." Ruby squeaked and moved out of his way as a large wooden bin was dragged out from beneath a table.

Tips of broken swords and shattered bits of plate armor lay on top. Links of chainmail, ruined utensils, a rusted lock or two, and various bits and bobbles filled the container to the brim. Some of it still sported a sheen, others were rusted to the point their color was indecipherable. The container came up to Weiss' knees, and watching Marcus lift it onto a table and seeing his muscles strain told her there was perhaps just a bit too much to take.

Which was fine. Weiss leaned over the table and mindfully moved aside sharpened scrap, digging for anything that might remotely resemble coins. Rusted buttons, broken candlestick bases, and random bits of metal passed muster. Carefully compiling a small stack of scrap she dusted her hands off on her trousers, grimacing at the stains. Hardly any of the pieces she'd collected would pass as coins, but then they didn't have to.

"Fantastic, this should be plenty," Weiss said. Smiling at Marcus and Ruby's confused looks she carefully gathered her collection together and paused just short of depositing it all into her bag. "Er… I don't suppose you might have a small sack we could… Borrow? Burlap, preferably, something durable."

Marcus scratched his beard noisily, pulling a chunk of charcoal from the ends. "I might… Though how's about you tell me what this is about? It's just junk I'm givin' ya, aye, but I'd like to know you're not planning no trouble."

"Yeah, Weiss! Tell us!" Ruby demanded.

Weiss held out a hand and smiled, then tilted her head. "Bag please, then I'll explain. I'd like to make certain I can make it work before I bother explaining."

After finding no help from Ruby, Marcus shrugged and vanished into his shack. When he came back with a tiny cloth bag Weiss snatched it eagerly and slid every bit of scrap she'd collected. Then she put the proverbial icing on her cake: the Lien they had gotten from Laurel went on top, covering the scrap entirely. After twisting the bag and tying it shut she held it up and gave it a shake. Lien and metal clinked against each other, the dull odds and ends appearing as little more than coins through the materials.

"Oh, I get it now!" Ruby's eyes sparkled as she leaned in and took the bag weighing, it in her hands and nodding.

"Uh… I'm still missin' it," Marcus grumbled. "What's that for? You're not trying to fool one of our merchants, are ya?"

"Hardly," Weiss scoffed, taking back the bag and fastening it to her belt. "We're going to pay a visit to the criminals your town so brilliantly hired and pay them off." She smiled and pat her 'fortune'. "Now if you'll excuse us, we have bandits to find."

/+/+/+/+/

Laurel had been vague in giving a location of the mercenaries. Chances were he didn't know exactly where they were, something Weiss couldn't fault the captain for. Given Mount Glenn's absurd side and its numerous passes and ravines made navigating its faces a veritable nightmare.

" _We can assume two things: the mercs are somewhere they can watch the town, and they have my son."_ Using the captain's… Helpful suggestion did at least limit them to a general area. From the base of the mountain the pass was wide open, enough for two carts to move side by side. Quickly however Ruby and Weiss found themselves with far less space, and eventually they were forced to walk single-file.

Glancing down at the crude map in her hand Weiss paused in the shadow of a rock wall, tracing their trail carefully. 'Djent's Crossing' was the name of their route, a narrow, scarcely used pathway to one of the mountain's many mines. As tedious as it was to slip through there was little to no threat of Grimm. When humans could scarcely fit through even a Creep would struggle, nevermind any larger variants.

In fact, hardly anything could be found along the path. An occasional stubborn tree sprouted from sheer rock, roots tearing into stone and planting itself, defiant in the face of Glenn's inhospitable nature. Occasionally a small trickling of water poured down one of the pass' walls, and more than once Weiss needed to remind Ruby to drink from their waterskins, not the 'mystery water'.

With the summer sun hanging overhead Weiss was grateful for the shade. She could have done without the whistling winds, turning into bellowing gales as they tore through the pass. Any time one came through both girls planted their feet, put their heads down and waited for the gust to pass. Hot wind from above scorched their skin, drying out their lips and throats.

At a break in the pass where the ground opened up they took a moment to catch their breath. Using the thick roots of an aspen as a bench they sated their thirst with chilled water and staved off hunger with dried strips of beef. Weiss groaned as she stretched her legs, reaching down and nursing her calf through her trousers. "Taking the main road would have been so much easier…"

"Maybe, but then we'd risk being spotted. It's better we go this way," Ruby said.

"I'm well aware, I'm just venting." Weiss rolled her ankle and leaned back, sighing as she stared at the blue sky above. "And we're not even entirely certain where these miscreants might be! What if we're going in entirely the wrong direction?"

"Well… We could always try and find a vantage point? Somewhere we can look around, try and spot someone!"

Not a terrible idea in theory. Weiss craned her neck and scanned the rock face behind them for handholds, or another path, anything they might be able to use. Besides the narrow pass they'd come up and the slightly wider path continuing on just ahead there were no other ways up or down. A good idea but a moot one. Unless Ruby had experience with mountain climbing; Weiss certainly didn't.

"We'll continue on as we have been," Weiss muttered. Tearing another parcel from her beef she let her saliva soften it before chewing, wrinkling her nose at the taste. Overly sweet and salt, too much flavor for her liking. Offering the remainder to Ruby she dusted her hands on her trousers, took another sip of water and stretched.

"There are only so many resting spots along these paths. Sooner or later we'll find them, and for our sake I certainly hope it's sooner," Weiss finished.

Ruby smiled and hopped back to her feet, rising onto the balls of them and swaying excitedly. "Aw, this is kind of fun though, don't you think?" When given a dubious look she giggled and held up her hands. "I mean… It's kind of pretty up here, don't you think? And… If you ignore what we're here for, or the fact Grimm could, you know… Pounce on us any moment…"

"So pretend our lives aren't in peril and imagine we're on vacation," Weiss remarked.

"Exactly!"

"Dolt."

The brunette huffed and stomped after Weiss as they continued on their way. The path widened and no longer did stone scrape against them as they walked. Gone too, however, was the cover from the sun. Weiss drew up her hood and Ruby followed suit, affording them a little more protection. Rays of heat rose up from the rock and dried, brittle plants crumbled with the gentlest of breezes. For a moment Weiss considered using magic to help cool them off. A small gust of icy wind, or a brief deluge of cool water. Not only would that make the pathway wet and even more dangerous, but it would also give away their position. Instead she grinned and beared with the heat, wiping sweat from her face on her sleeves.

Like a King Taijitu coiled around its prey, Djent's Crossing twisted and turned as it carved its way through the mountain. The size and reliability of pathways were inconsistent at best; Weiss and Ruby shuffled along a narrow ledge at one point and Weiss had been forced to use magic to extend it when rock crumbled beneath their feet. At another point a near encounter with a young Burrower nearly sent Weiss tumbling back down the path had Ruby not caught her.

Eventually they found their way to yet another rest stop. A crag jutted out from Mount Glenn's face and hung out into the open air, several stories above Holbrook itself. Weiss hadn't the gall to venture near the edge. Ruby wandered out and sat herself right on the ledge, dangling her legs and shielding her eyes as she looked out at the countryside below.

"Weiss, you should come see this!" she called excitedly. "I can see so much from here! Oh, there's River Hal! And there's uh… Vindor… Vindal…"

"Vindemia," Weiss corrected.

"That! You should come see it!"

"Absolutely not! What if the stone breaks? Or you fall? In fact don't even entertain that notion, get back here right now!"

Ruby pouted but did as she was told, jumping to her feet and brushing herself off. "Spoilsport…"

"Yes, I am a monster for making sure my partner doesn't plummet to her death!"

"Aw, but I wouldn't! You'd catch me way before then!" Ruby grinned and leaned over, prodding Weiss' nose and laughing as she skipped away.

"H-Hardly the point, you boob! I'd rather not have to save you at all!" They had enough rescuing to do without Ruby putting herself in danger. After rubbing her nose Weiss inched just a bit closer to the crag, getting on her toes for a little extra height. "So… Can we see Holbrook from here?"

Ruby nodded and pointed over the right side of the cliff. "Right down there! Pretty clear too, it would be a piece of cake for someone to sit around here and watch the town!"

"And our path…?" Much to her chagrin Ruby nodded after a moment, confirming her concerns. More likely than not then someone had been watching until recently and knew they were coming. Weiss sorely wished she was wrong about that.

Rocks crumbled down from above and both girls turned at the noise. Then larger rock shattered, breaking away from the cliff face above. Boulders larger than either of them smashed against the mountain and reduced anything in its path to dust. Weiss' heart leapt into her throat and she pointed up to the path, then ran back the way they had come.

The first boulder smashed into the crag and the ground trembled from the impact. The second threw up chunks of stone and clouds of dust, and the third broke the crag away completely. A waterfall of earth screeched down the mountain, shearing its surface as it destroyed trees at the base, burying any unfortunate animals with it. The sound was deafening, and Weiss covered her sensitive ears, cringing as they still rang painfully. When the ground finally stopped shaking and only then did she drop her hands, holding still just in case.

"Ruby?" she called out, coughing as dust swam in her face, fanning it away with her hand.

"I'm okay!" Ruby shouted back. Weiss heard her coughing followed by a squeaky scream, something about 'stupid rocks'. "You okay too?"

"Unharmed, if shaken." Not to mention dirty. Again. Weiss dusted herself off and sputtered, spitting out filth and grimacing. Taking stock of the damage before her she was glad to find the path still open, if cluttered. Carefully approaching the first fallen rock she tested it, pushing with her foot before clambering up. One by one, tedious as she could be, Weiss made her way over the path. Ruby's expectant and ecstatic face greeted her, and her friend held out her arms when Weiss climbed over. Weiss ignored them.

"That was weird," Ruby muttered, crossing her arms as she looked up the mountain. "Wonder what caused that…"

"It wasn't natural…"

"How are you so sure?"

Weiss pointed, and Ruby's eyes followed. High above them a lone figure sat on a rocky outcropping, little more than a silhouette with the sun to their back. Their features might be obscured by the harsh rays, but Weiss could easily make out the spear that hung from one of their hands, swaying idly. "Call it a hunch."

The figure stood on their perch and slung their spear over their shoulders. "Not bad! I expected that to bury you two!" a woman's voice shouted from above. "You must be the Hunters that Holbrook sent for!"

"And if we are?" Weiss called back. Her hand preemptively settled on Myrtenaster, for what little good a rapier might do against a spear. Or another landslide.

The woman laughed. "If you are then they're really scraping the bottom of the barrel for help!"

"Hey, we're Hunters!" Ruby stomped her foot childishly, grabbing her scythe from her back and gesturing with it angrily. "We might be young, but you'd better believe we're Hunters!"

Technically they weren't. Weiss sighed to herself before pulling back her cloak and gesturing to the pouch on her hip. "We have the Lien you'd asked for. I'd like to propose an exchange: your prisoner for the Lien."

"Oh? You want the boy…? I didn't think they'd actually care enough!" The woman stepped off her perch and for the briefest of moments Weiss expected to be attacked. Instead the stranger cast a spell and rock erupted from the cliff face to catch her, small stones raining down on Ruby and Weiss' heads. "Throw the money up and I'll bring you to him!"

"I think not. Show us where he is first, then you'll have your money!" Narrowing her eyes she tried to make out distinguishing features of the woman, anything to give away her identity. Not that Weiss expected to know her from a glance. Aside from some thrown together leather armor she was frustratingly obscured, a leather coif and facemask making certain of that.

Rather than become indignant or angry the woman laughed again. "Smart, I like it. Fine, have it your way." Swinging her spear, she pointed up the path and tilted her head. "Continue up this pass, then take a right at the fork. Me and my men are set up in a clearing just past the sealed cave. You've got fifteen minutes, otherwise I'll come back for the money and kill you two."

What a pleasant human being. Watching as the woman created steps for herself and scurried ahead Weiss covered her pouch again. "Well… At least we can assume Oscar is still alive. Now we just need to reach them in time…" One look at the narrow cliffside path made her stomach drop, yet now was hardly the time for skittishness.

 _I might not be able to create pathways like she did,_ Weiss mused, pressing her back against stone as she shuffled over a narrow strip. _But I can keep us from plummeting… Hopefully._

To her surprise the pathway was much as the woman had claimed: a hundred meters along and the path forked, a tree marking the place, split down the middle by a lightning strike. Bearing right as they were told the path began to widen, and to Weiss' delight, makeshift rails covered the outer edge. At least now there was slightly less chance of falling over a cliff to their demise.

The pathway widened, and freshly trampled brush marked recent passage. Weiss saw the smoke long before they ever reached the camp, a stark, reddish-brown cloud that, when compared to the pale, bleached stone of Mount Glenn was as vibrant as a sunset. She heard them next, raucous laughter and the clanking of steel on steel. As they had been told they crossed a sizable cave with thick iron bars set up at its mouth, a sign reading "Keep Out: Grimm" scrawled in red paint. Would the bars actually serve their purpose and hold the beasts back? Weiss glanced at the haphazard railing, the only thing between them and a sheer hundred-foot drop. She'd rather not find out.

Around a bend and beneath a stone archway they stumbled upon the bandit camp. A handful of trees with browning foliage created a natural roof, and a stone wall at their backs created a closed off space. Common sense screamed for them to back out, to not be pulled into an area with only one entrance and exit.

Then Weiss saw Oscar. The boy couldn't be any older than them, probably younger even. With a torn cotton shirt and trousers and a handful of fresh scabs on his face and arms she could only imagine how poorly he'd been treated. The bandit's laughter died out upon their arrival though each face continued to bear an unseemly smile. Between the group a spit roast cooked a freshly slain boar, filling the air with the scent of burned flesh and hairs.

"Well, looks like you came along after all!"

The woman from before dropped down behind them from the archway and smiled brightly, brown eyes immediately darting to Weiss' belt. "You have the Lien…?"

Weiss nodded and revealed the cloth bag though kept it on her person. "Oscar first," she demanded, her other hand settling on Myrtenaster. "I'd like to speak with him."

"What? You wanted to see him, and so you see him." The woman gestured with her spear, waving the tip dangerously close to Weiss. "That was the deal. Hand over our money, kid."

"Oscar first. Unless you honestly expect that we're going to attempt to fight, or flee with an injured prisoner with us?"

"Hm…" The woman rolled her tongue between her lips before shrugging. "Fine. Brawnz, get the boy!"

Brawnz nodded and rose from his place at the pit. A pair of steel claws swayed from his belt as he walked, and Weiss caught the slight glint of chain links beneath his leather outfit. All the bandits were armed and at least relatively well protected. Fighting them without worrying about Oscar would be risky. With Oscar? It wasn't even an option.

"Get up, you runt," Brawnz growled as he pushed Oscar with his foot. The boy fell over and groaned, stirred from slumber. "I said get up!" The bandit raised his foot to kick Oscar, insteading finding himself flat on his back, a rock pinning him to the ground.

"I didn't say beat him, you oaf. I said bring him here!"

Brawnz groaned and nodded breathlessly, wind knocked from his lungs. Coughing as he rose he staggered, nursing his chest. "R-Right… Sorry, Amber. My mistake."

"Honestly…" Amber pinched the bridge of her nose then ran a hand through her short chestnut hair. "Out of curiosity are either of you two interested in joining me? I'd like to have _someone_ with brains among my men." She narrowed her eyes at the remaining group among the fire. "Because between the lot of you I doubt there's a single brain between you!"

"As… Flattering a proposition as that is I'm afraid we'll have to decline," Weiss said as she strained not to sound overly sarcastic.

"Shame then. Having some more Magi in our midst would make things run a lot smoother. Can't blame a woman for trying though."

Oscar groaned as he was planted on his feet before the girls, and if not for Ruby rushing to his side he'd have fallen where he stood. Weiss grit her teeth at the cuts along his cheek and shoulder, the abrasions and bruises aplenty.

She had half a mind to hurl the pouch over the cliff and let the bandits scrounge it up. Knowing full well how poorly that would go over she instead calmly removed it from her belt and held it out for Amber. "And here is your money, as promised. We've even added a little extra in hopes you and yours will leave Holbrook alone."

Amber grinned and snatched the pouch from Weiss' outstretched hand. "Don't worry about that, we're just after what we're due. Once we count the Lien we'll be leaving this dump, on that you have my word."

Weiss snorted and allowed her eyes to roll. "Forgive me if I don't take a bandit's word as gospel."

"Scatching, little Ydran. I should teach you to mind your tongue… But a deal's a deal, and even us lowly bandits aren't without honor." Amber gestured to one of the men and hurled the pouch his way. "Roy, count it, make sure it's all there." Weiss felt a bead of sweat trickle down her back as the older woman smiled at her. "For your sake I certainly hope it is."

Roy undid the tie and peered into the sack. His eyes shone in delight and he might have drooled if Amber hadn't snapped at him to count. Slowly he began to rifle through the contents, counting Lien aloud as he went. "Five hundred… Six hundred…"

Weiss' eyes drifted towards the archway, the lone exit for the camp. Amber still stood by it, resting on her spear and watching her man count with rapt attention.

"Seven hundred… Eight hundred…"

One rune. Just a flash freeze would do it. Weiss stretched her fingers preemptively and froze. Roy cursed aloud and tore his hand from the bag, shaking his hand. Then he held up his hand, confusion plain as his finger bled. "What in the hell…? What sort of Lien you got in here?!"

Ruby hauled Oscar upright and tried to edge towards the archway. Amber leveled her spear at the pair and forced a smile. "Roy… Be a dear and dump that bag out, will you?"

Lien clattered to the ground, bright golden shells glistening in the sunlight. Many more dulled, worn and rusted bits followed suit, obscuring the money. From the very bottom a piece of pottery clattered free, topping the mound and revealing Weiss' ploy to the bandits.

"Cute. Unfortunately for you it seems like you're short…" Amber twirled her spear in one hand, the other reaching for Ruby and Oscar. "Looks like we'll be taking him back."

"You'll do no such thing!" Weiss snapped. She drew her rapier and raised it at Amber. Behind her both Roy and Brawnz freed their weapons as well. Undeterred she met Amber's gaze and smiled. "You'll let us go now. You have Lien and you've gotten yourselves a second chance."

None of the bandits moved or said a word. Then Amber began to laugh, and her men followed suit, steadily gaining volume. Clutching her stomach and blinking back tears the lead bandit shook her head, took a deep breath and struck the ground with the butt of her weapon. "Is that right? And what happens if we don't let you go? Are you going to fight your way out of here?"

"No… We have no intention of fighting you."

"Forget this. Hand the boy over and we'll let you girls go. Bring our Lien, you have until the end of -"

"I said no. This is your final warning, ma'am." Weiss smiled and lowered her weapon.

"You can't do anything! Unless you fight your way out," Amber mused. "You're not leaving with that boy. Not without our money."

Part of her almost felt guilty for this. Almost. Sheathing her weapon, she glanced at Ruby, holding up her hands as her frent bent her knees and lowered herself into a squat. "I already said we have no intention of fighting you," Weiss reiterated. "We don't need to."

The pot shard glowed with a blue light, a jagged water drop shape engraved on its surface. Roy let out a yelp as ice sprouted from the piece, swallowing him, Brawnz and their fourth member up to their necks.

Amber's face went red as she raised her spear to attack. "What are you doing?!" Ruby's body shimmered, and she flashed by the bandit leader, disappearing in a flurry of red. Amber made the mistake of trying to follow and took her eyes off Weiss. When Weiss' palm slapped against her chest she swung her spear, limbs going rigid as ice began to spread across them. A thick shell from head to toe enveloped her, leaving all but her head encased.

Weiss spared the frustrated woman a smile before running around her and back down the path. For good measure she planted another rune at the archway on her way out. A thick wall of ice shot up from the ground, cracking stone as it spread, sealing off the small space. It wouldn't hold long, not if Amber was able to break free.

She turned and raced down the path, finding Ruby waiting down at the fork. Still perilously high they had no choice but to take the pass down, and with Oscar now in tow they couldn't move as swiftly as before.

"Weiss, you're sure that will hold?!" Ruby asked nervously as she looked back up the path.

 _They have two Magi with them. The leader uses Earth spells, and the one with the claws uses wind._ Laurel had told them all he could of the group. Two Magi, neither of whom could use flame to melt ice. Amber could destroy the shell easily enough, true… If she could move.

"I'm positive. By the time that ice melts our help will have arrived." Weiss let Ruby take the lead with Oscar, keeping back with her weapon drawn, just in case. "If that messenger reaches Pyrrha and Jaune soon then the four of us can take them into custody. I don't imagine they'll be free any time soon."

That was the hope at least. If the bandits broke free, then there was a good chance they might attack Holbrook. If that came to pass… They would deal with it when it came.

Making the trip back down the mountain was more painstaking than the journey up. Oscar was dangerously dehydrated despite their providing water. Hardly able to stand on his own they were forced to carry him most of the way, alternating once Weiss felt they were far enough from the bandit's camp. It was an arduous process and took almost half an hour, but soon the ground began to open up and level out. Treetops which had been blurry, distant blobs of green were now eye level, and before long, overhead.

If she didn't have the dignity to refrain from it Weiss might have kissed the ground when they reached the base. She nearly did anyways, stopping only because of Oscar's weight on her shoulder. Able to walk side by side now she and Ruby shared the burden, one of his arms slung over each of their shoulders. Two things were apparent now: Oscar desperately needed to see a healer, and to take a bath.

Dried, clumped brown hair scraped against Weiss' cheek and she wrinkled her nose at their ward's stench. Oscar groaned as he was shifted, partially opening his green, unfocused eyes and hanging his head. "S-Sorry…"

"What are you sorry about?" Ruby asked.

"All… This…" Oscar tried to gesture to the mountain, or perhaps himself. His hand barely lifted off Ruby's shoulder before it dropped uselessly.

"Don't be absurd, you hardly need to apologize for being kidnapped." Weiss apologized as she shifted Oscar and agitated his wounds. "B-Besides, we were able to get out without combat. Our friends will be here before long and once they arrive those bandits will be apprehended. Everything has worked out in our favor."

A complaint died on Oscar's lips and the boy nodded, and for the first time since they found him, smiled. And smile he should, everything had gone according to plan. Weiss felt her own lips turn upwards and Ruby skipped a bit, then immediately apologized when Oscar winced.

Sure, the mission wasn't _technically_ over but the bandits were hardly going anywhere. Once their friends arrived it wouldn't be too difficult to subdue the group, and turning them in would be a slight hassle, sure, but nothing they couldn't handle. Weiss' smile widened as Holbrook's walls came into view, a handful of guards raising their weapons in greeting. It hadn't been quite as she'd imagined it, yet everything had worked out in the end.

"We'll have to go around to the front, since those are the only gates," said Ruby. "Don't worry, Oscar, you're almost home!"

"Thank the gods…"

"I'd rather wish your town had a rear entrance," griped Weiss. She'd been good thus far, surely a petty complaint wasn't too much? "Make it a point to suggest another gate be installed. Or Dust, even a door for goodness sakes…"

Laughing raspily Oscar nodded his head. "I'll be sure to mention it to dad…"

"Oh, and while you're at it, maybe try to convince your town that Hunters aren't demons? We hardly received a warm welcome when we arrived."

"Sure, sure…"

That was about all Weiss could ask for. Well, that and their pay. And word to their superiors that they successfully completed their job, even if it hadn't been as advertised.

One of the guards up along the walls began to shout and Weiss smiled in their direction. They weren't being called, and in fact the men atop the wall were shouting at something else entirely. Weapons were drawn, and Weiss glanced at Ruby in confusion, inching their way towards the front of the gates.

Wood, men and metal were thrown into the air as an explosion tore a gaping hole through the wall. The blast knocked them over and Weiss winced as Oscar pinned her, though in far better shape than he was. Screams from the town began to mingle with the ringing in Weiss' ears and Ruby, the first to her feet, was already on her way to the front.

Weiss eased Oscar from her and helped him sit, placing him against the wall. "Stay here, don't move." As if he'd be going anywhere. Oscar nodded, slowly, one of his wounds on his brow reopened and trickling blood. Drawing Myrtenaster, she left Oscar with a small knife, more a consolation than anything, and dashed for the gate.

As smoke billowed from the rubble Weiss heard the clash of steel, a frantic shout from Ruby for help, and another smaller explosion. Ruby rushed from the smoke, scrambled, really, coughing and covered in soot. The smoke parted, and a black tendril shot out for her, sliced by Crescent Rose before it could grab hold.

"Ah… And here are our guests of honor." Weiss rushed to Ruby's side, carving an ice rune and aiming it at the smoke. A figure slowly emerged, a red blade first, then black robes. "I was wondering where you two had gone…"

Weiss fired a frigid icicle and watched as it was shattered with ease. A Toro made his way from the smoke, black wisps folding and twisting around him unnaturally. A smile as vicious as his blade greeted the girls and he twirled his weapon in hand. "A Schnee… I've always wanted to kill one of you. The gods smile upon me today."

Ruby looked to Weiss for a plan. Weiss opened her mouth to speak, gasping instead and barely raising Myrtenaster in time to block an attack. She was pushed back by the force of the swing and staggered, watching helplessly as Ruby was kicked away, then yelping as the hilt of the weapon struck her chest, knocking her over. She crawled away and carved a hastily crafted wind rune, watching as the gale parted harmlessly around the redheaded man.

"You're all that stands between Holbrook and ruin." The man chuckled and sheathed his blade, crouching down. Black mists licked at his body and his shadow quivered, fluctuating unnaturally at his feet. "Try not to disappoint me."

* * *

 **And now we can have the real fun begin. Training wheels are coming off from this point and we can finally get into the meat of the story. Apologies if earlier chapters dragged for you but hey, we'll be making up for that in spades now!**


	14. Chapter 14: Enemy of my Enemy

**Hey would you look at that, work is finally settling down!**

 **Life: Sure be a shame if something were to happen now...**

 **Um... What do you *gets food poisoning***

 **Dramatic re-enactments aside I finally got this chapter out, huzzah! Now if you'll excuse me I'm crawling back into bed with my water and saltines. Delicious, salty, dry saltines.**

 **Also it's another Weiss/Ruby chapter. Except the cycle of them Blake Yang to shift, if not disappear altogether from hereon out. Might change perspectives here and there for some extra character insight but it should remain static for the most part.**

* * *

Holbrook was burning.

Trunks still lousy with resin filled the sky with black, acrid smoke. A dragon would have blushed at the majesty of the flames engulfing the settlement's walls. What few guards hadn't been killed in the initial blast rushed about frantically with buckets of water, and the few residents who still had their wits about them tried to help. The gate was gone, large timbers thrown dozens of feet from their post, and stone, torn and sheared free of mortar, littered the ground.

"Something the matter, Schnee?"

Weiss glared at the masked Toro. His black robes billowed with an unseen gust of wind, red blade glowing from the eerie light of the flames at his back.

A town was in desperate need of their aid and there was nothing she could do. The man likely wouldn't let her near enough to use magic to quench the flames, nor give her the time to try from a distance. Perhaps she didn't need to.

Sparing her partner a quick glance she flicked her eyes in the direction of town, then went about weaving a rune. A sharp, pointed water droplet with three small strokes along its spine, and an open face. The symbol flashed blue and Weiss unleashed a barrage of ice shards at the Toro. Ruby took off in an instant, body shimmering before fading. Grass parted way as Ruby made a straight dash for the walls.

A black pool formed in Ruby's path and forced her to stop. For a moment Weiss feared Grimm. Then, black spires erupted, jagged and erratic, forcing Ruby to skirt away. A flurry of red blows followed, and Weiss raised Myrtenaster to deflect the attacks. Immediately on the backfoot she grit her teeth and followed the blade, trying to anticipate its path, where the next strike would come from.

Metal clashed against metal and her hands tingled painfully from each blow, fingers aching. The man swung right, she deflected and pushed off, then narrowly sidestepped as he swung back and cut a strand of hair from near her ear, the air heating in the wake of the blade.

"Ruby!"

"On it!"

Behind her opponent the air flashed and Ruby materialized, scythe reared back. She twisted her body and swung her weapon, letting gravity add to the force behind her strike. The Toro smirked at Weiss and struck at her as a pillar of pure shadow erupted like a geyser. Ruby's momentum died instantly, and she hissed in pain as Crescent Rose's haft slammed into the obstacle. She pulled on her weapon, magic flaring as she forced herself to swing, kicking out at the Toro's head. Weiss ducked beneath the blade and thrust her rapier at his side.

"Too slow."

Ruby's foot caught the man's scabbard, and somehow Weiss' rapier was deflected by his blade. Stunned by the immediate reaction, not to mention blocking both their attacks, Weiss took the brunt of his counter, a harsh knee to her stomach. Air rushed from her lungs and she coughed, rolling as she was kicked away. Ruby let out a yelp and narrowly blocked the curved, red blade with her scythe, helpless as her shirt was grabbed and she was thrown aside.

Along the walls the guards were shouting, a bell being rung. Was it in warning? Or perhaps alerting the town to its imminent demise? As if anyone in Holbrook hadn't heard the explosion or seen the towering flames by now.

Her limbs trembled, and Weiss' lips quivered. Her heart beat erratically and her hands, clammy and slick, ached as she forced her grip tighter on Myrtenaster's hilt.

No one was invincible, including this man. He was stronger than them, perhaps even faster, somehow, but not invincible. Weiss dared to let her eyes drift from his blade to his feet where a black fog danced around, lapping at his boots and twisting silently up his legs. To use shadow magic in midday and use it so well was impressive. To do it while simultaneously using a sword?

"What is it you want with Holbrook?" Weiss demanded. She needed time. Shifting onto her backside she made a show of catching her breath, keeping her weapon in hand.

The man smiled and merely shrugged at her question. "Nothing important. I just hoped to remove it from the face of this world, that's all. As one does with infections."

Weiss' hand moved behind her back, finger dragging through the dirt. One vertical stroke, two sharply curved on either side, like brackets, and a horizontal one beneath those three, connecting them together. "Infections? That's ridiculous! You're insane!"

"And you, Schnee, are blind."

Ruby flashed to the man's back, scythe held back. The man swung with his sword and scarred the ground as she darted away. With his back to her Weiss fired her spell and unleashed a fireball from her palm. It paled in comparison to the roaring inferno overtaking Holbrook's walls, but it was enough for her purposes. A wall of shadow raised and snuffed out the flames, pulling the man's eyes back to her. Ruby appeared again at his left, swung her scythe and caught his scabbard, hooking it under his blade. Weiss fired another spell to keep his sword from falling, clicking her tongue as shadow again blocked her efforts.

Ruby dodged the man's attacks and scurried back towards Weiss, away from the town's crippled defenses. Rather than charge after them the Toro sheathed his blade and casually strolled in their direction, letting his dominant hand rest on the grip of his sword.

Back on her feet and with a rune hovering before her Weiss smiled tightly. "His shadows are dense enough to block my spells…"

"And he reacts fast enough to block my attacks," Ruby said, pouting. "So not fair!"

Nor was it realistic. How could the man possibly see Ruby attacking him from behind? Or Weiss? Her eyes went to the mist pooling at his feet, dragging behind him like a cloak. There was something peculiar about that shadow. It acted as though it were alive.

"He can't react to multiple attacks. We can find a gap in his guard or force him to overextend." Weiss took her time and carved an additional rune. The man made no effort to stop her, even smiling as she went about it, so why not make use of their gift? "Don't overcommit to anything. Attack if you see an opening, and only then. Be careful."

"You too, Weiss. I'll do my best."

She began a countdown in her head.

 _Three._

Ruby crouched down and swung her scythe back, raising it slightly. Weiss swung her left foot back and raised Myrtenaster.

 _Two._

She finished a third rune. Three curved lines intersecting in a central point to form a triangle. Ruby adjusted her stance, sliding her foot back a bit further. The man continued to approach without a care in the world.

 _One._

Weiss unleashed her first spell and sent another fireball hurdling towards the Toro. His blade cut it in two, ducking and charging forward. Ruby vanished, grass and dirt thrown into the air in her wake. Her scythe screamed as it clashed with his sword, scraping along the blade's edge before she darted away. A gale of wind jettisoned towards the man and parted harmlessly around a black pillar.

Ruby attacked the man's legs, sweeping for his knees. He jumped over her blow and twisted his body in mid-air to avoid a volley of icicles, using shadow to simultaneously drive Ruby back and correct his landing, sliding along a blackened slope. Shadows rose up preemptively and a third fireball sputtered uselessly against the dark face, flames licking at the solid spell before disappearing.

Myrtenaster rang out as a crimson blade slammed against it, pushing Weiss back. Unable to weave a rune she focused instead on parrying. Lacking the strength to drive the man back she concentrated, trying to redirect his string of blows. They were controlled, precise, and despite the heft she felt behind the weapon, frighteningly swift.

Weiss let the curved blade slide down her rapier and caught its edge on her handguard. Twisting and pushing off she left the man to stumble to her side, drawing back her arm and thrusting at his chest, sides, anything within reach. The Toro twisted and used his scabbard to push aside blows, smiling all the while.

"Is that all you can do, Schnee?"

Weiss grit her teeth as the man's blade whistled past her face, close enough that the air itself bit into her cheek. "Hardly!"

Sparks flew from Myrtenaster, each deflection striking it causing a hollow, sickly groan to echo from her weapon. The scabbard raced up to strike and Weiss barely leaned away from it, smirking as Ruby's scythe caught the man's arm. The dull side of the blade couldn't cut but it could pull, and with her magic the brunette darted back and forced the man to spin around. Weiss stepped in and lowered herself, thrusting the blade in and striking at the man's hip.

Shadow shot up and wrapped around the blade, tendrils forming and enclosing along the rapier's edge. It solidified and held, trapping Myrtenaster and Weiss along with it. Another tendril shot out and sliced along Weiss' cheek, drawing blood and leaving the wound searing. "Ah!" Managing to pull Myrtenaster free she darted back and watched as Ruby was put on the defensive. The man, somehow, kept pace. He sheathed his blade and lashed out, his arm like a whip, his blade the deadly fang of a Taijitu. Mirroring a pinwheel Ruby twirled her weapon and blocked blow after blow, stumbling when her foot caught a divot in the ground.

Earth erupted between Ruby's legs and struck the man's stomach, lifting him off his feet and throwing him backwards. Hearing a satisfying groan followed by a wheeze convinced Weiss to repeat the attack, watching as the man dodged backwards, privy to her game. Ruby appeared at his back and hooked her scythe around his waist and, propelled by her magic, pulled him backwards, twisting and throwing him further along.

The eastern side of Holbrook's gates were salvaged from the flames. The wall was a skeleton of itself, half the boards eaten by flame, the rest charred black, yet somehow standing. Braces lay exposed to the outside world yet held firm, keeping the wall standing. Guards continued to fight against the flames still eating the western half of the wall. Another billowing cloud of smoke rose up from within the town's barrier. A home had caught fire. The flames were spreading.

They could beat this man. Holbrook wouldn't burn down; the villagers had the fire under control… Mostly. Taking no small degree of solace in that Weiss wove another two runes as Ruby chased after the Toro. A flurry of swipes forced the man to erect one shadowy blockade after another. Where blunt force and piercing strikes failed Ruby's scythe cleaved through it with ease. Shadow dissipated, turned to mist as it was severed from the source. Realizing his defenses could be beaten the Toro scowled, then shouted angrily as Weiss' ice shattered against his back.

If he knew where they were, could track them both, he could defend against them. All they needed to do was be relentless.

Weiss raced across the open field, cutting through a small garden, trodding over tomato vines and squash. Most of the produce was already ruined, buried under stones flung from the wall or smothered in soot and cinders. She wove a wind rune and a gale of air erupted from beneath Ruby, throwing her high into the air and over the man's blade. Another rune formed at Ruby's back and she was thrown back down, feet slamming into the man's scabbard. This time he fell, tumbling onto his back before springing to his feet.

Myrtenaster soared past his cheek and his blade cut through air, missing Weiss by a wide margin. Crescent Rose nearly lopped off his arm if not for a timely, shadowy shield taking the hit for him. Weiss' head began to throb, the onset of early Spellcast Sickness, yet she soldiered on. A fireball exploded against the man's defenses, then another. Ruby's scythe yanked his scabbard from his hand and his sword trembled as her own weapon smashed against it.

With her speed she could add force to her blows, enough to even match the Toro's, perhaps. With her spells she could force the man to defend, not just against Ruby but sporadic, ever changing elemental barrages.

They could win. They were winning.

"Damn it!" The Toro seethed, sweat glistening on his face. Dirt clung to his black robes, tears from his constant tumbles and near-misses leaving bits of cloth flapping uselessly. His leather armor held up, mostly, though in reality would do little against either of their weapons.

Ruby twirled her weapon around her waist and jabbed at the man repeatedly with the shaft of Crescent Rose. The crimson blade he wielded chipped away at wood, clattered loudly against the metal rings reinforcing it, and came within inches of catching Ruby's throat. Before the Toro had a chance to score a fatal blow Ruby vanished, blades of grass kicking up as she circled around him.

Weiss unleashed another rune and let a pillar of stone erupted beneath the man's feet, throwing him high into the air. Ruby's scythe swung up and caught his waist, pulling him back down to the earth. A gale of wind buffeted him and shadow desperately raced to catch him, falling short as he hurtled through the air. His body hit the ground hard and he skid along it, dragging through tilled dirt and stopping in a shallow irrigation canal. Mud and water dripped from his body as he stood, using his sword to do so. His chest heaved, face red in fury. If they could see his eyes beneath the mask Weiss would imagine he'd look positively livid.

Behind him Ruby raced headlong into his back, driving her shoulder into his spine and tackling him. Weiss used a gale of wind to propel herself, eyes burning as wind whipped across her face, a dull, incessant throb aching behind the bridge of her nose. Ignoring the faint nausea building inside of her she extended her arm and hurtled towards the man like an arrow, Myrtenaster extended, aimed for his shoulder. Not a killing blow, but enough to pierce muscle and render the arm all but useless.

Shadow parted, and a chain lashed out from within. Cold links wrapped around Weiss' arm and she gasped as something yanked on her, diverting her trajectory and hurling her aside. The world tumbled along with her and she narrowly righted herself, landing awkwardly and skidding, then yelping as her ankle twisted and she fell onto her back.

Ruby shouted and barely caught a strange, chained blade on the pole of her scythe. She was yanked forward, and she twisted her weapon, letting go with one hand and letting the strange weapon slide free from her own. Shadow exploded in a path along the ground and drove her back, stopping short before retreating to the man once more.

Her ankle throbbed, and Weiss' stomach lurched, nausea steadily building. Shaking, she reached back into her pouch and dug for medicine, fingering a cold vial. Popping the cork out she chased down the contents and grimaced as the bitter draught swirled down her throat. Bitter ginger, crisp peppermint, and a myriad of herbs mixed into an unsavory yet effective solution. It would help with the nausea, somewhat, though do little for her aches.

Staggering in place and clutching his side the man scowled, not at Ruby or Weiss, but down at his feet. "I told you not to interfere!" he shouted.

Wisps kicked up and shadow drifted away from his body. A slow forming blob rose from the pool and took form. A black cloak, black scarf, an entire outfit of pure black appeared as shadow dripped off the figure like water. A chain wrapped around one of their arms, the peculiar curved blade connected to the other end dangling idly. Weiss couldn't make out their face due to the mask they wore, though striking amber eyes peered through the small opening in the garb.

"You were losing," answered the shadow.

Growling again he scoffed and stormed off towards his scabbard. Ruby moved to attack, and the newcomer shifted, eyes focusing on her, weapon twirling in hand. "I had it under control," he snapped as he scooped up his scabbard.

"Right…"

Pain caused Weiss to stumble as she stepped on her bruised ankle. Her left arm felt numb from absorbing repeated blows, and by now the sunlight itself was painful to her eyes. Flames continued to howl in the distance, clouds of black smoke burying Holbrook in shadow. The ground itself grew dark, and at first Weiss assumed it was merely the smoke blotting out the sun.

The earth shifted and boiled, muted howls sounding from the darkest depths. A claw reached out from a pool, then another, and before long the bestial forms of Grimm began to claw their way free. The town's bell rang again, and guards began to rush away from the fires to take up posts along the wall. Not even a dozen men manned Holbrook's paltry defenses now. Within moments even more Grimm had spawned, and more still begun to appear.

"Well, it didn't go quite as I would have liked, but it seems I'll have my wish after all."

In a brief, selfish moment Weiss almost wished the Grimm would turn on Holbrook. Some did, yet for every one that moved towards the town another converged on the four of them. Neither of their enemies seemed the least bit phased, though the woman did occasionally glance at the beasts.

"Adam, we should go…"

"And pass up an opportunity to kill a Schnee? I'd think you'd be more excited about this," Adam mused.

The woman shook her head, stepping back as Adam moved up alongside her. Her eyes drifted to his hand on her shoulder and she tilted her head towards the encroaching horde. "The Grimm…?"

"Kill them if you need to, Blake. They're nothing more than pests. Besides…"

Weiss frowned as Adam's body was coated by a strange white light. It covered him from head to toe, then moved down his form and spread out along the ground, disappearing. A Creep snarled at her and she turned to face it, lifting a hand and weaving a rune. Nothing appeared. Her frown deepened, and she tried again. Half of a flame rune formed before snapping, shattering faintly like glass. The Creep snarled and lunged for her. Ruby's scythe caught it mid-air and sliced clean through, cleaving the beast from snout to tail.

"I'd like to see how they fight without their magic, don't you?" Adam grinned and sheathed his blade. Grimm converged around them and Blake, still armed, crouched and prepared for an incoming attack. Adam ignored the beasts, watching Weiss and Ruby with an expectant air about him. "Let's see how the famous Schnee line fares without their runes!"

Another Creep lunged, and Weiss drove Myrtenaster into its neck. Ruby stepped around her and cut a third's head from its body, then twirled and cut another in half at the waist. She tried to weave a rune and the mark fizzled out before it could even form. Ruby's body shimmered yet she remained where she stood, stumbling awkwardly as speed refused to build.

As a Beowolf howled in rage and bounded towards them on all fours Weiss felt her heart skip in her chest. Magic wasn't working. Spells had been rendered useless. She rolled to one side and Ruby another as the larger Grimm charged through them, scraping its claws along the ground and turning back, training its blood red eyes on Weiss.

"Let's make this a little more interesting, shall we?" Adam made his way towards Weiss, rejuvenated by her obvious panic. "Blake, take the other girl, I think I'd like to play with this one a bit longer."

Red, wild hair swept back and unkempt, and two black horns curving back along the unruly locks. A long, curved red blade, and a penchant for violence. If she had the luxury of time to do so Weiss would slap herself, or yell at herself and Ruby for being so slow, so oblivious. Myrtenaster caught the Beowolf's claw and she ducked beneath another, scoring a few quick thrusts that did little more than agitate the beast. She scrambled back, teetering awkwardly on her injured ankle, and watching with a mixture of relief and horror as Adam cut away the beast with one strike.

Adam Taurus, commander of the Vale branch of the White Fang.

Weiss staggered and deflected a hefty blow, ducking under another and rushing away from the commander. A Creep roared and charged, burying itself on Myrtenaster as its maw swallowed Weiss' arm, teeth somehow missing flesh. A boot slammed into her back and she was thrown to her knees, scrambling away Adam buried his blade in the ground.

"Come on now, don't tell me this is all you've got!" Adam jeered, pulling his blade free and flicking soil from its tip. "So much for the vaunted Schnee name!"

Forcing herself to stand Weiss steeled herself, trembling as she did so. Furious howls sounded all around her, beasts torn between attacking the clearly panicking town and the ragged fighters outside the walls. Or perhaps they, much like her, feared Adam too much to fight.

She found her voice at long last. If only her tone was as confident as the words she spoke.

"I think you'll find I'm much more than my name…" she answered softly.

Adam scoffed, sheathing his blade and dropping into a crouch before her. "Somehow I doubt that…"

He lunged, and Weiss parried, catching the rapid blows with Myrtenaster. A chip of metal peeled off her weapon and she felt the blade shake, yet mercifully not break. Not yet. Adam sneered and broke his engagement, grabbing a Creep's snapping jaw and driving his blade through it's gullet.

"Come on then…" Adam said, dropping the fading corpse, housing his weapon. "Let's see what you've got."

/+/+/+/+/+/

Adam's attacks were incessant. Any semblance of fatigue he might have felt all but vanished. Weiss, for her part, was barely keeping upright. Her ankle throbbed, and a pain raced up her calf any time she stepped. Her head pounded, her stomach felt heavy, and breaths came in shallow, painful gasps.

Myrtenaster was breaking.

It was gradual yet obvious. Weiss' hand went numb as she absorbed a shattering overhead slice, watching a piece of her rapier chip away. The tip was dulled when thrusting into Adam's blade, and part of the handguard, having barely protected her hand, bore a large scar, exposing her knuckles.

A mad bull in every sense of the word Adam continued to press his attack. Gone were the mists and shadows that cloaked his body. Those had belonged to the woman, Blake, who now duelled with Ruby closer to Holbrook's gates. Grimm continued to circle them and despite his fervent assault Adam had to take time to slay beasts whenever they drew too close. It was Weiss' one saving grace, though the beasts didn't discriminate.

Weiss jumped, vaulting herself over a charging Creep and landed awkwardly on her ankle. Dropping to her knee proved a saving grace as a Beowolf's claw raked through the air, its death rattle chilling her as Myrtenaster was driven through its chest. With the full weight of the beast falling on her she pushed with her good foot, twisted and slipped aside to let the fading corpse tumble harmlessly.

Fighting Adam wasn't possible. Not with Grimm intermittently throwing themselves into the fray. Not with her right ankle rolled, sensitive and already swelling. At best she could fend off his attacks and hope for an overextension, or to play to his anger as she and Ruby had before.

Unfortunately for her Adam was well aware of the advantage he held. Without magic to utilize Weiss was left to Myrtenaster for her defense. Her sword was shorter and breaking apart. Her attacks, the majority of which were thrusts, left her woefully exposed. Rather than go on the offensive she was forced to parry, deflect, and pray that her weapon held together.

Another chip in Myrtenaster's shell flung from the weapon and mercifully buried itself in a Creep's eye long enough for Weiss to silence it with a killing blow. She could hear Roderick lamenting her decision not to wait for a new weapon, for not heeding his warning that his patchwork job might not hold.

He'd give her an earful when she made it back to Vale.

If she made it back.

Ruby twirled her scythe and swung at Blake. The Meera dodged easily, ears swiveling. Her hood had come free and her black hair framed her pale face, amber eyes trained on the young Hunter. Despite the unwieldiness of her weapon Ruby attacked with ease, treating Crescent Rose more like a staff than a scythe, jabbing, twisting and keeping Blake back. Blake couldn't get close enough to utilize her blades yet the threat of her chains seizing the scythe's shaft or locking around one of Ruby's limbs kept her from immediate danger.

The two young women had reached a stalemate. Weiss planted her injured leg and hissed in pain as Adam's blade crashed against her own, her palm braced against Myrtenaster's dull edge to add support as he pushed down, his weapon's edge hovering inches from her face.

Leather and cloth armor offered no respite from Adam's onslaught. Padding thick enough to stave off a fatal blow yet thin enough that Weiss felt her skin prickle whenever the Toro landed a blow. Blood trickled from superficial cuts, staining her white and blue robes with red streaks. Soot from nearby fires clumped against cloth, mixing with sweat and forming unpleasant, thick splotches on her face and skin.

Adam sneered as he deflected Weiss' half-hearted attempt at a counterattack. "Disappointing." She bit back a yell when his scabbard slapped her wrist and nearly dropped Myrtenaster. Wind rushed from her lungs as a boot drove her back, stumbling. Weiss' ears rang painfully as steel clashed with steel and she closed her eyes, wincing as another piece of Myrtenaster chipped away and scratched her cheek. "I'd hoped for more."

The sun caught Adam's crimson blade and flashed painfully across Weiss' eyes. Squinting, she raised Myrtenaster and braced for the incoming blow. Sharpened steel bit into her rapier's side, screeching, mimicking a Nevermore's furious cry.

Myrtenaster's blade twirled through the air and stuck into the ground some feet away. Weiss' arm, heavy and numb, fell to her side and uselessly clutched her weapon's guard and grip. Adam's scabbard rasped across her wrist and that too fell to the dirt, kicked away by the Toro for what little use it would have been to her.

Ruby's frightened voice drew Weiss' attention away, and Adam's as well. Blake had wrapped her chain around Crescent Rose and yanked the weapon free, and in the struggle somehow knocked Ruby to the ground. Knees on Ruby's chest, the Meera held her in place with a chain across her neck, curved blade hovering over her neck.

Weiss desperately wove a rune only to have it fizzle out on her. Again, she tried, losing it this time not because of Adam's Negation magic, but her own fitfulness. Her fingers trembled, and her mind failed to conjure forth the proper strokes. A fresh wave of nausea struck, and she staggered, covering her mouth as her stomach turned over.

"So… This is what the Schnee family has to offer…?" Adam's hand grabbed her ponytail and yanked her head to the side. "Perhaps killing your bloodline off won't be so hard after all."

Somewhere inside her she managed to dredge up the courage to glare at the contemptible man before her. His hand yanked on her hair again and she cried out, held up by Adam's grip as her ankle threatened to give way. Too weakened by spellcast sickness she couldn't wrench Adam's hand from her scalp, clawing uselessly at his wrist. Without a sword and without spells she couldn't fight back.

Adam sneered and leveled his blade with her throat. A reflexive whimper passed her lips feeling cold metal kiss her skin, trying desperately to lean away from its bite. "I'll send your head back as a gift. Though I doubt they'll care to find a bastard has died…" He laughed, pressing his blade against her neck. Warmth trailed down her pale skin, beading at her collar. "Maybe I'll even be rewarded for it."

A Beowolf's enraged howl took Adam's attention and he scowled, pushing Weiss away and lopping off the beast's head. "Stupid beast!"

White aura swirled around Adam's feet and his expression changed from fury to frustration. Energy sparked within Weiss and she felt the air around her come to life again. Magic danced at her fingertips, begging to be used. In a fitful effort to save herself she wove a rune and unleashed a point-blank blast of frigid air. Her muscles screamed in agony as though deprived of oxygen and her fingertips burned, bitten by her own spell. Adam's body was glossed over by shards of ice which gradually blossomed, covering his legs, then his waist, reaching up just past his torso. A thin, transparent shell encased his lower body.

To Toro growled and slammed his scabbard into the ice, shattering it with ease. He kicked one leg free and tore the other from its shell, shaking residual chunks away. All she'd managed to do was agitate the man.

"I can appreciate that you'll die fighting," Adam taunted. "At least die with some dignity."

Weiss' arms trembled at her sides and refused to lift. Invisible weights forced her to slump to her knees and her eyes, skin, every hair follicle on her head stung. The colors of the world seemed muted and she barely could make out Ruby screaming at Adam to halt his blade. A misting breath escaped her lips and she watched the last of her magic leave her body.

Any sane person might have closed their eyes to accept their fate. Maybe Weiss was insane, or maybe she wanted to remain defiant. Whatever the case she lifted her head with considerable difficulty and stared up at Adam, head bobbing from exhaustion. His blade formed a dark silhouette against the sun and the Toro smirked as he twisted his wrist. Morbid curiosity… She'd chalk it up to that. Little use in pretending the man wasn't about to kill her.

Another terrible roar filled the air and again gave Adam cause for hesitation. It repeated, a bestial sound that to her distorted senses almost sounded human. Not Ruby, she was still pinned beneath Blake. The Meera's eyes were wide with fright as she looked away from Holbrook, away from the prowling Grimm who themselves too had ceased moving. What…?

A wall of flame erupted from somewhere nearby and engulfed four unwitting Grimm in an instant, their howls muffled in the roar of the inferno. Adam stepped away from her and his body flashed white again, his Negation magic flaring up. Another blast of flame ricocheted towards him and swallowed the ground up, scalding the earth black.

"What!?"

A dark figure leapt through the tower of flame and crashed against Adam. His arms rose and his blade held back a black claw, feet digging into the ground as he was pushed back. The claw slammed down again and his guard broke, then a sudden concussive blast threw him off his feet, throwing him several yards away towards Blake.

As heat licked her face and fire raged dangerously close Weiss tried to focus her vision as it swam. The silhouette of a beast came into view, a shadowy Grimm. Except Grimm didn't have wild manes of black hair, nor had she ever seen one quite so… Humanoid. The Grimm roared again, a strange warbling sound, both like the creatures of dark and a distorted human's shout of rage. The creature's head snapped towards her and she froze, terrified under its infuriated red gaze.

All she could make out were the eyes, the rest of the face was cloaked either by shadow or obscured by blinding light. The beast deemed her inconsequential and chased after Adam, then after batting him aside, chased for Blake instead.

Right towards Ruby. Weiss fell back and forced her arm to rise, crying out as every nerve ending in her limb demanded she stop. Like a flint striking wet wood she knew it was a futile effort, yet she managed to extend a single finger, guiding her hand through the familiar motions. Ruby needed her help, that thing was going to kill her. She half-wove a rune for 'Earth' and grit her teeth in anger as it failed.

The Meera, thinking Ruby the target, jumped from her hostage and darted away. The beast ignored Ruby instead and screamed, a blood curdling sound that echoed despite the open field. Blake whipped her chains to drive the creature back and they were bat aside. Shadows created by the flame reached the strange being's legs, wrapping around it and pulling it to its knees.

Another livid cry and flames erupted from the Grimm's body. A Grimm with magic. No such thing existed, Weiss knew that, as did everyone present. Yet it was clearly no illusion, not as the Meera cried out and dashed backwards, cradling one arm against herself. Clothing had been burned away and her skin was red, singed and scalded. Lucky considering how close she'd been to the fire.

Adam cut at the beast's flank and scored a long, deep cut between its shoulder blades. His grin vanished as the creature swing back and batted him away, howling in displeasure at being injured. Black mist rose from the wound and, to everyone's horror, the flesh mended itself, sewing itself closed.

Other Grimm in the area turned on the newcomer and were set alight by fireballs. Blake used her shadows and blocked another burst of flame, then dove from her guard as the creature's claw shattered it. Her shadows fizzled out uselessly as fire burned them away and with only one arm to use she couldn't well swing her weapon to fight. A sudden torrent of flame erupted behind her and cut off her escape. A claw caught hold of her and swat her aside like an insect, throwing her through the air. Adam raced to her side and was cut off by another eruption.

"Blake! Escape! We're falling back!"

The Meera tried. Shadow began to fold around her until the Grimm leaped through the air and landed on top of her. Crying out in pain she writhed to get free, then screamed as the beast's wide claw pressed down on her shoulder, pinning her in place. Shadows ebbed and disappeared under the fire's overwhelming luminosity, the entire field being cast in an orange glow.

"Adam, help!"

For a moment Adam moved closer, circling the flames to do just that. Weiss watched as the beast turned and bristled, the spikes protruding from its right shoulder glinting dangerously, black mane flicking from the tumultuous winds of the flames. The Toro paused then reached into his robe and drew a stone from somewhere within. Then, to Weiss and Blake's shock he activated it, a black portal forming at his back. With a passing glance to his ally Adam turned and raced into the portal, swallowed up by the magic and disappearing from the battlefield.

Despite the roar of flames around them Weiss felt an unpleasant silence settle in. Blake's look of complete shock was replaced by one of anger, briefly, then resignation. Her body slumped back into the dirt and her weapon fell from her hand. In that moment she felt pity for her enemy.

The Grimm didn't share in that pity. The creature returned its furious attention to the trapped woman beneath it and opened its mouth, black smoke spilling between split lips. A light from somewhere within caused Blake's face to glow and she kicked her legs under the beast, punching at its arm to try and break free.

It was a fruitless effort. The Grimm's arm, wide and adorned with random spikes, was much too dense for a measly fist to injure it. It's other arm, smaller, almost human-like save for claws, wrapped around Blake's injured arm and pinned it. Curved horns stretched back from the fiery beast's forehead and curved backwards, catching a few strands of black hair in their tips.

Flame trickled from the beast's mouth, small flickering flames escaping from the corners. Weiss turned her eyes away as she anticipated a rather gruesome end for the woman, not having the constitution to watch it unfold. Funny, seeing as she'd just been so willing to stare her own death in the face.

Before Blake could be incinerated a scythe slammed against the creature's side. Metal dug into its flesh and the Grimm jerked with the motion, losing its attack and hissing in pain. Weiss paled when she opened her eyes and saw Ruby stood over it, trembling with her weapons in hand, trapped by her own attack.

"Ruby…" She tried to call out, to beg her friend to get away, but her voice came out as a hoarse whisper.

"Leave… Leave her alone!" Ruby demanded, pulling her weapon free.

The Grimm backed off Blake and roared as the wound at its side began to mend. It crouched down and raked its claw against the ground, smoke pouring from its mouth. Ruby moved before Blake and held her scythe readily, for whatever good it might do against a torrent of fire.

Then the Grimm backed away again. Its red eyes widened and its posture shifted, body jerking before it stood just a bit straighter. As if gathering itself the dark beast looked around and took another step back, then another. Ruby didn't move or give chase despite her plainly befuddled look. Blake didn't take the chance to escape either, too mystified by the strange behavior herself.

As if the display wasn't strange enough the Grimm let out one final howl before turning and rushing away. If Ruby had any mind to pursue it she didn't and the three of them watched as the anomaly crashed through a wall of its own flames, disappearing on the other side.

For a long time, no one moved. Weiss wasn't able, and Blake, despite no longer being pinned, remained where she was. Ruby finally moved, turning to the woman below her and, in a display perhaps every bit as confusing as the fleeing Grimm, smiled.

"Are you okay…?"

Blake didn't answer. The ravenette simply stared as though Ruby had asked her the most preposterous thing. Perhaps he had. Lacking an answer Ruby shifted uncertainty and eased her weapon from her shoulder, then held the blade, close, but not dangerously so, to Blake. "Um… Stay put, please…" the brunette ordered squeakily. Silver eyes scanned the field and she found Weiss, still sat where she was. "Weiss, are you okay?!"

 _What an absolutely idiotic thing to ask…_ Aside from her body feeling like it weighed far more than it shoulder, her mind slower than frozen molasses, and the fact she was still precariously close to raging fires? She was peachy. Her stomach turned again and she lurched forward, biting her tongue and squeezing her eyes closed. Her meal from earlier remained where it was, graciously, though it came quite close to making a reappearance.

From somewhere nearby she heard voices calling to them. Weiss turned towards the gate, or tried to, falling back the moment she tried to stand. Oscar raced towards her with two guards flanking him, and farther behind him was Laurel and the remaining few guards. Oscar hurried to Weiss' side and dropped to his knees, reaching out to try and help before hesitating. She sported several wounds, none life threatening, but more than unpleasant, and her body trembled from fatigue, breaths shallow. Just the beginnings of spellcast sickness yet enough to leave her debilitated.

Despite their proximity she couldn't make out whatever Oscar said to her then. One of the guards nodded and moved in. One arm snaked its way under her legs, the other supporting her back. Weiss whined as she was moved, her body aching and protesting the slightest adjustment. The other guard drew his weapon and remained at their side, watching for any lingering Grimm. With flames still burning and filling the air with clouds of smoke and ash.

Ruby raced to their side and, despite her own wounds and abrasions, managed to remain upright under her own power. It had to be all that accursed sugar she ate, it must give her unnatural levels of energy. Trying to read her friend's lips was fruitless but she could make out what was being said by Ruby's expression alone.

"I'm… Fine…"

She wasn't. Weiss wished her fatigue was great enough that she would pass out already and awaken somewhere in town. Yet she remained lucid, if barely, and had the wherewithal to watch what was happening around them. Laurel and two of his men restrained Blake, bounding her with thick rope and marching her away from the now useless gate. Wood collapsed in on itself and long since buried the entrance, leaving Weiss to wonder how they'd get inside Holbrook.

She got her answer as they rounded the walls and she saw several ladders leaning against the fortifications. Villagers raced up and down carrying buckets and whatever other container might hold water in it. While Weiss was carried up the ladder by a guard - she'd have to get his name later to properly thank him, the rest remained behind to guard the villagers. One by one they rushed out to the fields and threw their meager provisions at the flames. Larger ones would have to burn themselves out, yet smaller fires were being quenched.

At the top of the wall they paused to coordinate their efforts and Weiss was greeted by a startled Riole. The carpenter was covered in soot yet otherwise unharmed. He looked at Weiss in shock, then Ruby, saying something to the latter before bowing his head and rushing down the ladder to help.

Holbrook was still standing. A home by the gate had burned down and another's roof was reduced to smoldering timbers, yet most of the town seemed unharmed. Frantic and in no small degree of duress, but unharmed. Taking what solace, she could in that knowledge Weiss relaxed in the guard's hold and allowed herself to be ferried away to the barracks. The door was thrown open wide and she was laid out on the card table after Ruby wiped the surface clean with her cloak.

Clothing was stripped away, and she wanted to protest for modesty's sake. At some point Lauren, Riole's wife, had arrived with a basket spilling with strips of bandages, and vials of salves and solutions. She wasn't a healer, but at this point Weiss would welcome whatever help she could get.

"Alright, you've done your part! Now get away from her!" Lauren snapped, shooing the guard off. "Get back to helping outside!"

Weiss nodded thankfully, then turned her head towards Ruby. Her friend staggered to a chair and slumped down into it, smiling through her obvious fatigue. Her hair was matted, and clothing ripped and stained, yet she'd fared considerably better. Without the howling of fire around them she could finally make out what was being said as Ruby spoke.

"We did it, Weiss! We saved the town!"

Even through the smile Weiss could hear her partner's trepidation. While Lauren went about treating Weiss' wounds she continued to watch Ruby who kept her eyes on Weiss in turn. There was a serious worry behind those shining pools of silver, and the smile looked so put on that to someone who knew the girl as well as Weiss did it was obvious it was fake.

Holbrook was saved, sure, but the fields were still burning. Disregarding the obvious problems a lack of crops would cause there were other pressing matters to worry about as well. Weiss winced as a bandaged was wrapped too tightly around her left wrist, nodding when Lauren hastily apologized.

Adam had gotten away. She hadn't expected them to beat the commander of Vale's White Fang, not really, but she'd at least hoped perhaps to keep him around long enough to… Do what, exactly? A sinking pit formed in Weiss' gut when she realized that Pyrrha and Jaune had still yet to arrive. Was Holbrook the only town to be attacked? Were their friends alright? She must have begun to sit up because Lauren placed a hand on her shoulder and eased her back down.

If other towns were attacked, then they needed to know. More Grimm would have spawned from all that negativity and other towns might even be worse off than Holbrook was. Pyrrha and Jaune were a capable duo. Ren and Nora too, if a bit more haphazard. Her friends may be skilled, yet they were all still only initiates. How would they fare against hordes of Grimm and White Fang fighters?

And what of that Grimm? They had been saved by the strange beast, but why? And why hadn't it attacked her or Ruby? Moreover, why had it been _afraid_ of Ruby? Nothing made sense and Weiss' panic began to mount. Something wasn't right about all this. Attacking the town purely for slaughter… Somehow was the most sensible thing to come of recent events.

A chair scraped against the floor followed by a dull thud. Weiss' heart jumped to her throat seeing Ruby collapsed on the floor, eyes closed and chest heaving weakly. Lauren shouted for help outside and another villager rushed in to lend a hand getting Ruby up. Though her legs quivered and threatened to buckle Weiss swung them over the edge of the table. Using the edge for support she moved, silencing Lauren with a single look as she gestured for Ruby to be laid out in her stead.

Her friend was breathing, a good sign, though she was paler and drenched in sweat. Even in a state of unconsciousness she trembled, fingers flexing and mouth twitching, face contorting in pain. Weiss recognized the signs and immediately rummaged through Lauren's bag, sorting through the vials within for anything of use.

"What's happening?!" the frantic villager pressed. "Is she okay?!"

Is she… People needed to stop asking such stupid questions. Weiss found what she was searching for and thrust the brown concoction into Lauren's hands. "Have her drink this. All of it. She's going to need water, and we have to keep her warm." She turned to the villager, a wiry man she didn't recognize. "Go get her a heavy blanket. Now."

While the man rushed out of the room and Lauren administered the medicine Weiss wobbled in place. Sinking into the closest chair she could she groaned, her entire body throbbing and tingling unpleasantly. Lauren hovered over Ruby and watched her uncertainly, hands reaching for her face, then her chest, before her eyes sought Weiss' advice.

"Spellcast Sickness…" Weiss explained, then when Lauren appeared confused she shook her head. "Ruby overextended herself… Used too much magic. It happens to Magi."

Weiss had managed to avoid passing out barely and had slowly regained her composure. She'd been lucky in that regard. She still felt as though she'd been battered by a waterfall and thrown about in a twister, yet she'd remained conscious. Glancing at Ruby's breathing yet unmoving form she was reminded of how close she herself had been to slipping too.

The villager returned, this time accompanied by another, and the trio of residents went to work on Ruby. "There's not much you can do," Weiss said. "She just needs rest. The medicine should curb her fatigue and we need to keep her warm, but otherwise she should be fine."

Should. It was times like this that Weiss wished she had healing magic. For all the versatility that runes provided her it was one class of spells she was incapable of performing. For combat or support in a fight there were few who were as valuable. For situations like this she was useless, and she felt every bit of it.

As fires continued to burn outside Weiss allowed herself to try and relax. Fatigue still not great enough to pull her under she watched as Ruby was made comfortable, then one by one the villagers left. Lauren was the last to leave, promising to return soon after seeing to a few injuries. Weiss nodded and watched the woman leave, slumping in her seat and staring at Ruby, her mind awash with dozens of questions.

The mission was a success, at least she thought so, yet there was so much more wrong with how things had turned out. Where was Adam? Would they be able to hold Blake? And lest she forget, what of the bandits up on the mountain? Had they fled in the ensuing battle?

Too many concerns for a girl who could scarcely hold her head up. Instead Weiss busied herself with trying to do what she could. They would have to report back to Ozpin and the Church, inform them of everything that had happened. She'd write a letter tomorrow and try to send it… Somehow. If it was safe enough, which she doubted, perhaps they could send a runner to check on the nearby villages check on their friends too.

Weiss sighed and lazily gazed around the dimly lit barracks. At the shelves lined with rusted armor, weapons dulled beyond use, and random knick knacks that had no place being in a barracks to begin with.

Holbrook had its own share of problems though at least the town still stood. Food would be an issue, and with a lack of wealth she wasn't sure how its residents would trade for supplies they'd undoubtedly need.

Sinking back into the chair she lifted a shaking hand, rubbing her face with numb digits. For now, she supposed being alive was just good enough. The rest could come later.

* * *

 **Next chapter: Stuff happens!**

 **Also rest in pieces Weiss' knock-off Myrtenaster. If you want the proper song for it then... I don't know, go look up 'My Heart Will Go On', but played on the recorder. Badly. It's fitting for such a tragedy.**


	15. Chapter 15: Fugue

**OwO What's this? A chapter?**

 **Sorry, not sorry.**

 **Time for a bit of the aftermath! Won't spend too much time with this, though someone is quite clearly absent from this chapter, so expect some of her in the next.**

 **Weiss, take it away, girlfriend!**

* * *

The first thing Weiss noticed was the overbearing stench of sawdust. Or rather cherry and maybe a hint of apple. The second thing she noticed, or rather, questioned was why she was suddenly smelling fruit, and why a heavy quilt currently weighed down on top of her, trapping her against a straw mattress.

When she managed to part her eyelids, she stared in momentary confusion up at the low wooden ceiling. Blue eyes traced the vaguely familiar knots and stains in the wood and she listened to the not too distant sound of a saw's teeth cutting away into wooden flesh.

 _I'm at Riole and Lauren's home._ She'd concluded before she sat up in bed and looked around the room. A gray carpet, edges frayed, covered part of the floor and a small dresser covered a small portion of the opposite wall. It was the same room she'd been given when they'd first arrived, though she couldn't remember how she'd come to be here.

Weiss glanced down at herself and frowned seeing an unfamiliar white robe clinging to her slender frame. Just beneath the neck hole she saw bandages, feeling the cloth stretch from her left shoulder, across her chest and around her back. More still were wrapped around her left forearm, and her fingertips gingerly prodded the bandages to confirm a wound there, accompanied by an unpleasant if faint tingling sensation.

 _The last thing I recall is Ruby passing out in the barracks. After that…_ What had happened, exactly? Lauren had taken to working with Ruby and Weiss had sat herself down. She vaguely recalled Laurel coming to visit, a brief chat with him about… Something. Her mind felt fuzzy as she struggled to grasp at hazy memories. When no amount of searching revealed anything more she gave up with a huff and dissatisfied slap of her palms against her legs.

Ruby! She needed to check on her partner. Throwing off the heavy blanket she swung her legs out of bed and stood, nearly falling over as pain shot up her leg. Hissing in displeasure she sat on the edge of the bed and lifted her foot, frowning seeing bandages wrapped heavily around her ankle. Right, that had happened too. A minor injury considering the fires, explosions, and a madman hellbent on killing her, though no less obnoxious for it.

Favoring her opposite side Weiss hobbled her way across the room and threw the door open. Mid-afternoon light filtered in through windows on either end of the hall yet the space remained dim. Thankfully her eyes had little trouble adjusting, having just been closed, and if memory served then Ruby wouldn't be far away either.

Testing the door opposite her own and finding it unlocked she knocked, and to her surprise an answer quickly followed.

"Come in!"

Weiss smiled when she found Ruby sat up in bed. Her friend almost didn't notice her at first, too engrossed in the bowl of food as she voraciously inhaled its contents. With a mouthful the brunette finally looked up and squeaked. Whatever it was she waved her open hand at Weiss before clinging onto the bowl to keep it from tipping over.

Weiss shook her head, smiling exasperatedly. "You absolute dunce…" Moving into the room she took the chair at Ruby's bedside and sank into it, rubbing sleep from her face.

Ruby munched away before flashing Weiss a wide smile. "Good to see you too! You look better!"

"What…?"

"You looked pretty bad before! You were all sick looking, and you had tremors, and…"

Weiss cut her friend off by covering her mouth with her hand. "Wait. I looked poorly? Ruby, you're the one that passed out!" Ruby tried to speak but couldn't due to Weiss' hand. She removed it, then arched an eyebrow and crossed her arms.

"Well, yeah, but I woke up first! You've been asleep since!"

Had she really? She certainly felt fatigued, though she chalked that up to having just woken. Glancing towards the single window in Ruby's room Weiss bit her lip and absently rubbed at the back of her injured hand. "How long was I out…?"

"Oh, just the day! Or the night, I guess…?" Ruby's face took on a thoughtful expression before her usual smile replaced it. "Nothing serious! I guess we both kind of overdid it, huh…?"

"Well considering everything I don't imagine we had much of a choice."

Not with Adam so callously willing to blow away Holbrook's defenses and leave its people for dead, if not slaughter them himself. Not with Grimm converging in the midst of their battle. Ironically the dark beasts had been something of a saving grace, and perhaps the only reason Weiss sat where she was now.

Her mind played back a series of images she'd rather not recall. Adam towering over her, blade in hand, preparing himself for the killing blow. As feelings of helplessness and nihilism returned Weiss shoulders slump along with her posture and she released a shuddering sigh. Besides the sobering knowledge of how outmatched she and Ruby had been - barely able to scrape by together, she'd had a closer call with death than ever before. At no point in training, even early on, had a Grimm come as close to ending her life as Adam had. With flames encroaching and the sounds of frantic cries from Holbrook mixed with Ruby's clash with Blake it had felt like she'd just stepped into hell.

Hands gripped her own and Weiss looked up into the worried face of her friend. "Hey… I'm here if you need to talk, Weiss."

Exhaling and releasing a tension in her chest she hadn't noticed Weiss managed a small smile and shook her head. "Thank you, Ruby, but I think I'm fine."

"Are you sure? I don't mind! I mean we're partners after all!"

"I'm positive." She wasn't, in fact Weiss was certain she was anything but 'fine'. She had only just woken however and presumably so too had Ruby. Now was hardly the time to be sharing concerns about their obvious mortality. Or maybe it was. Ultimately Weiss decided to let the issue slide, and when Ruby made no effort to get her speaking she changed topics. Kind of.

"How are you faring? When you passed out I… I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I didn't see much of your fight, so I couldn't be certain what injuries you'd sustained." Weiss let her eyes roam over Ruby, clad in a similar robe than her own, taking mental snapshots of the few bandages on her body.

"It was just Spellcast Sickness! Well, mostly that," Ruby said. "They think smoke inhalation ended up getting to both of us. And we both had some small cuts and burns on us." She paused and ran a hand over her leg under the blankets, then moved her meal to the nightstand, lest she knock it over. "The healer said we should both be fine by tomorrow though!"

"Healer…? I wasn't aware Holbrook had one."

"Oh, well they don't! I guess he was passing through, though. He happened to be in the area and decided to help us out!"

That was remarkably fortuitous. Weiss would think any sane man or woman would steer well clear of a town besieged both by the White Fang and Grimm. Then again who was she to talk sanity? Hadn't she just faced off against one of the White Fang's commanders amidst a sea of flames and a pack of Grimm?

In lieu of everything else that had happened as of late the heavens themselves might as well have opened up and the gods themselves descended upon Remnant. Weiss sighed, the gesture more relieved than anything, and nodding to herself with a smile. "And I suppose we have this gentleman to thank for our quick recovery!"

"Mhm!" Ruby answered, positively brimming with energy. How in the world she recovered so quickly was just one of Remnant's great mysteries, along with how she didn't grow large from all she ate? _Her and Nora have some secret that I simply must learn._ One could only subsist off salads and small portions for so long.

Putting aside her temporary grievances Weiss lifted her injured ankle and nursed it gingerly. "I don't suppose that man is still around? Might we have a chance to thank him…?"

"Oh uh… Maybe? He was here a little while ago, wanted to make sure we were both doing okay and stuff."

"So he should still be around?" That was all Weiss needed to hear. Using the chair for support she gingerly rose to her feet, testing her weight on her injured ankle before opting to rely on the opposite one instead. "Are you well enough to be up and about, or shall I thank him for you?"

That Ruby jumped out of bed and pumped her fists with vigor should have come as no surprise. Weiss still felt a mild irritation but let it fizzle out. "Splendid, you're well enough to stand. In that case…" She slung her arm over Ruby's shoulder. At first, she was hesitant to lean her full weight on her friend but when the brunette made no protest she did just that. Ruby helped adjust her, putting an arm around Weiss' waist for added support.

"Let's go!" Ruby announced, smiling.

"Yes, let's."

Thanks in large part to Ruby's help getting downstairs wasn't too difficult for Weiss. And while in any other case she'd gawk at going outdoors in what amount to little more than a nightgown one look at her clothing, strewn out over a table by the kitchen, torn and not yet repaired, told her it was the better alternative. Lauren was out it seemed and Riole was out back busy with work. She'd thought to leave a note to let them know they were stepping out before dismissing the idea as moot. Holbrook was hardly a large settlement and it wasn't as if they would be going far.

For a town beset by White Fang and Grimm not a day earlier it was surprising at the normality with which residents took to life. More were out than before, mostly to help with cleanup and repairs, yet the town lacked the air of tension or fear Weiss had expected. Something to be said for being a frontier settlement, she supposed. Between bandits, Grimm and the infrequency of trading it would be natural that people here would do well in the face of adversity.

Which wasn't to say everything was entirely fine. A few residents shuffled about slower than others, faces twisted in pain or in somber resignation. Few had died, miraculously, though the few that had obviously had families here. Judging by the faces of those she saw it wasn't difficult to guess who had lost loved ones.

"We could have done better…" Ruby's voice whispered beside her. Silver eyes shone with emotion and her partner swallowed thickly before sighing. "I know we won, but…"

"Doesn't feel like it." Not when faced with that. Weiss felt an unpleasant guilt gnawing at her breast and the sensation only intensified when one of the residents saw them and despite their pain smiled and mouthed 'Thank you'. Misplaced as it felt she returned the smile, the expression fading the moment the woman moved along.

Holbrook stood and that in of itself was a testament to… Something. The gates had been blown to smithereens and Grimm had encroached perilously close to the nearly unprotected settlement, and to top it all off a few buildings had suffered damages in the crossfire.

Yet most residents were alive and the town would recover. Whether or not that could wholly be attributed to Weiss and Ruby's abilities was a debate that Weiss herself had no desire to hold. Nor was anyone in town intent on approaching them. Whether to rebuke them for not doing enough or laud them for their efforts, aside from a parting glance or nod of recognition. All of which was fine by Weiss.

While neither of them had explicit directions where to find Holbrook's newfound healer it wasn't difficult to find the man. A large tarp hung between the general store and an adjacent home, and beneath it several cots and tables had been laid out in the little space provided. A handful of residents milled about either running from cot to cot with supplies or tending to the injured. Lauren was among them and seemed not at all thrilled the two of them were up and about. If not for the guard she was tending to Weiss feared they'd have been approached and reprimanded on the spot.

Lauren remained put thankfully and the two of them carefully shuffled their way into the makeshift hospital. Weiss didn't know everyone in town and at a glance wouldn't be able to pick out the healer in the crowd. Thankfully she didn't have to. A pair of young women hurried to an older Muran and spoke with a fervor, then nodded before splitting off to perform their given tasks. That had to be him then.

"Pardon us…" Weiss spoke a bit louder to be heard over the groans and chatter around them. The man turned from his table, bloody gloves on his hands rendering a handshake undesirable. She opted for a polite smile instead, nudging Ruby in the ribs when her partner failed to follow suit. "Are you the healer who saw to my partner and I?"

It seemed to take the man a moment before a knowing smile appeared, tugging his pointed beard and lifting his bushy mustache, crinkling his already wrinkled face. "Indeed, and how glad am I to see the two of you up and well!"

Ruby wrinkled her nose and glanced meaningfully at the bloodied gloves. The displeasure was plain on her face and the man had the courtesy not to appear offending, rather apologetic instead. "Sorry about that, were it possible I could speak to you under more auspicious circumstances…"

"Oh no, pardon us for interrupting you. I'm certain you're quite busy here." The bustle around them certainly attested to as much. One of the assistants nearby called for the man and he hastily gathered tools from a bin, gloves and instruments dripping with water and blood. "We wanted to thank you before you left."

"Please, it's my duty as a man of medicine to aid those in need." The man scoffed and rinsed his tools off again, shaking blood and crusted material from them. "Blast… Confound this… Mariam, bring me another bucket of water! And fresh bandages!" Beside them a woman nodded furiously and rushed away with a bucket in hand.

It was only natural people would be injured from the attacks. Weiss shuddered to think how Holbrook might have managed had this man not shown up when he did. Good fortune didn't begin to account for his arrival. _If I didn't believe in divine intervention before then I almost might now._ Almost. Benevolent gods wouldn't have let the attacks occur in the first place. Then again, the evils hadn't been perpetuated by the gods but by humanity - by the White Fang to be exact. Was it right to attribute their ills to the gods? Were the people of Remnant solely responsible or were the gods by proxy guilty?

Throwing aside her philosophical debate for another time Weiss smiled again and bowed her head. "This could have been much worse if someone wasn't here to tend to the wounded." A cursory glance that left her a bit queasy showed just how fortunate residents were. A few people were bandaged to the point of mummification, yet breathing, very much alive. A collection of slaves and containers littered the gentleman's workspace and a heavy bag rested beside the table, filled no doubt with herbs and other important tools of the trade.

When Mariam returned with a fresh bucket of water and scurried off with the soiled one, the healer cleansed his tools once more. "Again, a pleasure to be of service. However, I really must run, I've more work to do before we can call this a success."

"Of course," Weiss obliged. She nodded and let her smile widen naturally. "We owe you a debt, sir. Should you ever require anything you'll have our support."

"The aid of two Hunters? Well, that's certainly something!" The man laughed before giving her and Ruby a warm smile. "I'll bear that in mind. Might I have your names? It wouldn't do well to try and find you later without them."

"I'm R-Ruby! Ruby Rose!" Ruby stammered. She bowed at the waist and dragged Weiss with her, squeaking when she was thwacked over the back of her head. Dolt.

"Weiss Schnee," Weiss added after righting herself. "Could I be so bold as to ask for yours?"

The man's eyes sparkled hearing her name and Weiss had to not groan or roll her eyes. Someone that knew her name then, or at least the familial part of it. With any luck the man wouldn't get the wrong idea from having a Schnee indebted to him.

"Ah yes, where are my manners?" The healer, or medic, whatever he might be, looked down at his gloves, dripping with water and clutching tools. Rather than shake hands he smiled and bowed slightly. "Doctor Jacobis Merlot, at your service."

One of the aides called for the doctor's help then and he excused himself, slipping past the pair and hurrying to one of the cots. A young woman with burns down her arms and neck. Once it was clear he was too busy to speak any further Weiss decided now was a good a time as any to get moving. Her head felt light from moving about and in the brighter light of the afternoon sun she noticed Ruby was still a shade paler than normal. Both of them still needed rest.

Their luck turned when Lauren finally approached them, looking none too pleased her wards were up and about. In a manner reminiscent of one stern instructor she thwacked her open palm with a wooden splint, narrowing her eyes dangerously. Ruby shifted beside Weiss nervously and half-giggled, half-whined.

"Um… Look, we're all better!"

Their hostess turned caretaker didn't by it. Weiss balked as she and Ruby were dragged, literally, back towards Lauren and Riole's house. She had the mind to complain and point out how improper it was to manhandle two injured patients. A single glare quelled any such thoughts and Weiss felt a shiver race down her spine.

She'd already had one harrowing experience this week. No reason to have a second.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Anyone would have been rightfully worried about waking up in the middle of the forest. Even more worrisome would be the blood - not her own Yang confirmed, that currently covered the tattered remains of her clothing. Equally disturbing would be the entrails littered around the forest floor, leaves stained red with blood and flies filling the air, feasting on the remains of what looked to have been a deer. Hard to tell when everything was torn to shreds.

It was disconcerting that Yang hardly flinched. Oh it was troubling to be sure, though for different reasons. The weight in her stomach told her exactly where most of the deer had gone, as did the dried blood spattered around her mouth. Judging by the trail of scorched earth and tree trunks charred black she chalked that up to her own doing as well. Hardly comforting given the implications but knowing the cause was something of a small grace.

Hair fell against her back, dirt and matted, and Yang groaned as she sat up. Her shirt, or what remained of it, sagged down and slipped from her shoulders. Despite no one else being around she grabbed the ruined garment and pulled it back up. Just because no one could see her didn't mean she'd make a habit of lounging around naked.

Besides, she had much more disturbing things to deal with right now.

Hazy images replayed through her mind and she groaned, leaning forward and digging the heels of her hands into her eyes as if to wipe them away. Flashes of fire, distorted images of people fighting, of those same people turning against her. With the images came all of the sensations along with them. Odorous smoke, the sensations of fear and desperation that might as well have been tangible as smoke, and blood.

Okay, maybe the last one was just the here and now. Deciding that sitting beside a fly-infested corpse wasn't the most heartening thing in the world Yang stood and wandered away from the grisly site. Blurred images continued to come to her of their own accord, and with no means of stopping them they persisted. Memories, all recent, and every one of them disturbing.

She did find one of use however and clung to that. Treading a path she shouldn't have known she cut a trail through the trees. Her boots were gone, she realized, though the callouses on her soles did wonders to help protect against the dangers of the forest. Twigs, leaves and itty-bitty bugs. Good ol' callouses.

Yang found what she was after soon and stopped at the edge of a small pond. Not the cleanest water she'd ever seen and she almost retched when a frog jumped out of it. Having to choose between staying caked in blood and soot or putting up with a bit of dirty water?

Keeping her trousers on, for they were the only article of clothing not destroyed, she waded into the water. Muck and slime squished between her toes and the Dimuran shuddered at the unpleasant feeling, then bit the proverbial arrow and lowered herself in. It took some considerable scrubbing on her part and no small test of her resilience but moments later she'd cleaned herself of grime. And her hair, her poor, glorious hair, was knotted and filled with disgusting water that stank even as she wrung it out.

Of all the times she'd woken up somewhere new this was by far among the shittiest. Top five at least.

That was to say nothing of what happened before she'd momentarily blacked out. Despite her 'condition', more of a curse really, she retained a distressing degree of lucidity whenever she changed. Much as she'd prefer to black out entirely she instead remained aware of what was happening. In control too, somewhat, though nowhere near as much as she'd liked.

She remembered charging from Devin's wagon, leaving the family behind as she rushed towards the explosion. It must have been terrifying for them to witness her manic drive. Devin had mentioned they had family in the town too, hadn't he? What was it called again? After trying for a second to recall the town's name Yang gave up. The name was inconsequential, anyways. Thanks to her, or perhaps in spite of her, it had survived its encounter with the White Fang.

One of the members she knew by reputation alone. Adam Taurus, grade 'A' asshole and all around douchenozzle, and the commander of Vale's forces to boot. Seeing him there had been a… Surprise.

Not nearly as much as his partner though. While the town's name might evade her, she had no time recalling the Meera's name: Blake. She'd not been overly thrilled with letting the White Fang march out of Alabaster before yet had decided it was the safer option. Fighting would lead to casualties, and as bigoted and asinine as Alabaster's residents were she didn't want them to die for it.

Yang had felt that had been the right decision until she'd seen Blake again. That bitch had been about to deal a killing blow to Ruby. To her little sister. Enraged hadn't begun to describe Yang then and there. Her anger would have terrified even Grimm, in fact she was certain it had. Pausing against a tree she looked down at her drenched clothes and grimaced, tearing the remains of her top off and throwing them away. Not the most comfortable sensation given her assets, and the fact going anywhere now would draw some much unwanted attention, but it beat wearing a slimy shirt. Her pants would stay. For now, at least.

In the moment that Ruby appeared to breathe her last, or had been about to, the entire world had gone red. The flames had a small part in that, but Yang was positive her anger colored her perception more than any inferno ever could. She'd seen blood, she'd wanted to spill it, and Blake just so happened to be full of it. If that fucker Taurus got in her way? She wasn't going to be upset over killing him too.

Then, in a display that still made absolutely zero fucking sense, Ruby had defended Blake. A woman who had not a moment ago been ready to kill her, to soil the fields with her blood and slaughter the town's residents thereafter, Ruby had protected someone like that. Blake had been dumbfounded too and by some grace of the gods hadn't acted on the window and attacked Ruby from behind.

Maybe the bitch had some honor after all. Or maybe she knew better than to cut down her saving grace. It hadn't made sense, and hell it didn't make sense to Yang either, but she'd recognized an out when she saw it.

She had wanted Blake dead more than anything in the world. She'd wanted to tear the Meera to shreds, to bat her around like a toy and make her suffer. Only after she plead and cried would Yang have killed her, and only then. The knowledge that she'd reached that point, over Ruby or not, made Yang's blood run cold. That wasn't her. She wasn't some blood crazed beast that took pleasure in tearing people to shreds.

One trembling hand covered her eye and the other her stomach. Her impromptu buffet felt heavier than before and the world around her spun, an unpleasant, high pitched ringing in her ears appearing. She staggered forward and planted one foot firmly before the other, leaned over, and let the deer back out into the world. Or whatever was left of it.

After spitting out bile and wiping her mouth on her hand Yang lifted her head and shouted furiously. There was nothing around her, no one to vent to, and certainly nothing to take out her anger on. Not unless she was about to start punching trees into oblivion. Hell, she just might. Doubling forward she screamed, letting her anguish, anger, and frustration out at once. She yelled until her throat reverberated and her mouth dried up, stopping only when her lungs were completely starved, and she coughed and gasped for air.

She'd finally run into Ruby. After months of searching, of hoping for a chance encounter, she'd finally found her sister. And she'd done so in the absolute worst way possible.

There was no chance that her sister could have recognized her in that state. At least, Yang tried to convince herself there wasn't. Her hair changed color and her skin darkened. Her limbs grew, or more accurately, shells formed, and those were just the changes she was aware of. Surely it was enough to mask who she'd really been?

Even with her memory of the event largely intact she couldn't recall much of Ruby's expression, only the gesture which had driven Yang to flee. Had there been recognition? She dared hope not, yet rarely was luck ever on her side. Life seemed to have a way of fucking with her.

"My my, someone is certainly out of sorts."

A snarl passed Yang's lips the moment she heard the voice. She lifted her arm in its direction and focused on the energy around her, drawing in whatever magic she could. Her skin prickled painfully, and her fingers burned, skin scalding against her own spell. Sparks formed in her palm and fizzled out, and she knew trying anything further was only going to hurt her.

Still, it was worth a shot if it meant killing the bastard before her.

"And so hostile! I should think by now we have something of a rapport."

Yang, still tasting bile, spat and curled back her lips. "Where the fuck did you come from?!"

"What, some colleagues can't catch up? Reminisce about old times?"

She'd sooner pour boiling iron down her throat than reminisce with the twisted bastard before her.

Yang stood upright and leaned back into a tree. The bark was hardly noticeable and most of it scraped harmlessly against her scales. Leaning her head back she rolled her neck, then fixed her lilac eyes back on the loathsome man. "What do you want…?"

"Why, to congratulate you, of course! It seems you've been having quite some fun as of late!" What was he on about now? No doubt some utter bullshit just trying to get under her skin. Walking away would be so easy, in fact… "That young lady owes you her life, even if she doesn't realize it," Merlot went on. "Avery, was it…? And we can't forget Devin and his charming family now, can we?"

Ice ran through her veins. Then it melted, reaching a boiling point as anger swelled inside of her. "You… You've been following me?!" Yang snapped.

"Following? Gods, no!"

"Okay, stalking me," the half-Dimuran spat.

"You make me sound so disreputable. I'm merely keeping an eye on my experiment, my dear." Merlot smiled, although he peeled back part of his overcoat to flash a dagger hidden within. "You can't blame a man for checking up on his work now and again."

"Bastard… How about you come take a better look then, huh?" Yang grinned and curled a finger at the man, flipping her hair to expose more skin. "Come on, I won't bite. Much."

He didn't take the bait. Merlot chuckled and stroked his beard, folding his other hand behind his back. "An interesting proposition, but no, I think I'll pass."

"Darn… And here I was thinking you'd finally be dumb enough."

"I don't quite think that will ever happen, I'm afraid. I'm well aware of what you're capable of, Yang." _And how little your threats mean to me._ His smile belied his ease.

Ah well, she always had her dreams. What beautiful dreams those were too. Dropping her arm back to her side Yang shrugged her shoulders, ignoring the innate soreness before she yawned. "You're boring me…" He wasn't. It was hard to feel bored around the person you wanted to kill most in the world. "Mind getting to why you're here, or can I go?"

"Always the impatient one…" Merlot clicked his tongue, shaking his head in disappointment. "Perhaps I really ought to have tried for more obedience with you."

"Fuck yourself," was Yang's reply. She had more than that she'd like to say but that was a pretty nice summation. The rest were just different variations of the same thing.

"Another time, perhaps. I'm here to extend a… Challenge of sorts, if you will. We can even call it a game if you'd like, or a wager." Merlot bared his teeth and flashed a cruel smile, clasping his hands together. "Care to hear my proposal?"

Yang tried not to bash her own skull against the tree. Maybe she could knock herself out? Instead she restrained herself, barely, and let out a long-winded groan. "You're just going to tell me anyways, aren't ya?"

"See? You are learning! And here I was beginning to think you were every bit as witless as you appeared. Now, if you'd be so kind as to entertain me a moment longer…"

Yang glanced at the bag she hadn't realized Merlot had brought with him before. He ruffled through it and searched for something. Spent vials and used bandages were thrown aside haphazardly and he grinned when he found his prize.

To Yang it looked like nothing more than a hunk of scrap. Maybe a little more ornate than that, given the intricate carvings. Judging by the folds of the metal and the grip jutting out of the base of the weapon it had once been… Well, a weapon. A vaguely familiar one, though for the life of her Yang wasn't entirely certain why.

"What, want me to play fetch?" she asked, smiling bitterly.

"Perish the thought. You may be my dog and indeed you could be better disciplined." Yang ground her teeth but remained where she was. "No, this belongs to a young woman that I'm particularly interested in. I'm certain you're familiar with her, yes? She was at that miserable hole of a town. Weiss Schnee, if I remember right."

Schnee… Schnee… Weren't they some fancypants family? From Atlas, right? Or was it Mistral? Even without fatigue and an overwhelming desire to throttle Merlot filling her head Yang wasn't sure she knew the answer. "Familiar enough, I guess," she answered with a shrug. "What about her?"

She expected Merlot to ask for her to kill the girl. That was pretty standard for his orders anyways. "As it happens I had heard she'd be finishing her training soon, and just in time for me to begin another experiment, no less! My request is a simple one: I'd like for you to find her once you've recuperated and bring her to me."

"Oh?" Now that was a little different. "What for, exactly? Planning on making another freak of nature?"

"Mmm… Perhaps, though not with her. Something far more exciting, in fact." Merlot shook his head. "No, our young friend has Runic magic and, as you're aware, that makes her quite valuable for our purposes."

"It's not _our_ anything, Merlot," Yang hissed. "I'm not helping you with this shit. If you want her to help then you get her."

"I would love to, but sadly my research calls. And I did give the young lady my name, after all. She'll no doubt report to Ozpin and, well, I think we both know why I can't stay here." Merlot chuckled and took one last look at the ruined weapon before throwing it away. The remains of Myrtenaster rolled through the dirt and landed beside a rotting log, discarded and forgotten.

Trying to ignore the strange kinship she felt with the piece of metal Yang sneered. "Sounds like a you problem. Count me out."

"Ah… But you see it isn't just an issue for me. Or did you think I'd come here without proper motivation for you?" Merlot couldn't have appeared any smugger if he'd tried. When Yang didn't question him, though continued to stare his way, he laughed, rather proud of himself. "Tell me, does the name 'Ruby Rose' mean anything to you?"

Her legs throbbed and every fiber, tendon and joint in her body ached. That didn't stop Yang from trying to kill Merlot. She forgot her fatigue in an instant and lunged for Merlot. With a dozen feet or more between them it was a hell of a gap to close. Growling and trembling in anger she glowered at the man, dropping to her knees as pain wracked her body. On her back she felt her mark burn, as if someone pressed a hot brand between her shoulder blades. Even her Dimuran's fortitude didn't do much to stave off the magic heat, and while her skin didn't actually burn that didn't mean it didn't hurt any less.

"Uh uh, you know better than that." Merlot smirked as a rune shone against his palm, the black mark steaming and giving off a dark fog. "Has this ever worked, Yang? Honestly, sometimes I wonder if you're even capable of learning from -"

"Fuck you!" Yang screamed. Her muscles tensed, and veins popped as she struggled against the unseen force. Pain flared again, and she swallowed her tongue to avoid biting down on it. Tears stung her eyes and she fell forward, barely catching herself on her hands, arms trembling.

"Language. Now then, as I was saying… Miss Schnee is rather promising, and I would very much like to acquire her assistance. Unfortunately, as much as I'd have liked to whisk her away then and there, so many people present causes complications. And with other Hunters nearby I'd prefer to avoid any unnecessary conflict." Bullshit. "So, rather than cause any undue stress to those poor people, I've decided it best if you fetch her for me."

The pain lessened, and Yang lifted her head. Her eyes flashed red and she tried to make use of the anger boiling over inside of her. Even that had fled her though, leaving her the world's most dangerous, if smoldering fire. "Just go get her yourself," she hissed.

"Ah, but why do that when I have you? Besides, I would think you'd enjoy a chance to make a friend! You could play along with her, perhaps gain her trust. Then, once she's complicit and willing to follow you, deliver her to me. Do that and I'll free you from your mark."

"Or… And hear me out." Yang's features twitched as she forced a smile to her face. "You can go eat shit and die, and I'll get the mark removed myself." A fresh wave of pain flared inside of her and she cried out.

"As easy as it would be I really am needed elsewhere. Research doesn't conduct itself, after all." Merlot paused as a warm breeze wove through the forest, scowling as a lone leaf kicked up and smacked him in the face. Yang hoped it had shit on it. "So, I feel it's more fitting for you to recruit her in my stead," he continued, plucking the leaf and flicking it away. "It's quite simple, really. Do as I ask, and I'll remove the mark. Refuse, and… Well, I shudder to think of what might happen to your dear baby sister."

"I'll kill you!" Yang bellowed.

"A threat you've yet to make good on. I can see that you're not in a proper state of mind, so I'll leave you to think it over." Merlot lowered his hand and the pain vanished, yet Yang remained where she was. Her subservience made him smile in delight and drew out a self-satisfied laugh. "I'm sure you'll make the right decision in the end. You always do."

Damn him. Yang tried to lift herself and found her arms buckle beneath her, elbows finding perch in the soft earth and keeping her from face planting. Barely. She lifted her head again and glared, wishing that her gaze along could set him alight. When nothing happened, she sneered and shook her head. "The moment you release me I'm going to cook your ass, you know that."

"A rather specific threat, and ultimately a poor one. If I feared your ire, then I'd not make the offer to begin with."

"Oh? Then remove the mark now," Yang said with a smirk. "Go on, you can trust me."

"And lose my valuable pawn? I may not fear you, Yang, but I don't care to lose my toy just yet. Not until I can reliably replicate the process, anyways." Merlot smiled and turned to leave, pausing. "There's a change of clothing in your bag, as well as some Lien the villagers so graciously paid me with. They're a bit more… Drab than you're used to, but I figured you'd appreciate the garments nonetheless." Merlot looked her over and frowned. "Disgusting… Dimurans are such unrefined beings…"

The threat against Ruby was enough to make Yang want to tear out Merlot's throat. Her inability to even lift a finger against the man made her want to tear out her own. Incapable of moving so much as an inch she watched as he casually strolled away, disappearing into the forest and leaving her prostrate. Only when the linger pain of his spell faded did she push herself up off the ground. Her arms still shook and she wobbled on her feet but she managed to trudge over to the bag.

Merlot had been right about one thing anyways, the clothes he'd brought were abysmal. Plain brown tunic and matching trousers, with a pair of boots that looked like they'd seen better days. The trousers fit, but the shirt was too short and tight in all the wrong places. Yang didn't even bother with the boots, taking one look, and a whiff, before throwing them aside. What little remained in Merlot's bag, of his cover's bag rather, was of no use. Fake documents used containers and tools, and random odds and ends. Whatever town he'd been at before following her here had no doubt been the site of another of his experiments. She shuddered to think what he'd gotten into.

Not that it mattered. Rare was it that his experiments succeeded. Rarer still were they not immediately stamped out by a Hunter in the area. Despite countless failures however Merlot continued to persist, and why shouldn't he? He'd succeeded once in his experiments, albeit with plenty of help. That wasn't stopping him from trying to replicate the results.

If Yang had her way, then he never would. Dumping the bag's remaining contents out on the ground she tested the material and found it sturdy enough for use. Slinging the empty bag over her shoulder she cut off in the direction Merlot had and found the main road once again. Returning to the town where Ruby was, tempting as it was, was out of the question. Not only did she look like a beggar, something she doubted Ruby would mind, but her own terror at somehow being recognized made facing her sister more daunting than anything else in the world.

Besides, Merlot knew her now. He'd known of her before, of course, but he'd never met her. Now that the scumbag had a face to go with the name he could go after Ruby if she disobeyed him. He could do whatever he wanted to her, Yang had long since stopped caring, but she'd be damned if Ruby was hurt because of her.

That left her with one option then. It was disgusting to even consider, and she hated herself for entertaining it. Given the choice between protecting Ruby, however, and giving up some Schnee girl to help with Merlot's games, well, there wasn't really a choice to be made. Especially not if the doctor actually held up his end of the bargain.

Ruby wouldn't have given in. She'd try to find another solution, one where no one had to suffer. Her sister was kind like that. Naive like that. An idiot.

Yang sniffled and lifted her head. No put-upon smile, no false bravado to perk herself up. Because as infuriating as Merlot was, as much as she wanted to tear his spine out his ass for having the gall to not only stalk her but taunt her too, it paled in comparison to what she'd just done.

Ruby was all she had left of her family. Her mother, her _biological_ mother, well, that woman could join Merlot in the deepest pit on Remnant and starve for all she cared. Summer, Ruby's birth mother, had vanished years ago and was by all rights dead. Yang shook and began to trudge down the road, rubbing at her face angrily as she went.

Taiyang was convinced she was dead, and her Uncle Qrow… That was more complicated than she cared to dwell on right now.

Ruby _was_ her family, and now because of her negligence and yearning to find her she'd led a madman to her doorstep. Could she get to Ruby without doing as Merlot demanded of her? Sure, but he'd just as soon force her to kill her own sister as a result. If she wanted her sister to be safe again then she had to do as she was ordered.

She had to bring Weiss Schnee to Merlot.

She basically would be kidnapping the girl. No, she _was_ kidnapping her, no uncertainty there. There was a good chance Merlot would either kill her or perform some insane tests on her after he got whatever it was he was after Weiss for too. To secure Ruby's safety, and perhaps her own freedom, Weiss Schnee would be subjugated and turned into a tool for Merlot. Was it fair? Hardly. Did Yang care...?

Two years ago, when she'd started her training as a Hunter, she'd have said yes. She'd have told Merlot to piss off and find someone else to do his work for him. Actually, she'd probably have pummeled him into the dirt for even thinking of threatening her or Ruby. One year ago, she'd have fought back and forced the bastard to make her do it. Now? She was whipped, and because she was too weak to resist him, or resist her urges to see Ruby, some stranger was going to die.

Hunters were supposed to be heroes.

Then again, she'd stopped being a Hunter some time ago, hadn't she? Yang smiled bitterly and rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hand, exhaling shakily.

A Hunter wouldn't kill some random girl. A Rogue, though?

It's like the role was made for her.

* * *

 **Is his name actually Jacobis? No idea. Tried to think of an old guy name. Bob was a first choice.**

 **I like Bob. I don't like Merlot.**

 **Merlot wouldn't be a 'Bob' then.**

 **Happy accident for his name, though? Certainly not. There's nothing in history or anything similar to 'Jacobis'. Not at all.**

 **Next chapter... Soon!**


	16. Chapter 16: A Dolt's Promise

**Submitting this from work super early Easter morning! To everyone who celebrates, Happy Easter! To everyone else... Happy Sunday!**

 **I'm tired. I edited this and I hope like heck it's not a complete mess. Brain's on fumes, time to go use the last of those at work.**

 **Enjoy some time with Blake and Ruby!**

 **And don't worry, Weiss is the "main character" and we'll get back to her next chapter. Just had this stuff I needed to do first!**

* * *

"You're doing yourself no favors by refusing to talk, girl," Laurel grumbled. "Just answer the damn question and I'll leave you be."

Blake met the guard's gaze before looking away and feigning disinterest. She had to hand it to the man. Despite his clear agitation and disdain towards her he was keeping remarkably calm. Of course, she was aware, as was he, that if it came to a fight he'd have little hopes of winning.

Half a day had passed since her and Adam's assault on Holbrook and in that time, she'd had plenty of opportunity to escape. It's not like it would have been difficult to either: a single spell or two could whisk her from the cells, chains and all, and ferry her beyond Holbrook's walls. From there she could easily outrun the guard, magic or not, and vanish into the surrounding forests.

 _And where would you go?_

The same question was the reason that she'd yet to make a move. There were numerous smaller White Fang camps around the countryside she could hide in. She'd be able to get a messenger and send word to Adam that she'd escaped, that she'd evaded the Church's hold and would be returning to his side. Again, it would be remarkably easy to flee with her magic, her energy having all but returned to her.

Yet she didn't. She felt her stomach knot up and anxiety left her foot tapping against the cold stone floor, bare feet chilled against it. _Adam doesn't care about you. He left and abandoned you, why would he care if you returned or not?_ Blake bit down on her own tongue and clenched her jaw. _If you go back, then he'll blame you for the failure. He'll beat you, then kill someone else. Again._

Even if she had allies in the White Fang still the commander, and perhaps the High Leader as well, both had no use for her. No concern for whether she was alive or dead, she added dully.

So, when Laurel and a pair of guards dragged her down to the cells she had let them. When plain iron shackles were bound to her wrists and ankles, the chains heavy but not impossibly so, she'd allowed it. Even with her ability to flee at a moment's notice the captain of the guard didn't seem concerned about the prospect, and rightfully so. He'd come to the same conclusion Blake had in the dead of night: she had nowhere else to go.

"You do realize the position you're in, don't you?" Blake looked at the Muran with no small degree of disdain. He glared right back. "You and yours attempted to murder my people, and I've gotten reports other towns were attacked too. You're going to hang for this, girl. Why not at least try to prove you're not complete scum before then?"

Why? Because the attacks had been deserved. Adam's voice lingered in her mind, buzzing, and even in his absence his words attempted to overwrite her own. _All Murans are guilty. They're complicit by allowing our people to be subjugated,_ he'd tell her. Not his own words, not really. Someone else often wrote his flowery speeches used to rile up their troops, and even when half their number couldn't understand the words he said the fervor with which they were delivered was more than enough.

Adam believed everything so readily that others clung to his conviction. Blake had too right up until they planned to slaughter hundreds of innocent people.

Laurel pushed his seat back, legs scraping loudly against the stone floor. Blake couldn't help but cringe as her feline ears folded to try and block out the grating sound. "Fine. Stay here and rot for all I care. Once the capital sends its people you'll be out of our hair soon enough." The man stood and adjusted the broadsword that hung from his hip. He stared at her with disgust and for the first time since her capture she felt it warranted. "Too afraid to return to your masters and too weak to fight against them. Coward…"

A lone scrap of metal barely larger than her index finger laid beneath the table, forgotten. How easily Blake could have used it to cut out Laurel's throat. The guards outside would have fared little better and if her makeshift blade didn't get them then her spells would. Three men without magic were sheep to the slaughter before a competent Magi.

Blake remained seated like the coward she was, burning a hole into the table and fixing her furious gaze on a singular point. She hated that Laurel had been right. Had her conflict been so obvious that he'd read her that easily?

 _You've always been a coward,_ her mind berated, derided her. _Your magic is for hiding, not fighting. You flee whenever a fight breaks out. You fled in Vindemia, you fled Alabaster. If Adam hadn't done it first you would have left this place too._ Blake squeezed her eyes closed to try and drown out her thoughts. It didn't work.

 _Now your friends are going to die because of you. Adam will be mad, and he'll blame you for the failures. Ilia's life is already forfeit, Brinne's, Liam's, Dunst's… They're all going to die because of you. Unless…_

 _Unless he thinks you're dead._

It was a stretch. Failed raids happened and, Blake hoped, her 'death' would create a martyr for the cause. If nothing else that might be enough to keep Adam from taking out any frustrations on those she'd left behind.

The Meera let out an angry huff and slammed her foot down on the floor. It was the first sound she'd made since interrogations began and the guards at her cell door turned briefly before looking away again. No sense in watching over an animal whose will to fight had been stripped away.

On the table a lone candle flickered as it barely clung to life. Shadows danced across the barren cell, the air musty with the faintest hint of mildew growing somewhere nearby. Blake shifted in her seat and licked her dry lips, then turned and coughed. The dried blood on her lip tasted foul. Rubbing her face on her arm she frowned when bits of dry blood scraped off and she felt a wound reopen. Nothing serious, just annoying enough to cause a faint prickling. A bruise on her left side ached and she exhaled heavily into the dim room.

Shadows around her waxed and waned with the dance of the candlelight. She could almost hear them calling to her, begging to be used. In their carelessness the guards had placed her in a room where she had everything she needed to escape, to fight back and flee. On a whim Blake reached out and twisted a shadow, giving it mass and shaping a barbed stalk. Then she let it vanish, a faint mist rising to the ceiling and dissipating.

Coughing again Blake winced as her parched throat ached. They'd given her little since her confinement and seemed intent on maintaining the status quo. Part of the reason she hadn't spoken to Laurel, albeit a very small part; speaking was uncomfortable when it felt like your vocal chords were ripping themselves apart.

"Water…" she rasped airily. When neither guard so much as moved she shifted, rattling the chains bound to her wrists. "Water," Blake repeated, louder this time. One man glanced back, sniffed, then turned away. Her requests went ignored.

As if giving a prisoner water was the least permissible thing in the world. She of course understood why the men rebuked her at every turn. She and Adam had attacked Holbrook, blown apart its gates with Dust and nearly set the town ablaze. Even if one put aside the obvious prejudice the men had for her - for a Meera, they were entirely justified in being a little bit ornery.

That didn't make their denial any less infuriating.

Above and to her right the door to the barracks swung open. Hinges in dire need of replacing squeaked and muted voices, too soft even for Blake's enhanced hearing, argued among themselves. It was a brief exchange and soon someone was on their way down into the cell blocks. The footsteps were too soft to be Laurel and the distinct lack of chain rattling told her it wasn't another guard either. Not a changing of shifts, and not the captain come to fruitlessly drill her for information again. When the guards looked surprised Blake leaned forward to try and see why. The chains at her ankles pulled taut and she fell back into her chair with a dissatisfied huff.

"Um… I'm here to speak to the prisoner…?" It was a girl's voice. Young too from the sounds of it, yet familiar. Blake placed it long before the Hunter came into view and she stared, on edge, as the cell door was opened. Though unarmed the girl didn't appear the least bit uneasy when she entered the cell with the same woman who had fought to kill her not a day ago. Nor did she think twice about asking that the cell door be locked behind her.

 _She has speed magic. She's quick, but ultimately little else._ Blake felt herself press back into her chair as the silver-eyed girl approached. Then, perhaps realizing how irregular this was, the girl stopped and smiled.

"Oh, heh, sorry! I guess I should probably introduce myself, huh?"

Blake tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. Was this girl slow or cleverer at hiding her intentions than she'd thought? When the Muran extended a hand to shake only to realize Blake's were bound a moment later she flushed and sank into the empty chair across from her. Slow it was then, or at least a little airy. What did she want? Revenge? Information? Laurel hadn't been able to glean any so had he sent this Hunter down in his stead?

"I'm Ruby Rose, by the way! Hunter…" Ruby trailed off before smiling skittishly. "Well technically I'm not a Hunter, not yet. See, this was supposed to be our big test! Oh, I mean mine and Weiss'. Uh… You know her, right?" The brunette's face twisted in confusion and she crossed her arms. Blake noticed the bandages creeping up her neck but didn't comment on them.

"A-Anyways… I wanted to come down here and talk to you! Laurel… That's the captain of the guard," Ruby added hastily. Yes, she was aware, the man had only introduced himself three times. "He said it was a bad idea to come see you, since we're technically enemies and all, but I told him that I just wanted to talk! Then he said I was stupid for coming down without a weapon, but I mean you saw my scythe, right? I love her but she's a little bulky and the cells down here are like really, really small. I doubt I could have gotten it inside without catching on something!"

Blake coughed again and immediately regretted it. Rather than seem annoyed at being interrupted Ruby appeared concerned. Her brow pinched, and she turned in her chair. "Can she have something to drink?" The men exchanged uncertain looks. Ruby pulled a face that probably was meant to be intimidating but with her cherubic features looked hilarious to Blake. "P-Please? She probably needs it!"

One of the men shuffled before nodding and hurrying away, disappearing upstairs to the ground floor. Ruby's face glowed in the faint candlelight and she wiggled in her seat. Blake thought she was trying to get comfortable until she noticed the girl chewing her lip and plucking at her sleeve. She was… Nervous? What kind of interrogator was nervous?

"S-So, um… N-Nice weather we're having, huh…?"

Was this real? They were just messing with her now, right? Blake stared at Ruby at a complete loss, barely registering the guard that returned with a pewter mug of water. Ruby nodded to her and the Meera sniffed her drink before greedily inhaling it. Cool water soothed her aching throat and she sighed, feeling better for the refreshment.

"Okay, I'll just cut to the chase, s-since I'm not supposed to be down here, technically. Weiss said that it was a dumb idea to talk to you, but I wanted to, and since she's busy helping out around the town anyways I thought it was a good idea to, you know…" Ruby smiled nervously and waved her hands, eyes rolling in her head. "Sneak away to chat…?"

Chat?

The Hunter's smile was so nervous, her fidgeting so obvious, that Blake wondered if the girl was capable of holding a conversation at all. One of the guards outside snickered and she leaned back when Ruby leaned in. "So… Um…" The brunette searched for a topic of conversation. Blake almost wanted to bring something up just to break the awkward pause and save them both the grief.

Could she have Laurel back? Interrogation seemed so much easier.

/+/+/+/+/

She didn't seem like a bad person. Ruby watched as Blake stared at her across the table, those amber eyes unblinking. They were really pretty, she noted, and sparkled in the candle's glow. Her own eyes probably did too but it wasn't like she could see her own eyes, now could she? It was obvious that Blake didn't want to be here but then who would? There were no windows on account of the cells being underground and it smelled funny. Not in a 'Nora farted and Jaune is gagging' kind of funny, but in a 'When was this place last cleaned?' kind of funny.

What was she thinking again? Right, Blake didn't seem like a bad person. Ruby was aware of how insane that thought must seem to someone else, but to her it just felt like the truth. Sure, yesterday Blake had been doing her best to kill her and Ruby would be lying if she said there wasn't some hesitation due to that. She understood however that they'd been doing their own jobs and there hadn't been any real animosity towards her as a result.

Her dad explained once, when Ruby had asked about why wars happened, why it was soldiers killed one another. She hadn't understood how people could hate each other so much without having ever met that they'd so willingly cut each other down. To her it seemed impossible to hate someone you didn't know so badly, and even then, she didn't know how you could hate a person enough to want to kill them. That was beside the point.

Tai had told her that soldiers simply followed orders, and that many times, once war ended, people on opposing sides might reconcile, or at the very least try to extend an olive branch. Ruby hadn't been sure what a random branch had to do with anything, but she appreciated the lesson well enough: people sometimes fought because they had to, not because they wanted to. Whether duty or something else compelled them to take up arms it wasn't always a decision they themselves made.

Ruby had her orders to help Holbrook and Blake had her orders to attack it. Both had done as they were told and neither of them could have known who they might fight.

So, by that logic, it was impossible for Blake to hate her. Without any way of knowing who they'd encounter it had been happenstance that she and Ruby had fought. Adam… Adam she wasn't so sure about, but Blake she was confident in saying didn't hate her. An assertion made perhaps a little too easily considering how the other girl stared at her, but one she was comfortable to make.

"I um… I really like your… Hair! It matches your… Shirt!"

Blake raised an eyebrow, frowned, and said nothing.

Gods this was difficult. Was the cell getting warmer or was it just her? Ruby let out a nervous chuckle and shifted around in her chair. Was she thirsty, too? "H-Hey, um, more water, please!" She turned and gave the guards her best impression of a puppy dog, sending one of them scurrying back upstairs for refills. Score.

"Uh…" Now if she could just figure out how to talk to Blake everything would be golden. "S-So, once we leave Holbrook we're probably going to have to take some time off. I mean… We'll finish our training and everything and be real-life Hunters!" As opposed to fake ones, whatever that meant. "And I'm hoping Weiss and I get to be partners! Jaune and Pyrrha - oh, they're my friends too, and Ren and Nora. They're all paired up already, and while Hunters don't _have_ to work in pairs I think it'd be really fun to!"

Ruby pouted and sulked in her seat. "Weiss doesn't seem super convinced though. I think she wants to but she's also trying to do like, a bagillion other things, you know? She mentioned that Ozpin had some work for her when we got back but she wouldn't tell me what. Isn't that awesome though? The Archbishop has work for her!"

Gushing about her friends was easy. Any time someone in their circle did well with anything - an exam, a sparring session, or even something as mundane as make a yummy meal, Ruby felt the compulsion to congratulate them. Gushing was easy, but being enthusiastic in the face of someone who not only didn't know her friends but didn't care? Ruby shrank a few inches in her seat and twiddled her thumbs.

"So, um… W-What are you planning to do after this…?" Maybe a silly question to ask. Blake was definitely going to be sent to jail for a while, after all…

"I'll be executed, I imagine."

Whatever words Ruby had died on her lips in an instant. "Uh… What…?"

Blake rolled her eyes. "Are you dumb, deaf, or both? Executed." The Meera sneered and pulled on her restraints, causing Ruby to jump. "Killed, hanged, drawn up. Whatever you want to call it."

That was a thing. Why though? For attacking a single town? Sure, Blake was part of larger, numerous attacks, but she'd not killed anyone. Scratch that, two guards had died. Did they have to execute her though? Why not just prison? Realizing she'd been staring for some time Ruby opened her mouth, let out a tiny 'Oh', then went silent again. Wholly inadequate but then she hadn't a clue what else to say.

Blake took some humor in that and snorted. "You seem surprised."

"Well I… You… Why?!" Ruby asked, desperate. "Why would they kill you?!"

It took a moment and Ruby watched as Blake's expression shifted, from surprise to annoyance, then amusement. In a startling twist she laughed, bitter and hollow, then offered a small smile as she tilted her head. "I tried to kill you? And this town…?"

True. Except there was one slight, teeny, incy-wincy issue with that. "Liar…" Ruby mumbled. Realizing how meek she sounded she sat up straighter, met Blake's eyes, and slammed her palms down on the table. "L-Liar!"

That gave the raven-haired woman a start and she stared in silence for a long moment. "What…?"

"You didn't try to kill me!"

"I pinned you down, had a blade to your throat," said Blake. She seemed genuinely confused, Ruby noticed, almost angry that she was even having to debate this. "I could have cut your throat in a heartbeat or pierced your heart."

"But you didn't."

To Blake it must have seemed like the ravings of a madwoman, and maybe it was. Ruby could still imagine the cold chain pressed firmly against her chest, pinning her to the ground. Blake's weapon curved and sharp, hovering inches above her flesh. Her speed magic would have done her no good after being pinned and her skin would hardly withstand a sharpened blade. Her life was over in that instant and she'd known it.

Yet here she was, alive and well. Sore, sure, but still kicking. Either that or the afterlife was a whole lot like life-life.

"You could have killed me at any moment, but you never did," Ruby went on. "When we were fighting you kept trying to steal my weapon, not kill me. And once you finally did pin me down you restrained me instead of… Y-You know…"

"I was distracted. I had to make sure Adam was okay," Blake answered back.

"Liar." Ruby leaned forward and smiled, feeling her own lips strain as she tried to contain her excitement and sorrow. What a weird sensation to feel both happy and sad at once. She was onto something, although she knew it was a stretch. "You didn't want to kill me."

"You're a Hunter. I kill Hunters, Muran."

"Ruby."

"… What?"

"My name is Ruby," the silver-eyed girl repeated with a smile. "And… Well, you didn't kill me, or Weiss." Adam was fighting with Weiss at the time and winning handily so there was little point in Blake fighting her friend. Before Blake could point out as much Ruby continued. "You can't be executed because… Because that's meant for bad people! Really, really bad people, and you're not a bad person!"

As far as leaps of logic went this felt like throwing yourself off the top of Mount Glenn. Even a small part of Ruby acknowledged that it was a semantic at best and would hardly sway anyone's opinion. Heck, she made a note to add a Lien to her swear jar later, even Weiss probably wouldn't see it her way.

Blake didn't. The Meera stared, brow furrowed, and mouth pressed in a thin line. Then she exhaled and chuckled, slouching back in her chair. "You're a child…"

"Nuh-uh, I'm sixteen!" Ruby flushed at her own outburst and Blake raised an eyebrow as if to say, 'I told you so'. "Okay, well… How about this!" Undeterred she stood and knocked her chair over from the sudden motion, leaning across the table towards Blake. "Whose idea was it to attack Holbrook? Yours?"

She had little patience and she knew that. Maybe it was a product of having a class of magic oriented around speed. When you could travel between towns at rates that would give horses whiplash, walking often seemed painfully slow. When people took longer than two seconds to answer a question it felt like hours. Ruby's foot had begun to tap impatiently before she'd caught herself, stopping that but continuing to watch Blake for an answer.

"I fail to see what that has to do with -"

"J-Just answer, please!"

Blake seemed torn, amused that she was being interrogated now by this 'child' before her and annoyed at having answers demanded of her. Not annoyed enough to remain silent. "Not mine," Blake answered vaguely.

That was good enough for Ruby who smiled broadly. "I knew it! It was probably that creepy guy's!" She sank back into her chair and exhaled, then clapped eagerly. "Okay, so let's say creepy guy ordered the attacks, right…?" Blake snorted. Probably a yes. "He was in charge, right? I think Weiss mentioned something about him being a captain…"

"Commander, actually," Blake amended. The Meera frowned and stared down at the table, not that Ruby noticed. She was on a roll!

"If he ordered the attacks and you followed then… Then it's like a soldier following orders, right?! If a general tells his people to do bad things…" Ruby paused to gather her thoughts which swirled manically inside her head. "You were just following orders! You don't hang a soldier for doing something bad on orders, you punish the person in charge, right?"

Her grasp on military law was lax at best considering she was a Hunter. The two branches were similar in ways of conduct, yet different in so many others. If it was anything like the Church, however, then the military deferred to its leaders to make decisions. Which also meant in times of crises or whenever something went wrong it was on the leaders too, since they made the decisions, not their troops. Or in this case the Hunters.

Ruby grinned and wiggled in her seat. Weiss would be so proud of her for figuring all this out!

"You're an idiot. You're actually an idiot," Blake muttered.

"Tell me I'm wrong! Tell me that you ordered the attacks, or that you wanted to do this. Tell me you're a bad person and wanted to see everyone in Holbrook dead."

A second passed where Blake looked ready to do just that, opening her mouth before closing it again. No answer came and the Meera opted to remain silent. Good enough for Ruby whose face hurt from smiling so wide.

"See? You're not a bad person, y-you were just following orders! And if you're not a bad person then… Then you can't be executed! Because that's not fair!"

"Life rarely is." Blake frowned seeing Ruby on her way to the cell door. "Where are you going…?"

"To talk to the captain, and Weiss!" The guards moved aside as the energetic Hunter dashed out of the cell only to double back. Ruby pressed her face between the bars and vibrated in place, grinning. "You're not going to be executed, I promise! I just have to tell them you're a good person!"

The air shimmered and Ruby vanished in a cloud of dust. Upstairs someone shouted and there was a clatter of dishes followed by a squeaky apology. The guards beyond Blake's cell exchanged looks of puzzlement, glanced back at their prisoner, then shrugged and went back to their watch.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Blake felt the minutes tick by as she stared at the empty seat before her. Ruby was an idiot. A naive, idealistic idiot. Did she honestly expect their conversation to mean anything? That she could dissuade not just the people of Holbrook who rightfully so called for her blood, but the Church? A 'good person' or not the law was the law, and with morbid humor Blake realized she knew it better than Ruby herself. She'd committed a crime and taken part in raids, raids which in Holbrook alone killed a handful and maimed others. She was guilty by association if nothing else, and that would be good enough to send her to the gallows.

" _You're not going to be executed, I promise!"_

Ruby had looked so sure of herself, so optimistic when she'd said that. Despite knowing the idiocy of the girl's claims Blake found herself wanting to believe the eccentric fool. It was natural to want to believe, she supposed. Only an insane person wouldn't rebel against their imminent demise. As ridiculous as the notion was she found herself hoping that Ruby's miracle might somehow come to fruition.

Blake resigned herself that it never would. No one was going to show an ounce of pity to a woman of the White Fang, one who had a history of attacks. Had Ruby based her decision solely off Holbrook, which she did, then maybe the argument could be made.

But Vindemia? Eagle's Pass? Galloway? There was a list of past transgressions that the Church had to know about. Blood, noble blood, stained her hands and sullied her record. Even if absolved of Holbrook there were plenty of other deeds to condemn her.

That still didn't keep Blake from grasping. No one _wanted_ to die. Even after being abandoned by Adam and effectively the White Fang as a whole, after having nowhere to turn, she didn't want to die. Shifting in her seat she hissed in frustration and closed her eyes, tilting back her head and scowling. Ignoring Laurel had been easy, the man was just your run-of-the-mill guard, not intimidating in the least.

Ruby had somehow managed to fill her head with an outlandish promise. Little more than stray strands of a promise, ultimately, but enough for Blake to reach out and grasp at them.

Fleeing was still an option. She could return to the White Fang, to Adam and more importantly her friends. Would he let her back, or would he punish her for their failure? The other towns had survived their raids as well. She'd overheard the guards speaking at how a group of Hunters not even out of training helped turn back a contingent of White Fang troops. Not only her and Adam, but Yuma and Ilia who by their own rights were perfectly capable combatants.

It was as unlikely a scenario as Ruby convincing the powers that be to not send Blake to the gallows. They had already managed to do the impossible once, Blake mused with a somber smile, so why not again?

Blake would choose to trust Ruby for the time being and allow herself a sliver of hope. If things somehow worked out, then she'd be allowed to live. Imprisoned most certainly, perhaps beaten and bloodied, but alive. It wouldn't be much of a life she realized but she'd take it.

Blake leveled her head when the cell door opened. One of the guards from above set a tray of food before her, more than she'd expected to be given. A slab of lamb, vegetables that still had dirt clung to their skins, and a chunk of what looked to be stale bread.

"Eat up, animal," the man sneered, shoving the tray forward. Blake narrowly kept it from sliding off the table and ignored the biting laugh at her apparent desperation. "You'll be leaving here soon, off to the capital with you. Sad I won't be there to see you hang."

"Here here," one of her guards replied.

Ignoring the meaningless banter from nobodies Blake contorted herself and grabbed the slab of meat, grease running between her fingers, fingertips aching at the still hot steak. Tearing into the food she closed her eyes, taking her time and savoring even the bland meal provided to her.

They could think what they wanted for now. As far as she was concerned their opinions meant less than the dirt on her vegetables. Instead of choosing to give their derision any power she put stock in Ruby and her promises. Not like she had much else to put her faith in.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Vale's walls were impenetrable.

That was Blake's first thought as they arrived at the kingdom's capital. Having never seen it before she'd doubted the stories about just how imposing the city's defenses were. She'd heard tales that they stood a hundred feet tall and half as thick, manned with more soldiers than any other city on Sanus could hope to have. She'd been dubious that any city could be so heavily fortified that it would be decreed unbreachable.

The claims were still wrong, technically. The walls weren't a hundred feet tall yet they were probably close. Fifty feet thick? More like half that, wide enough for soldiers to walk abreast on top, for cannons and archers to rain fire down below on any force dumb enough to try and take the walls. Considering the impeccably maintained farmlands outside the walls and the sparse number of guards it was apparent no one had ever been stupid enough to try.

No one besides the White Fang.

They had never attacked Vale's capital directly, of course, for doing so required far more resources and manpower than the organization possessed. Even if they brought in branches from the other kingdoms Blake doubted they could make it much further than the walls themselves. Towering, imposing slabs of dark brick and wood and steel created a bulwark that could hold any threat at bay. And with Hunters and soldiers just inside, ready to fight at a moment's notice, attacking the city would be suicidal.

Blake smiled even as her stomach sank. Here she'd thought to be making some difference in her attacks. Killing corrupt nobles and members of the clergy, raiding small towns to supply less fortunate ones, settlements filled with sympathizers, and non-sympathizers alike.

Standing before Vale City's defenses served to show just how ineffectual all of her efforts had been. In the moment she'd caused great disarray and perhaps even ruffled a few feathers of those within the city. Yet everything she'd done had been nothing more than a drop in the bucket, a fleeting, inconsequential victory that amounted to nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Half a dozen guards stood at attention as their caravan approached the front gates. Much like the farmers and travelers on their way into the city Blake and the other prisoners were regarded with disgust, disdain, and little else. That was fine, she'd expected the outward hatred towards her and the White Fang. Nothing she couldn't handle.

The leader of their procession, a Hunter whose name she'd forgotten as quickly as he'd given it, spoke briefly with the guards. They shared a look her way before the call was made to throw open the gates. A man in plate armor grabbed Blake's arms and pulled her from the cart, catching her before she could fall. She grit her teeth when her arm was wrenched, held her head in defiance and stared at the opening passageway. She'd be damned if she gave these people the satisfaction of seeing her complain or grovel.

That didn't stop a few of the standard cloth and rag troops of the Fang from fighting back. One man spat at a guard and was rewarded with a backhand that knocked him off his feet. Another woman screamed angrily and threw herself at the man, knocking the soldier to the ground and tossing about until others dragged her away.

"Stop! Cease and desist!" one of the guards beside her shouted. Couldn't the oaf try not yelling right by her ears?

The scrap continued as her subordinates, her brothers and sisters fought back. It was a futile effort that in any other situation might have made Blake proud, proud for their tenacity and will to fight. None of them had weapons and Blake was the only Magi among them. Fighting wasn't just a moot effort, it was liable to get them killed.

"That's enough!" Blake shouted. Her comrades all turned their attention on her, a few still shoving and pushing at their captors. "Everyone, stop. You're only going to make it worse by fighting back. Just stop."

It wasn't an immediate reaction, but the scuffling did finally die down. What little fire her comrades had fled and only simmering embers were left, with little more than bitter remarks or baleful gazes shared between the White Fang and their escorts.

None of them were killed so that was a win in Blake's book.

A firm hand clasped her shoulder and Blake tried to pull away on reflex, gritting her teeth at finding herself trapped. She'd not even heard the Hunter come closer and she'd been certain to keep an ear out for him, just in case he became involved in the scuffle. The man smiled easily as he squeezed her shoulder.

"Thanks for that, kid. Would be a real pain if things got ugly out here."

Kid? The little brats that they had seen running around in the fields were kids. Blake had seen far too much, done too much, to even reliably be called a kid. She'd grown up years ago thanks to the Church.

"Alright, if you're all done causin' a scene then let's keep moving!" the Hunter called. "I'll take their boss, you lot can handle the small fries, yeah?" A few guards grumbled their dissent but formed up around the other captives. Blake finally pulled her shoulder free, stumbling forward when pushed. "Let's go, we've got places to be."

How could she forget. The gates creaked loudly and shuddered, chains rattling as they came to a standstill. Guards outside ferried them into the walls and more still lined the road, forcing them into a single-file line. There had to be dozens of them, Blake estimated, each wearing chain and plate, wielding swords, clubs, axes and spears, and each sporting a cloak emblazoned with the kingdom's insignia. In some morbidly humorous way it was almost flattering that so many had been called out to watch over her. How many Magi were among them, she wondered.

Enough to stop her escape? She'd toyed with the idea several times over the three-day trip to the capital, weighing her options. Every time she'd mulled it over she'd tossed it aside for one reason or another. She couldn't abandon those with her. She hadn't anywhere else to go. She'd resigned herself to her fate. She trusted Ruby at her promise.

Taking a Muran at their word… Maybe she really was an idiot. Maybe Adam had been right not to trust her on her own, with more serious missions. Not after she'd had blunder after blunder, failure after failure.

"Something on your mind, kitten?"

Blake glared at the Hunter, sneering and wiping the dreamy expression from her face. "Bite your tongue, Muran," she rasped dryly.

His tone matched, and after laughed he reached out and pat her back. "Good, you've still got some fight in you. You're gonna need that."

For what? Blake narrowed her eyes at the man's back, hands flexing, wrists locked in manacles. Could she attack him? Take the greatsword from his back? It was larger than her usual weapon by far and she was mostly unfamiliar with its use, but she could handle it well enough. It would take just one good blow to kill him, a single cut…

"You should make it harder for people to read you, ya know." The man smiled back at her, red eyes gleaming. Threatening. "Guess that's why you always wore that mask of yours, eh? Didn't want people figuring out what's goin' on in that head of yours, Umbra?"

"Don't call me that," Blake hissed.

"Then quit staring at me like you want to cut my throat. Respect's a two-way street, kid. Gotta give some to get some." The Hunter paused and reached out for Blake's wrist, yanking her forward and, to her alarm, off her feet entirely. "And right now, I got no reason to give you any, got me? You're already on thin ice here, kid. Just give me a reason…"

She growled when released but made no movements against the Hunter. She could use her magic, she supposed, but what kind of spells did he have? Were other Hunters watching them as well? It was a safe bet and a gamble she wasn't about to take.

Unable to do much and lacking the fortitude to even try Blake trudged along after the Hunter. By now word had gotten around the city and residents began to pour into the streets to see what the commotion was. Most kept in their homes, buildings of stone and brick, most two stories, some taller. Dozens of faces peered out of windows, from the safety of doorways and from behind the occasional cluster of guards.

Did they really think she was such a threat that a small army was necessary? Or did Vale just have so many troops that they could afford to spare so many for a common prisoner and her brethren?

 _And we wanted to fight against this._ Blake chuckled under her breath and shook her head. Other cities, even the larger ones, paled in comparison to the majesty of the capitol. An ocean of stone and brick, thousands upon thousands of people within its walls, protected by stone and wards both. She craned her gaze skyward and saw the Cathedral looming like a beacon in the distance, its towering spire cutting an imposing figure against the blue backdrop. _We're not even insects compared to the Church._ Blake noted somberly. _We didn't get away with so much because we were good. We managed because we mattered so little. Until now._

Closer and closer they walked towards the Cathedral and soon the roads began to open up and widen. More guards were present, and Blake realized at last they weren't there to keep her in line. No, the Hunter leading her along was enough for that, she assumed. As jeers, slurs and taunts were thrown her way she watched the guards hold back furious citizens, forming a wall of flesh and steel between her and a frenzied mob.

"Animal fuckers!" a man's voice called from somewhere nearby.

"Monster!"

"Heathens! Gods take you!"

Blake bit the inside of her cheek in anger. The Hunter snorted and shook his head. Was he annoyed that they were insulting her, or annoyed he had to listen to it?

"Kill her, you bastards!" A woman pushed her way between two guards, pointing furiously at the Hunter. "She deserves death! Kill her!"

The woman was pushed back, another man surged forward, pushing against the wall of guards. "Death to the animals! Kill them!"

She managed to find this one in the crowd and glowered at the cretin. His face was red with rage and his eyes bulged, kicking as he was pushed back into the crowd. Just one spell. No one was going to miss him surely. Blake reached out and felt shadow twitch at her command, her own silhouette stirring at her feet.

Her temple seared with pain as something slammed into her, rocking her and nearly causing her to topple. Hissing as she felt blood trickle down her face she glared up at the Hunter, expecting him to be responsible. Instead the man glared into the crowd, one hand on his sword.

"Bastards!"

"Criminals!"

"Burn them at the stake!"

Singular voices turned into an unintelligible shouting match as residents tried to scream over one another, hurling vulgarity and small items at the procession. The Hunter cursed and drew his sword, not to strike, but blocking projectiles with the flat of the blade. Behind them guards raised their shields and held them at head level, protecting both themselves and their captives from harm. The latter, Blake thought, was certainly a coincidence.

Voices of anger and dissent continued well after they moved into the Church's district of the city. Whitewashed stone buildings lined the roads and commoners were sparse, replaced by priests, Initiates, nobility and other members of the clergy. Though the majority of them glared at silence and no doubt thought terrible things they at least had the tact to keep their mouths shut. Blake preferred the silent fury to the outward display.

Upon reaching the plaza beneath the Cathedral they were finally given a bit more room to breathe. The wide space, graciously, was sparsely inhabited and Blake took the chance to stand just a bit taller, relaxing and enjoying the small spell of silence.

Then she noticed the gallows. In the very center of the plaza was the wooden platform, primed and ready, with heavy ropes and, more telling, several Magi on standby in the event something unexpected were to happen. Blake paled seeing the marks on their necks and matched it to the one the Hunter leading her bore. All Hunters, all here to ensure things proceeded as smoothly as possible.

So much for Ruby's vote of confidence.

One of her compatriots snapped at the guards and pulled against his restraints. Another began to weep, sinking to his knees while a third knelt beside him to comfort the fallen man. Blake couldn't take her eyes off the gallows, nor could she dismiss the gnawing sense of dread that blanketed her, smothering whatever fizzling pieces of hope she'd had.

Several of the guards around them snapped to attention. The Hunter, intent on seeming as aloof as possible before, stood just a bit taller. The stir was enough for Blake to divert her focus from her imminent demise and look to the cause of the commotion. There was no fanfare, no grand entrance. Despite the influence the man before her wielded his approach was almost mundane, woefully so. Even the air around him failed to generate any kind of reaction, content to remain warm and still in early summer heat.

For someone who wore black on a constant basis Blake wondered how the man could be bothered in the stuffy heat of the city. A black doublet with silver tresses woven in the torso of the piece, and loose sleeves with fitted cuffs on the end suggested modest wealth, even if Blake knew he had much more than the piece suggested. A green scarf wrapped around the man's neck swayed idly in the breeze and polished black shoes clicked against the brick of the plaza, free of scuffs or stains. The man smiled, gray eyes hidden partially behind tinted, thin-rimmed spectacles. His hair, a stark white, was remarkably unkempt, even more so than the Hunter who dragged her along.

"My my, it seems your arrival today has caused quite the stir in the city." Blake met the eyes of the man who had spoken and ground her teeth. Fury replaced resignation and she stepped forward. Immediately her escort grabbed her bindings and hauled her back, yanking hard enough to draw a pained yelp and force her to kneel. "At ease, Qrow. I'm certain she means no harm."

"Oz, you've gotta be kidding me. You know what she's done," Qrow argued.

"I'm aware of the young lady's crimes, yes. As I'm sure she's aware just how dire her situation is, and how ill-advised it would be to try to flee, or fight." The Archbishop smiled easily and stepped closer. Blake fought against her restraints, wishing she could reach out and throttle him. The man responsible for all the ills that befell not just her race, but all races. The reason that those in the Faunus conglomerate suffered and toiled, battling not just for equality, but for basic dignities.

Logically she knew it wasn't all the Archbishop's doing. It was the Church doctrine that made their suffering, not any one man's doing. He was guilty of upholding it, yes, but ultimately, he was nothing more than a figurehead. One she'd very much like to kill given the chance, but a figurehead nonetheless.

Logic had no place in the face of rage. Blake reached out with her magic and felt her shadow, Qrow's shadow, flex in response. She willed them to strike out and attack Ozpin, to tear him to bloody ribbons. They rose up, became physical, and erupted.

Her magic fled her all at once. No, it wasn't just her magic that left her, but her strength. Blake gasped, winded, like she'd just been punched in the gut. Her eyes widened as her spell fizzled out harmlessly before her and she slumped, lifted by Qrow and made to face Ozpin. She hadn't felt this burned out after Holbrook despite expending all that energy, throwing spells left and right. How then had her strength just fled her in an instant?

The Archbishop nodded to Qrow and she glanced suspiciously at the man beside her. Negation magic? No, that didn't exhaust you like this did. She panted breathlessly and tried to find an explanation, yet even thinking proved difficult. Her lungs strained, her body shivering as it attempted to right itself. She felt like she'd just ran for miles. All her energy, physical and mental, had been sapped away in an instant.

"Please, there's no reason for hostilities, Miss Belladonna. I've come here not as an enemy but as a friend, one with an offer."

Call her a skeptic, but between the gallows nearby and the numerous Hunters in the area Blake wasn't convinced she had any friends here.

"There's no reason we can't speak civilly," Ozpin continued. The man smiled, hands folded behind his back as he stepped away. "Please do excuse the rowdy welcome. I did my best to conceal your arrival, but rumors are wont to spread. I'll see that your wound is tended to personally."

Blake had nearly forgotten the gash on her forehead. The bleeding had stopped for the most part although it still throbbed. She blinked, grimacing when blood trickled into her eye, shaking her head and blinking it away.

"If you're going to kill me then do it already," the Meera grumbled. "Spare me your words, Muran. They're worth less to me than the dirt."

Ozpin continued to smile politely. "I do apologize then, but I'll have to ask that you bear with me a bit longer. I should think that you'll be interested in what I have to say once you hear me out." It wasn't as if Blake could really say no, not with her body weak and mind fuzzy. "Qrow, if you could bring her to the infirmary first, have her cleaned, then deliver her to my office? I'll be waiting for you two."

"As for the rest of our esteemed guests, please see that they're taken care of as well. Space has been set aside and food and drink prepared as well." A few of her comrades perked up at that, and while reluctant for handouts the lack of food or drink over three days had gotten the better of them. Ozpin smiled at Blake, bowing his head. "I must apologize again but you'll have to wait a bit longer for a meal. What we must discuss is rather urgent, I'm afraid."

She'd take the gallows now, was that an option? Qrow lifted her to her feet and did no small part in supporting her as she was ferried towards the Cathedral. The other members of the White Fang were marched into a smaller, adjacent building, with Hunters relieving the guards of their duties. Curious, given not one of them was a Magi.

"Oh, and one more thing…" he added, almost as an afterthought. Ozpin paused and turned, maintaining that damn smile that Blake was already coming to loathe. He placed a hand on his chest and bowed at the waist. "Welcome to the capital, Miss Belladonna. I do hope you enjoy your stay."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading, friends! Or if we're not friends, acquaintances? If we're enemies then thank you for not plotting to egg my house! I don't like eggs, they're icky.**

 **As always any feedback folks might have is greatly appreciated. Next chapter... Coming to a web browser near you!**


	17. Chapter 17: Ultimatum

**What's this? Two chapters in a single week?! Insanity!**

 **Long story short I have a very busy week of work coming up and likely won't be able to write next week, or potentially the week after, depending on whatever is leftover. Rather than not go without putting anything out for a while - which I realize I'm still doing, I figured push a chapter ahead, give a bit more before the 'hiatus'.**

 **Likely won't be with much free time until the 2nd, so don't expect another entry until after that at least. I've been wrong before though and maybe I'll put something small out just to bridge the gap.**

 **Anyways, here we go!**

* * *

Life with the White Fang was difficult. On the best of days, you went about your business only with the nagging suspicion that a Hunter or soldiers could be moments away, waiting to strike. It was a nomadic lifestyle born out of fear, fear that settling in one place for too long would allow the Church to bring down its collective wrath upon their number. They rebelled against the organization, sure, but no one, not even Adam, was foolish enough to believe they could win in an outright fight.

Day to day life then was hectic and always tinted with a coloring of paranoia. Food was another concern. Many of their members were nondescript and could go into town for supplies, and yet as often was the case with the outer settlements their kind, Faunus-kind, were refused service.

Theft or hunting were their only alternatives. Hunting could work well depending on the locale, though linger for too long and the wildlife quickly became privy to their homes turned slaughterhouse and would leave. Theft, while helpful in the short term, brought about many of the same problems remaining in one place for too long might. Towns like Alabaster, distant and left forgotten by the Church, were prime targets and could be extorted regularly.

Those towns were far and few between.

Blake watched as Ozpin leafed through a stack of papers. Her stomach was full, her thirst satiated, and she'd been given medicine from a local apothecary to treat minor wounds she'd suffered at Holbrook. Her clothing had been replaced too, and while the black tunic, leather jerkin, gray trousers and leather boots she wore were a sight finer than her usual attire it was hardly the most expensive of outfits in the city. That spoke to Vale's insurmountable wealth. Wealth that very, very few had access to.

Ozpin set aside his papers and reached for his mug. Coffee: she'd recognize the putrid, bitter scent anywhere. The Archbishop eyed Blake over the brim of his mug and gestured to the still steaming drink before her seat. "It's better when it's hot, you know."

"I'll pass."

Ozpin made no point of contention, not at all bothered over Blake's curt refusal of his hospitality. Anyone else might have been happy enough to partake in the drink. She had a full stomach, fresh clothes, and was cleaner than she had been in weeks. Much of that was for show, she knew, since it would hardly do to have someone steeped in filth meeting with the Archbishop.

Her wrists scraped against cold metal and Blake scowled at the manacles around her wrists. Blue runes glowed silently along the cuffs, indecipherable; Blake had no knowledge of the Runic system, reading them was impossible. Their effects were less mysterious. After having them placed on her by the healers she'd tried to summon magic, only to feel the energy she'd drawn upon hit a wall. Normally magic would flow as a river to a lake, depositing its boundless energy into Blake and allowing her to conjure spells at will. That river had been damed and the lake, her body, was denied access to any of the readily available magic essence. It was all around her and yet unreachable, hanging tauntingly on a string right before her eyes.

This wasn't hospitality, Blake decided. It was all a show. The only question then was why bother? What was Ozpin after?

"Well… I suppose there's little point in delaying it any longer. Shall we get to why I've asked you to come here?"

Asked? Blake lifted her hands and set them on the desk, metal scraping against wood. "I wasn't aware this was a request."

"Well, you do always have the alternative of going to a cell," Ozpin admitted. "Or the gallows, though I don't know anyone who would willingly choose the latter."

Blake wouldn't. She wasn't that far gone, as hopelessly confounding as her current situation might be. "What do you want?" she pried, narrowing her amber eyes.

"What I want, young lady, is to find a way to cooperate between your people and my own. We all tire of this needless bloodshed, I think, and I should hope each side would be amicable to forging a truce."

"It's bloodshed that you and your people caused," growled Blake in return. "Don't act like it's our fault this is happening."

"The Church has made some missteps when dealing with your people, I'll admit. And I am not above admitting that I myself am responsible for a number of those." Blake sniffed and leaned back in her seat. If Ozpin thought he was going to earn favor by trying to placate her then he was wasting his breath. "But you can't deny that the White Fang hasn't made things any easier."

"We've done what we have to in order to survive, nothing more."

"And do indiscriminate killings qualify as survival? Or extortions? And where, I wonder, does the slaying of nobility fit into this 'survival' of yours?"

Blake didn't want to take the bait. The damned smile the Archbishop wore made it impossible not to.

"Our people are subjugated by Murans, by the Church. Other races look down on us, deny trading with us, or even treat us with common decency!" She balled her hands into fists and slammed them on the desk, the sound echoing through the spacious office. "We have nothing left to do but to fight and steal! We've been left no other choice!"

"You do have a choice, Miss Belladonna. There is always a choice, you've simply made -"

"There's a choice? You honestly think that we have a choice?" Blake laughed bitterly. "Is it our choice then to be beaten and killed for being different? Did we choose to be treated like slaves, then cast aside or killed when we grow old or infirm and can no longer work?" Blake grit her teeth and scoffed. "There is no choice, Muran. The decision was made for us a long time ago, now we're left to claw our way out of the hole you've tried to bury us in."

How she'd love to attack this man, if only to try. Her magic was out of reach but there were other means of attacking Ozpin. The quill on his desk could be fashioned into a shiv and stabbed into his throat. The paperweight, when used with enough force, could easily bludgeon a man to death. Horribly barbaric and well beneath her usual methods, but then her usual methods had been taken away from her.

"I would be more amenable to your difficulties if you showed any remorse for your actions."

"Funny, I could say the same thing about you, Muran."

"Such hostility…" Ozpin sighed, then shook his head and shuffled papers on his desk. "Do you think I'm ignorant to your deeds, Miss Belladonna? You failed in Galloway, true, but you've had other successful missions. A handful of lesser nobles lay slain by your hand, towns live in fear because of you and your people. And while a more… Innocent soul might be inclined to believe you're simply following orders."

Blake felt her nails dig into her palms, anger escaping in a low growl. Had Ruby spoken to him and plead her case? Idiot…

"I am not in a position where I can make such allowances. I have the welfare of the entire kingdom to consider and that means a single individual's actions, whether done of their own accord or on behalf of another, must be weighed against the whole. It pains me to say then that you've caused no small amount of grief for the people of Vale. It's only by miss Rose's request that you're here before me and not awaiting execution."

"Bullshit." She rarely swore but Blake felt she should call Ozpin's words for what they were. "You just told me you can't afford to think like her, yet you expect me to believe her plea was enough to save my life? Don't insult my intelligence, Muran…"

"I do have a name, you know. Ozpin, if you're unfamiliar."

"Stop playing games with me," Blake snapped.

"Games? I wouldn't dream of such a thing. And I'm being honest when I say that miss Rose is the reason you're here now. I cannot afford to make exceptions when it comes to matter of public safety. Killers must be held accountable and you by all accounts are precisely that. However, this is hardly a usual case, and your position offers the Church a potentially valuable resource, one which I would be foolhardy to ignore."

Ozpin pushed himself from the desk and rose to his feet. Blake felt pedestrian before the man, her new clothing mundane before his finely tailored outfit. This was a man who let his wealth and influence show, who had power and enjoyed flexing it. In that regard Ozpin and Adam weren't all that different. Both megalomaniacs, although one was more discreet about his desires.

It was hard to think what more the Archbishop could possibly want. He'd have the ear of the king and queen, influence over the military and nearly all matters of everyday life. Only the noble families were better off than archbishops, and even then, just so.

"Believe it or not we both want the same thing. I harbor no ill will towards the other races, contrary to what you might believe. All are equal before our gods, after all, and I should think I've done my best to ensure that everyone in Vale is treated fairly."

"You really don't get out much then do you?" Blake spat.

"I've tried, but even the Church has its limits. We cannot realistically hope to control every settlement, every outer colony and village. Surely you understand, belonging to an organization as widespread as the White Fang. Those in charge can make whatever decrees they like; enforcing them is another matter."

"Which is why I think we need to change our approach. We've attempted to reach out to the White Fang in the past to no avail, and often our messengers return to us wounded, if at all. We have tried to work with you and yours, Miss Belladonna. It's the White Fang who has scorned us at every turn."

"Hm. We don't want to be someone else's puppets, imagine that. It's almost like we've been at war with you over this."

"Sarcasm is unbecoming, young lady." Ozpin clicked his tongue, shaking his head in disappointment. "Since we've been so unsuccessful in our past endeavors I thought we should try something different. A more… Proactive approach, if you will. And I should very much like to make you a part of this."

Any number of things could have happened during this meeting. Blake could have been told to beg for her life, sell out those dearest to her, or reveal the locations of their major camps. Ozpin could have tortured her, threatened her, or tried to sell her into slavery. Blake had come prepared to resign herself to whatever fate the Church had in store for her.

"You… Want to conscript me…?"

Suddenly she wanted to rebel against her fate.

"In a manner of speaking, yes. Though conscription is such an unsavory term. Think of it as..." Ozpin paused before the windows, twirling a hand as he tilted his head. "A partnership between you and I."

"I'd like to see that cell now."

Ozpin chuckled. "You haven't even heard my proposal, Miss Belladonna. I think once you've listened you'll be a little more willing to agree."

Doubtful. Blake wouldn't agree if Ozpin held her out the window and threatened to drop her. Work with the Church? She might as well stab Ilia in the back while she was at it or deprive the children of food. It would amount to the same.

"I think that our efforts in the past have all failed due to one factor: our liaisons are always Murans. Whether they're priests of the Church, Hunters, or nobility, our offers have admittedly appeared tone-deaf. I understand that your organization also cares little for Ydrans or Dimurans as well."

"Any race that beds with the Church is just as guilty as you Murans," growled Blake.

"You would condemn those peoples for wanting to live in harmony with us? We haven't subjugated or enslaved either race, Blake. They live alongside us as equals, and other races could as well. The only thing preventing any cohesion is this crusade the White Fang carries out."

"Don't paint us as the guilty party, Ozpin!" Blake shot to her feet, chains rattling. Her feet scraped against the floor and held in place, manacles firmly fixed to a steel plate. She pulled against them, leaned forward and planted her hands on Ozpin's desk. "The White Fang formed because the kingdoms used our people as laborers, slaves, and fodder in your wars! When we demanded equality, you scorned us and drove us to poverty. The only guilty party here is you!"

"Mistakes of the past, and ones that the Church has sought to rectify," Ozpin deflected calmly. "The White Fang clings to the past and festers in its hatred. I could apologize for my forefathers' ignorance and crimes, but I doubt you want an apology. So, let us instead work towards bridging the gap between your people and my own. Let us create a unified Vale, together."

Blake pulled against her restraints, then dropped into her chair when they refused to give. Ravings of a madman and nothing more, that's all this was. Ozpin thought this was their fault, did he?

"Our people still suffer, Ozpin." Blake looked at the Archbishop in disdain, ears flat. "You acknowledge towns scorn us yet absolve yourself of guilt. You recognize that your own attempts at peace haven't worked yet blame us for your failures. You can't have it both ways. The reason for all of this," she gestured vaguely about the room. "Isn't the White Fang. It's you, you and this damned Church."

The Archbishop had no immediate rebuttal. Ozpin's smile waned slightly, and he turned away, staring out the windows overlooking the city. From his reflection in the glass Blake tried to read his expression and found it inscrutable. He was insane if he thought she'd work for them. She'd sooner accept death than agree to any plans.

Wind rattled against the thick panes of glass, rolling harmlessly off. Clouds parted, and sunlight flooded the circular space, causing dark, stained wood to glow warmly. Blake shifted in her seat and the legs scraped against the floor, chair tilting as she tried to get comfortable. Ozpin reached for something in his doublet and Blake craned her neck to see what it was, frustrated to have her view obscured by his back. Whatever it was he examined it for a brief moment before placing it back, turning to smile once more.

"What if I can guarantee the safety of those you hold dear? Would that make you more agreeable?"

Blake tensed but strained to remain neutral. Ozpin's widening smile told her she failed at that. "I have no idea what you mean."

"Please, I've given you the courtesy of assuming you have your faculties in order. Allow me the same." Ozpin returned to his desk and remained standing. He leaned forward, placing his hands on his desk and eyeing Blake. His gray eyes studied her face and he shook his head. "You have people you consider quite important. Everyone does, regardless of the life we lead. So then, what if I could promise that I would see them protected? If I had names, faces, we could take them into protective custody, away from the turmoil and violence. It would be a simple task with your cooperation."

Ilia, Liam, Dunst. Opal and the children. Brinne, and before he'd thrown her to the wolves, Flemish, too. There were people that she'd readily do whatever she could to secure their safety, perhaps even make a deal with the loathsome man before her. Much as Blake hated to admit it Ozpin had finally found a crack, a way to weaken her resolve, and he knew it. The Archbishop chuckled, stood tall again and folded his hands at the waist.

"I see you're open to listening now, splendid."

"Just get on with it, Muran," Blake grumbled.

"But of course. My proposal for you is simple: join the Church and work with me to convince the White Fang to cease operations. With one of their own acting as a liaison between them and the Church I should think that they would be more open to peace talks."

Blake stared in silence, then blinked once. Then she laughed, or rather, chuckled before snorting. "You're an idiot if you believe they'd ever agree to that. I'd be branded a traitor."

"Only if they knew what you were doing," Ozpin pointed out.

"And how do you plan to hide it from them, exactly? They'll know I was taken prisoner, they'll assume I was compromised."

The Archbishop nodded. "They will, and they would be fools not to. However, if you were to miraculously escape and return to their ranks, work to undermine them from the inside…" Act as a mole then. An insane plan considering Adam executed Flemish just to illustrate a point. Insane… And perhaps the only way she could really save her friends. Still…

"And what guarantees do you have that I'd cooperate?" Blake leaned forward and frowned. "Do you intend on using the others you brought in as hostages?"

"Nothing of the sort. We are not barbarians, Miss Belladonna. They will remain in the capital as prisoners, I'm afraid, but they'll be spared execution and treated well." As well as prisoners could be, he neglected to add. "All I would need from you is your agreement and we could move forward with our arrangement."

It was a ridiculous plan. Act as a spy for the Church? Betray the White Fang, and for what? To save a few of her friends?

 _Those friends are all the family you have,_ her mind whispered, betraying her. _Wouldn't you trade your freedom for their safety?_

She wouldn't.

 _Adam will kill them. You know he will. Once he assumes you're dead, or if he ever found out what you've done, he'll have them killed. You have to get them out of there._

If Adam ever wanted her back, then he wouldn't kill them. He… Wouldn't kill them, right? Adam had abandoned her, yet she'd thought it done out of necessity. She was his right hand but ultimately just another member. Adam was the commander of Vale's forces and his capture or death would be catastrophic. It had been callous in the moment and the betrayal still stung but Blake could rationalize it, even now.

 _Adam doesn't want you. The White Fang is becoming more extreme, you know that. Everyone knows that. Ozpin doesn't want peace._

 _Ozpin wants them gone._

If she managed to get her friends out, then would that be so bad? Those who didn't agree with the White Fang's more extreme approach would defect, and those who remained… Well, they'd signed their death warrant by partaking in massacres. Holbrook would only be the beginning and Adam wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

If Ilia and the others didn't die in a raid then they could be executed for Blake's failure, her betrayal, or on a whim. It was no secret that their loyalty stopped with her, that they followed her even above Adam. It wouldn't be difficult to find an excuse to kill them.

"Are you well, young lady?" Blake looked up at Ozpin and blinked as a bead of sweat rolled into her eye. She blinked it away and realized her breathing was labored, hands gripping her knees so tight her knuckles went white.

Ozpin smiled, and for a fleeting moment Blake mistook it for earnest concern. Almost. "I need a decision, and sooner rather than later, but it can wait a day or so. I'll give you time to consider your options if you'd like, but you will need to give me your answer soon."

That did little to erase the immense pressure smothering her. Trade her soul for the safety of those she cared about. Betray the organization that had effectively raised her, and for what? The lives of a few?

 _The lives of your family,_ her mind ridiculed her.

It wasn't even an option. She'd been prepared to die for their sake, so was this any different? Adam had discarded her; the organization was moving away from the ideals of equality they had strived for for so long. Killing corrupt nobles was one thing. Murder a common man simply because he was Muran? That went beyond what the White Fang should be for.

Even so Blake couldn't make herself agree to it. Trying to form the words made her stomach twist and her blood chill. Aligning herself with the Church was every bit as bad as staying with the White Fang. She'd work for the very people who had reduced her race and so many others to people living in squalor and desperation. She'd perpetuate the very crimes which had caused so many to suffer.

"I think we should bring this discussion to a close for now. I'll have you shown to your quarters. Do you require a healer? You seem unwell." Blake managed to shake her head. "Very well. Should you need anything, or should you come to a decision earlier than expected, simply request to speak with me."

The doors behind them opened and Blake glanced back. Goodwitch strode in, flanked by Qrow and another Hunter she didn't recognize. At first, she didn't rise, then when barked at by Qrow she slowly stood, remaining still as the chains at her feet were undone and she was allowed to move freely once more.

"Glynda, could you show Miss Belladonna to her room? I need to get ready for the ceremonies and I'm afraid I'll be too busy otherwise," Ozpin asked.

"I am here to carry your burdens," quipped Goodwitch, rolling her eyes. "Do at least try to be on time then. If I arrive before you then there will be words later, Ozpin. No excuses."

"But of course. I wouldn't dream of missing even a moment of this."

Blake shuffled towards the door, guided by a strong hand and shove from Qrow. Before she left the room however she stopped. Frowning, she turned back and studied Ozpin carefully, as if she'd be able to see through his ruse. "Tell me one thing, Muran. Say I agree to work with you. Say that I follow through and do as you ask…" Qrow looked at her confused and she ignored him, stepping back into the room. "What's to keep me from betraying you? Do you intend on giving me a partner to keep me in check?"

"Do you want one?" Ozpin asked rhetorically. Obviously not. The Archbishop chuckled, then shook his head. "Don't worry, I have less invasive methods of securing your cooperation. Leave the rest to me and, please, rest and enjoy your stay. I look forward to hearing your answer in the coming days."

/+/+/+/+/+/

Weiss' face hurt. She couldn't stop smiling nor could she tear her eyes away from the mirror. Peeling back the collar of her hooded tunic she marveled at the red mark on her neck. Three rings of increasing size intersected by a triangle through the middle. Within the rings themselves were runes, and though the print was small Weiss could just make them out. The Hunter's Sacrament, the oath that every Hunter learned as an Initiate and lived by once completing their training.

They had memorized it in hopes of earning the right to bear the Mark of the Church, and at long last they had it. Formalities of the ceremony aside Weiss and her friends were recognized Hunters. After three years of training, of toiling and numerous trials, finally they were among an elite few.

Nothing could ruin this moment. Nothing except for an excitable clod bounding into her and nearly knocking her off her feet.

Weiss gasped, stumbled, and grabbed onto a chair to keep from toppling over. Ruby giggled unapologetically and linked her arms around Weiss' neck. "We did it!" the brunette squealed. "We're Hunters now! Actual hunters!"

A normal Muran would be in agony over Ruby's shrill declaration. Weiss felt her ears try to turn themselves inside out and escape the assault on her eardrums. "L-Let go of me, you boob!" she stammered, pushing at Ruby and prying her friend away. "Gods… Are you trying to deafen me?! You don't need to yell when we're so close!"

Ruby flushed and pressed her fingers together. "Sorry, I'm just excited and happy!" She hung her head and fidgeted on the spot, looking more like a child scorned than one of Remnant's elite Magi. "I wanted to congratulate you."

"By rupturing my eardrums?"

Pyrrha laughed from across the room, hastily covering her mouth when Weiss glared at her. "She's just excited, Weiss. Surely you can forgive her?"

"Forgive her? If I lose my hearing, then I'd have to retire before I'd even begun!"

"I doubt Ruby can be loud enough to cause that," Ren observed. The boy cupped his chin and tilted his head, thoughtful. "Though I'm not certain. I'm not familiar with Ydrans and their hearing abilities…"

"I bet she can hear everything!" Nora jumped from her seat on the windowsill. "Hey Weiss, tell me if you can hear this!" She mouthed a few words, eyes shining excitedly.

"You're not actually talking, Nora," Jaune laughed.

"Shhh, I'm testing her!"

"Jaune couldn't hear you either, Nora," Pyrrha pointed out. "And he's right beside you. How was Weiss expected to?"

"He's just deaf then!"

"Nora…" Ren warned.

Weiss chose to drown out Nora's ensuing argument at Jaune's expense and abandoned him to her mad ramblings. Ren would help him out. Probably, and if not then Pyrrha was there.

The doors to the Cathedral's antechamber opened and Weiss glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner. Too early for it to be Ozpin or one of the instructors, and without any fanfare she doubted it was anyone of significance. Ruby bounded into the room a moment later, tugging her hood from her head and sticking her tongue at someone just out of view. By the time Weiss moved to meet her and craned her neck to look outside the doors had swung closed.

"Weiss! Sorry I'm late, I was chatting with my uncle and we got caught up in stuff and he kept congratulating me and saying how proud he was." Ruby's face went red and she cupped her own cheeks. Then she began to wiggle on the spot nervously. "He was saying how much I'm like mom and how I'd be an awesome Hunter and…"

"Ruby?"

"I told him that I was going to do my best and I'd try to make them proud, but he said they're already proud! My dad's even going to be here! He got permission from the bishop on Patch to travel out here and…"

"Ruby!"

Weiss' hand snatched her partner's lips between her thumb and forefinger, pinching them closed. A few muffled complaints came before Ruby finally ceased her fighting, pouting and folding her arms. Only then did Weiss acquiesce and release her hold, although she kept her hand raised if Ruby decided to start up again.

"Are you done…?"

Ruby nodded and zipped her lips closed. "Good," Weiss said with a smile. "I wanted to congratulate you as well. You were remarkable at Holbrook and… Well, I think it goes without saying that I'd likely not be here if not for your help."

"That's not true Weiss! You could have saved that town!" Ruby protested.

"Ruby, I'm flattered you think me capable of that but I'm not delusional. Adam Taurus could have killed me with ease, and with that woman helping him? I wouldn't have lasted five minutes, and the town even less." Something crashed behind them and Weiss turned with disinterest, watching as Nora somehow clambered up Jaune's back and directed him around the small space, heels digging into his sides. "I don't remember if I've said it or not yet so let me say it now. Thank you, Ruby."

Ruby looked to be on the verge of exploding, and… Was that smoke rising from her ears? Emitting a bestial squeal, the silver-eyed girl jumped and, in a feat Weiss could only explain as defying physics, launched herself forward. Weiss never stood a chance and fell back to the floor, air rushing from her lungs in an 'oomph!'. Ruby laughed and wrapped her limbs around the smaller girl in a vice.

"Aww, Weiss! I'd do it any time, you know that! We're besties, after all!"

Weiss tapped on Ruby's back, face turning blue. "R-Ruby…"

"Yeah?" Ruby let go and grinned, then gasped realizing Weiss' predicament. Clambering off her friend she hauled Weiss to her feet, then squeaked and covered her head after being smacked upside it. "Owie! Weiss!"

No cracked ribs, no bruises. Weiss supposed she'd let Ruby off with that smack this time. "Please refrain from trying to crush me? Gods… At this rate it will be a miracle if I make it to our graduation…" Ruby laughed nervously and rubbed her head, then turned and whistled into the air, hands clasped behind her back. Innocent her foot…

Was her outfit in acceptable condition still? Weiss glanced down at the white vestments gifted to her by Goodwitch that morning. Not dissimilar to the cassocks that regular clergymen wore, though the garment switched its whites and blacks, it was remarkably comfortable given how stiff it looked. Weiss dusted down the front, hands coasting over smooth white fabric, fingers bumping against black buttons and black trim which lined the sleeves.

By virtue of being vertically challenged they needed to roll up her sleeves, so her hands would comfortably reach beyond the cuffs. In doing so the soft black lining within the robe stuck out by her wrists, a few black buttons buried in the folds. Flaring at the bottom and fanning out, splitting along their thighs on either side, it was a surprisingly breathable piece.

Whatever noise the grandfather clock might have made was overpowered by the chime of the Cathedral's bell tower high above. At the twelfth chime Weiss heard applause from outside the building. No Doubt that was Ozpin's arrival, which meant their own would follow soon after.

"Let's try and enjoy this," she said. Ruby squeaked on reflex when Weiss reached for her, then visibly relaxed as Weiss fixed her collar, then smoothed out her robe. "We should look immaculate for the ceremony. We only get to enjoy this once, after all." She paused, plucking a hair from Ruby's shoulder and checking the other for stray fibers. "We should be the picture of perfection."

"There is great pride in having reached this point," Ren added. Somehow, he managed to wrangle Nora from Jaune and now found his right arm locked firmly between his partner's.

"We're actual Hunters now!" Nora shouted, moving to hug Ren only to hesitate to see his left arm in a sling. She settled for throwing her arms around his waist and lifting him instead. "We have to celebrate after this! Can we go get pancakes? No wait let's go find the biggest Grimm we can and kick its butt!"

"Nora… I hardly think we should be going back to combat so soon," Pyrrha laughed. "Many of us are still recovering from our battles."

Undeterred Nora stood tall and placed a hand on her hip, other arm linked with Ren's. "Fine, second biggest! I won't go any lower!"

"I think food sounds good…" Jaune inspected his robe and whined, tugging at the fabric and pouting. "Nora, you scuffed my clothes!"

"You should have been a better horsey then!"

Weiss rolled her eyes and held back a laugh while Jaune flailed in protest, consoled by Pyrrha as he lamented his ruined garment. Somehow the stain suited him, she decided. He wasn't quite perfect and so why should his clothing be? In fact, she almost wanted to suggest Nora tear off her sleeves, Ruby to dye hers black, and Ren… Ren was fine how he was, as was she.

There would be no time to modify their outfits as the doors to the antechamber opened once more and Goodwitch strolled in. The woman wore her usual white and purple vestments, though a black coat hung over them, open, with the crest of Vale sewn into the right breast. She looked over their hodgepodge group before smiling, a rare if disconcerting expression for the woman.

"You're all about to be called to the stage. I would just like to take this time to remind all of you that you'll now represent the Church and kingdom, both as Hunters and citizens of Vale. You've done us all here proud by coming this far." Weiss felt her tears prick with tears and she sniffed. She wasn't going to cry. She promised herself she wouldn't cry.

"Miss Goodwitch!" Jaune wailed, burying his eyes in his forearm. "Th-thank you!"

Goodwitch shook her head while Pyrrha consoled the inconsolable. "Thank you for the praise, ma'am," Ren said with a bow, as much as Nora's vice grip would allow. "We shall not let you down."

"I know you will not, Lie Ren. You've all developed into respectable young Hunters." She smiled more easily and stepped to the side of the doors. "Now, if you could compose yourselves and line up we can move along with the ceremonies. Please stand two by two with your partner. Miss Schnee and Miss Rose, you'll be at the head of the proceedings. Miss Nikos and Mister Arc…"

They were easier to organize than cattle, a comment Weiss wasn't sure if it was an insult or compliment, and it took no time to get themselves in place. Jaune continued to sniffle though Pyrrha had dried his face. Nora bounced with every step, and somehow Ren, despite being jostled incessantly, never protested or asked her to stop.

Weiss felt like she was on top of the world. As they walked through the pews and passed lesser clergymen she smiled at their applause, head held high, heart swelling. Ruby, the picture of professionalism, smiled like a nervous child and waved when she wasn't fixated on the ground before their feet. The poor girl looked to be doing everything she could not to trip: a tall order for the klutz.

Goodwitch paused at the large doors exiting the Cathedral. She turned, adopted a more neutral expression and clasped her hands behind her back. "Ladies and Gentlemen, from this point on you are no longer Initiates of the Church, but recognized Hunters. Never forget what you endured to reach this point, the challenges and hurdles you overcame. Remember your humble beginnings and strive for greatness and a life of virtue." She smiled again, warmly, and bowed her head. "And never forget that we are truly proud of the young adults you have all become."

And just like that Jaune was in tears again. At least this time he managed to keep a straight face, although that just made him look ridiculous. Weiss felt a solitary tear trickle down her cheek and hastily wiped it away. There would be time for crying later, for now she needed to be brave in the face of what was to come. Compared to Holbrook what was facing a few clergymen and nobility?

As it turned out it was quite a lot. The doors opened and immediately fanfare began. Trumpets signaled their arrival, joined swiftly by a chorus as a choir began singing, and lutes and harps joined in the medley. Goodwitch moved just ahead of them, eyes straight and posture rigid. Weiss attempted to copy her but found it difficult when Ruby tugged on her hand repeatedly, forgetting her momentary social anxiety to wave instead at the sea of smiling faces.

Gods were there a lot of them. Filed along a carpeted path they moved before what had to have been at least a hundred seated individuals, and many more beyond them, gathering to see the commencement of new Hunters. High ranking nobles that Weiss vaguely recognized sat in the front alongside the bishop of Vale and senior priests. The second row were mostly Hunters, easily recognizable by being the only people besides guards to wield weapons.

Weiss couldn't see much further than that, not until they were led up the stairs and onto the stage itself. Ozpin stood at a podium and smiled as they all made their way along, lining up single file to his right. Goodwitch took a moment to shake their hands and wish them well individually. Weiss couldn't fight the smile that split her face when the woman took her hand.

"Well done, Miss Schnee," the woman kindly, having to lean in to be heard over the applause of the crowd. "Ozpin and I knew you'd do wonderfully. Congratulations."

The sky could have opened up and rain could have come crashing down and even then Weiss would have felt incredible. Her hands trembled at her sides and she forced them behind her back, interlocking her fingers and taking a deep breath. Crowds she didn't mind usually, but then this was hardly a normal case. People who had once scorned her were among the crowd. Clergy who questioned her place because of her birth. Nobility who refused to recognize her heritage and treated her like common rabble.

They probably still did, Weiss observed, but in the moment, they had no choice but to applaud and cheer for her. That in of itself was almost as sweet as what was to come.

Ozpin raised his hands and the crowds slowly died down. Music petered off and guards who had relaxed went rigid, stamping the ground with the shaft of their spears. Once it was quiet enough that Weiss could hear birds nearby chirping and only then did Ozpin speak.

"My fellow clergy, esteemed guests, and Hunters, I thank you all for being here today to commemorate this momentous occasion. I understand many of you are busy, but I speak for everyone when I say your attendance means the world to us. Therefore, I would like to personally extend my sincerest gratitude, both for making time and ensuring that our youth, the future of Hunters in Vale, understand they are appreciated."

Polite applause followed, and Weiss' mouth twitched, caught between smiling and letting out a sob. She wasn't sentimental, darn it. If even Jaune was keeping it together right now, then so would she.

"Every five years the Church welcomes forward a fresh assembly of Hunters. Initiation, as many of our veterans know, is not easy. Hunter hopefuls are not only educated in all areas but pressed with daunting training. Only the best that humanity has to offer may join our ranks and aid in our fight against the Grimm. The six youths that stand before you today are, therefore, the epitome of what we look for in our Hunters. Please, join me in welcoming our future…"

"Weiss Schnee." Weiss took a step forward and placed a hand over her heart, bowing at the waist. She tried not to tremble and found her knees buckling, refrained from licking her lips, mouth dry. They had practiced this a dozen times over and she'd thought it a simple task, answer the call. That was before they were asked to do so before several hundred people.

Ozpin went down the line and each member moved up at their summons. It was a short segment due to their small number and Weiss wasn't sure if she was grateful for that or not. The crowd was turned on them again and their applause served to both bolster her conviction and make her want to crawl beneath the stage and hide. Her face heated and, much to her chagrin, Ozpin's amused smile drew a few laughs from those in attendance.

"Remember these faces well, my fellows, for these are no longer children. Young though they are they have earned the right to be called Hunters, and in doing so have joined a select few to have carried such a position." Ozpin moved from the podium and took his time congratulating them as Goodwitch had done before. His hand was warm, Weiss noted, as was his smile. It was only worse that he should take extra time to embrace them all as well, leaving her steaming and red as Ruby's cloak.

Ozpin went into a preamble about the history of the Church. It was something Weiss knew well, well enough that she allowed her mind to wander as he recited it. Not that she chose to, she'd never so willingly ignore such an important part of what her own story was now, yet it was hard to keep focused.

A rainbow of cloths hung from trees and lampposts, and whenever the sunlight struck them just right they covered the plaza in a gentle wash of reds, blues, greens and yellows. Royal purple lined the seating, thick ropes sectioning off the more important members, which was to say the first three rows. Banners from each kingdom lined the stage, towering over all else, each fluttering with every gentle wind that rolled through.

Weiss' eyes scanned the crowd now that she stood high above them. When she spotted Ironwood, her heart leapt to her throat and she nearly made a fool of herself by calling out to the man. She didn't need to, his eyes fixated solely on her. She had never seen the man look prouder than he did, and when he realized she was staring he nodded, then politely motioned for her to listen. Her eyes widened, and she stared into the empty space above the crowd instead, standing at attention.

"... It is through the continued service and sacrifice of Hunters that humanity has flourished. Make no mistake, ladies and gentlemen," Ozpin's voice became clearer as Weiss again focused on it. "And I do realize I sound a little biased when I say this, though I assure you it is no less true." Polite laughter from the crowd, the kind nobles looking to impress one another offered. Weiss smiled through it. "Many of us may one day owe our very lives to those gathered before you today, and those who follow and walk before them."

"Hunters!" Ozpin stood before them, his back to the crowd. The man's smile finally faded and he adopted a more serious expression. "If you'd please recite your oaths. Let us hear your conviction and dedication, if you'd please."

Weiss was more than prepared for this. She cleared her throat and placed a hand on her chest, lifted her chin and recited from memory.

"I am a Hunter of the Church of Remnant. I belong to no kingdom and live only to serve Remnant." Her voice mixed with her friends', ringing loud and clear over the crowd. "My sworn oath is to uphold the peace, to respect law and man both, and to use magic only to the benefit of others. I renounce my selfish goals and pledge to devote myself to the betterment of Remnant and its people, and to maintaining peace in all four kingdoms. Gods bless Remnant."

It was a simple verse yet one they had rehearsed time and time again. In the mornings, during lessons, in mock-ceremonies proceeding this. Weiss caught herself reciting it randomly at times, so ingrained as it was. Thank gods she hadn't screwed it up.

Ozpin nodded approvingly and turned back to the crowd. "There you have it, ladies and gentlemen. Before you stand an elite few, children who, through no small effort, have taken upon themselves the very future of Remnant and its people. I ask you all today not only as their mentor but as a man who has been privileged to see them grow, welcome them and help them embrace their new roles, for they have earned it!"

Much of the crowd stood and showered Weiss and her friends in applause. Trumpets erupted in terrific fashion, and Ozpin's posture relaxed, if marginally, signaling they could as well. While it felt like adulation Weiss still basked in their cheers, years of ridicule and jeers disappearing in an instant. They would still deride her, she knew, and attempt to undermine her, but that didn't matter anymore. They could call her whatever they pleased, tell her she was a castaway, but nothing they could do or say would change one indelible truth.

She was a Hunter now.

Ruby swung from her neck and giggled in delight, face hidden against Weiss' shoulder. "We did it, Weiss!" She had to shout over the crowd and even then, Weiss barely heard her. She met her friends glowing smile with her own and hugged the other girl, laughing alongside her.

"We certainly did…" Her hands gripped handfuls of Ruby's cloak and she trembled, both in excitement and as nerves finally surfaced.

"I'm so happy…" Ruby mumbled, almost inaudible. Happy felt accurate. Wholly inadequate, but accurate.

Weiss wasn't sure when but at some point, the others had come over as well. Her feet left the stage as Pyrrha and Nora swept her up, pulling her into a group hug. With their faces hidden a few of them finally allowed tears of joy to spill. Hushed congratulations and cheers were shared. A platonic kiss - Nora would later argue that, was given to her partner, and Weiss felt her cheeks ache from smiling so much. And why shouldn't she? They had accomplished what they'd all set out to do.

From somewhere within the crowd the sound of dissent started. Faint at first it rippled through the gathering and soon applause died out. Guards who had moments before been stood idle gripped their weapons and looked for the source of the growing clamor. Men and women shouted, and people standing furthest from the stage parted way as a small group forced itself closer.

"This is an affront! Stop this at once!"

Weiss stepped away from her friends and towards the front of the stage. Incensed, she sought out the face in the crowd, seeking the man responsible. A large man with mutton chops pushed aside a pair of merchants, flanked by a small group of workers. Faunus: a Meera, Canis, and Kanin all stood behind him, with many other members of various races beyond them still.

Guards immediately began to move to intercept the group. Ozpin struck the podium with his cane, hand raised. "Wait a moment, please. They're here as our guests." Confused and angry murmurs came from the crowd, with nobles foremost among those decrying the intrusion. Ozpin let them simmer and instead offered a polite smile to the man. "Everyone, please, this gentleman requested that he be allowed to speak, he came to me personally. I should like to give him that chance."

Weiss was among those beside themselves. Why agree to such a thing? The man was clearly here to cause a commotion, not to mention ruin her graduation. Surely Ozpin wasn't going to let some… Degenerate cause a scene?

The man nodded and moved through the crowd, into the center aisle. Many attendees leaned away or left their seats entirely to put space between themselves and the small group. Others moved to do the same but relaxed when Qrow rose from the crowd and walked alongside their leader. Not in a show of solidarity, Weiss realized as Qrow flashed his weapon. He was there to keep them in check. Realizing this the crowd settled down, although only briefly. Soon another storm began.

"Filthy animals! You have no place here!"

"How dare you interrupt us!" a rosy-faced nobleman shouted. "Begone!"

A woman from within the crowd stood and gestured furiously. "Killers! Thieves!"

Something akin to a thunderclap silenced everything at once. Weiss uncovered her sensitive ears and looked for the source, eyes wide realizing a tree had not only been uprooted but knocked over. Goodwitch stood at the edge of the stage, face red and brow sweating from exertion.

"Thank you, Glynda," Ozpin mused, his smile strained. "Though next time perhaps use something less dangerous? I shudder to think of how the groundskeepers will take this…"

Goodwitch sighed and adjusted her spectacles. "Apologies, Archbishop. I'll have it fixed myself by today's end."

That seemed to appease Ozpin, for he promptly looked to the gathering in the aisle and held his hands up in welcome. "Please sir, speak your case. I understand you wished to have an audience with us? Now is your time."

Even in the face of the blatant attacks on their person the man nodded respectfully. Weiss had to commend him for his composure: she'd have lashed out at the riffraff immediately herself.

"Thank you, Archbishop. And I apologize for earlier, it was… Unwarranted."

"Please, let us not focus on the past, but the future," Ozpin said. "After all, isn't that why you're here?"

The man nodded again, and at Ozpin's permission approached the stage. None of them spoke as he walked by, nor did he spare any of them so much as a single glance. Not until he reached Weiss. For a tense moment she stared back into the man's amber eyes, recalling an odd familiarity to them. Before she could place them however he moved along and stood at Ozpin's side.

"Ladies and gentlemen, members of the court." The man paused and sighed, rubbing his scruffy sideburns. "I'm not one for flowery talk, so I'll get right to it. I've come here to point out an injustice, one that has gone on for far, far too long. I ask that you take a look before you, to your new Hunters, and tell me what you see."

No one answered. If anyone did have a response, then they kept it to themselves and chose instead to glare at the man responsible for ruining the event. When it became obvious that he'd receive no reply he cleared his throat, shuffling. Nervousness was beginning to show.

"I see before us the future," Ozpin offered helpfully. "Young men and women who will fight on the behalf of all those who call Vale home."

Weiss thought it was a lovely answer. The man thought otherwise.

"And yet who are among them, Ozpin?" When the Archbishop appeared confused the Meera continued. "All Murans, and one half-breed. A Schnee, no less." He shook his head, face crumpling, brow pinched in contempt. "You claim these children are our future, yet they represent not only the favoritism the Church has shown for generations, but the blatant disregard for other races that the kingdoms as a whole display."

"I assure you that their selection has nothing to do with favoritism or disregard," Ozpin spoke calmly. "They are merely the few who conducted themselves with the utmost aplomb."

"Fine, but when was the last Faunus Hunter? Or do other races simply lack skill? And…" The man turned to Weiss again and scowled. "Are any of us surprised that a Schnee was allowed to move on? Few families are so firmly bedded with the Church as they are."

"Excuse me?!" Weiss clenched her hands and stormed towards the man. "I have reached this point of my own ability, sir, not because of my name. If anything, I've been scorned for it!"

"She speaks the truth!" A noblewoman jeered. "She's a bitch, disowned by her own family!"

Weiss' heart fell as laughter tore through the crowd. It wasn't many, but enough that it was loud and grating. To his credit the man before her seemed genuinely apologetic, lowering his eyes as she glared out at the crowd.

She was a Hunter, godsdammit. She'd _earned_ this. What right did they have?!

"Miss Schnee has worked as hard as anyone else to achieve what she did." Ozpin's voice silenced the nobles' raucous laughter, and a meaningful look quieted the few Hunters who had joined in. "None of those before you today were given special treatment in their training. Each man and woman on this stage has fought to be where they stand."

"And yet not a single Faunus is among them," the man spoke. While his ire might no longer be directed at Weiss he still seemed intent on arguing. "I come before you today not to incite violence, but to ask that we are given equal chance. The Faunus Conglomerate have children who would excel as Hunters, if you'd but give us a chance. We seek to defend our homes and families just as you do."

"You… You're with the White Fang!" A white-faced noble stood and pointed shakily. "Who are you to demand equality?! You kill our people and rape and pillage!"

"Please, we are not aligned with that group!" The bearded Meera held his hands up placatingly. "We seek equality through protest, just as my brother did! We do not condone the actions of the White Fang, we are every bit as appalled as you are!"

"Bullshit!" shouted a worker, his clothes stained with soot. "Yer every bit an animal as they are!"

The crowd started up again and began to devolve into slurs and shouts. What few non-Murans that were within the crowds stood and tried to leave. Some were grabbed and assaulted, others managed to slip away. Guards moved swiftly to subdue those who instigate fights, though with dismay Weiss noticed they treated Faunus, the very ones who were attacked, just as roughly.

Qrow had been forced to usher the group he'd been watching over towards the stage, weapon brandished. Other Hunters at Ozpin's orders formed around the stage and created a perimeter, blocking off angry citizens from lashing out. Someone hurled a broken bottle at the stage and Ozpin stepped away, speaking quickly to Goodwitch.

"Children," the Archbishop spoke low. "Please return inside the Cathedral and await further instructions. We'll have this commotion settled shortly, but I think it's best that you make yourselves scarce."

The Meera cursed as another object was thrown, covering his head, then marveling as it hovered harmlessly before him. He nodded with thanks to Goodwitch before looking at Ozpin somberly. "This was never my intent, Ozpin. I didn't mean…"

"I know, Tuckson, and I am certain neither of us hoped this to come to pass. Regretfully I can't say I'm surprised, however." Ozpin shouted orders to the Hunters and a few moved, reinforcing guards as they restrained the violent few who began to incite, or try to incite, a small riot. "Go inside with the children, take your people with you. You have the full protection of the Church, I promise."

Weiss could only watch as the crowd was dispersed, and numerous arrests were made. The Faunus with them said nothing as they were hurried ahead, heads down and arms raised to shield themselves. Ruby tugged on her sleeve and she stumbled after her friends, gritting her teeth as they were rushed back into the building.

* * *

 **As always thank you so very much for reading. Liked it? Hated it? Let me know if you're feeling so inclined, feedback is always appreciated. See you next chapter, folks!**

 **PS. Did Glynda just use a tree as a gavel to shut people up? Why yes, yes she did.**

 **Stay extra friends!**


	18. Chapter 18: The Sneak and the Snake

**I'm back. From outer space! I just walked in here to find you... something, something, parody!**

 **It's early okay? Also hi again. It's raining a lot here. I have an ark now. I named it Donald.**

 **No medical bay though because Donald doesn't like healing people.**

 **Bless anyone who understands my pain.**

* * *

Weiss stumbled into the main hall. She'd been so graciously escorted by a no-name priest who was just a bit too handsy, too keen to grab hold of her. If he hadn't rushed off to help with the growing unrest she might have frozen him just to teach him a lesson. She'd settle for hoping a pigeon decided to relieve itself on his head.

From behind the heavy Cathedral doors and through marble and stone walls the sounds outside were muffled even to her hearing. Shouting continued and she could only just make out Ozpin's voice above it all. They were behaving like children, the nobles, spoiled, rotten children. Over what? Her appointment as a Hunter? She'd _earned_ this. Not by her namesake, nor by any favors granted by Ozpin or anyone else. She'd worked just as hard as her peers, excelled in her studies; if the nobility knew she'd been picked as a Warden then she'd be lauded as she deserved.

 _Who am I kidding? They'll take any excuse to try and delegitimize me…_ An angry burst of air passed her lips and she sat heavily onto one of the pews. _After all that, the training, completing our final test, I'm_ still _not good enough for them?_

Fine. She'd made it this far without her own family's approval so what good was that of the nobility?

More than she liked to admit. Nobles pledged their wealth to the Church, and while Weiss could only guess at the numbers she imagined it was no small portion of their budget. Nobles weren't always Magi, in fact very few she knew of were, but they had the power of Lien to make up for that. In some circles coin held just as much weight as spell craft.

"Well… That went rather poorly," Pyrrha muttered, settling in beside Weiss. "Are you alright?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"They didn't seem happy about our appointment as Hunters."

 _You mean_ my _appointment,_ Weiss thought bitterly. She hadn't heard anyone call afoul when any of her friends had been declared Hunters. They were fine. No one questioned that Pyrrha, Ren or Nora were from different kingdoms, or that Ruby had not one, but two family members who had fallen as Hunters. Foreigners were fine. People with a history of failures were fine. But a half-Ydran girl?

Blasphemy.

"If those overstuffed, sanctimonious fools want to decry my success then fine, let them," Weiss growled. "I hardly care."

"No offense…" Ren sat in the pew ahead of them, turning to speak. "But your behavior suggests otherwise."

"No offense, but how are you NOT more upset? They ruined _our_ ceremony! All of us! Today was supposed to be the day we all became fully fledged Hunters. We're meant to be given recognition by the Church and nobility, and…"

"We're still Hunters, ceremony or not," Ren interrupted. Weiss shot him a pointed glare and he lowered his head in apology. "I share your distress, but they can't change the fact we've all accomplished something grand. We are still Hunters."

"And we're going to be the best. Hunters. Ever!" Nora jumped onto Ren's back and slung her arms around his neck. The boy's face went red and he grabbed Nora's wrist, exhaling and shuddering when she ceased choking him. "Oopsies, sorry Renny!"

Weiss felt a smile force its way to the fore. They were still Hunters, that much was true. People could call her whatever they pleased yet nothing would change that fact. Nobles' opinions would forever remain negative, immutable in their views, and while that may not be fine it hardly negated what they had done. She'd accomplished precisely what she had set out to do and that was all that mattered.

Still, it would be nice if one of those insular, witless buffoons would give her the recognition she so rightfully deserved.

Their seat creaked, and Weiss raised an eyebrow as Jaune faceplanted onto it. Were it anyone else she'd have asked if they were okay. Jaune had a knack for taking falls and being fine though, and sure enough he picked himself up a second later and let out a resounding sigh.

"Man… It's a mess out there…"

"You went out?" Pyrrha asked.

Jaune nodded. "The nobles are still mad, and now some of the commoners showed up and are yelling at the nobles. Ozpin's trying to settle things but it's still pretty hectic."

"All of this over my appointment as a Hunter?" Weiss couldn't believe she'd caused such a stir, and she hadn't.

"Nah. I mean the nobles seemed pretty mad about that," Jaune admitted sheepishly. "But the commoners are just miffed the nobles think they can choose who gets to be a Hunter." They kind of did, they had plenty of say when it was their Lien that kept things running. "And it sounded like most of them are just mad at Ozpin."

"Why would they be angry with Oz?" asked Nora.

Ren made a thoughtful 'hm' before tapping his chin. "If not over Weiss' graduation then I'd imagine it's over the matter concerning the Conglomerate."

"It was curious that he allowed them to speak when they did." Pyrrha tilted her head, brow furrowed. "He had to have known their reception wouldn't have been positive, which begs the question of why do it?"

Hypothetical or otherwise Weiss found she had no explanation. The only one she could arrive at seemed outlandish: Ozpin had purposefully wanted to incite dissent. Not that she could fathom why or what anyone would have to gain from that.

While her friends fielded ideas between themselves Weiss rose from her seat. Agitation having subsided she finally realized, abashedly late she might add, that her partner was nowhere in sight. "I'll be right back," she said hastily, excusing herself as she hurried away.

The gates to the Cathedral were guarded by a pair of Hunters so all likelihood of Ruby having left went out the window. And no, Ruby hadn't tried springing from one of those either, Weiss had checked on a whim. With no obvious signs of her partner in the hall she moved to the back of the space, past the lifts and into the small innermost chambers. One such room had held them not an hour earlier and she poked her head in, finding no trace of Ruby anywhere.

Nor was she in any of the other small rooms. A handful of modular meeting rooms, a storage closet, and a small kitchen were all devoid of any excitable dolts. Weiss huffed and shut the kitchen doors behind herself, turning on her heel to head upstairs. She'd only just reached the stairwell when a flustered looking priest scurried down and nearly collided with her.

"Ah, pardon me! I'm so terribly sorry!"

Weiss rolled her eyes and stepped aside, gesturing for the man to be on his way. Taking one step at a time - two would have been obscene with her gait, she hurried upstairs, to where balconies and pews overlooked the main hall below, stretching out to her left and her right. A few smaller rooms were on either side as well and she headed left hearing the sound of faint voices.

Spying an open door, she had a mind to waltz right into the room, particularly once she realized one of the voices was Ruby's. The other belonged to a man she didn't recognize. They were arguing, or rather, Ruby was, and the man she was speaking to was having none of it.

"I know what I saw! Why don't you believe me?"

"Because what you're saying makes no sense, Ruby. You were probably stressed, it was your first mission…"

"I wasn't hallucinating, dad!" Weiss raised an eyebrow and silently moved along the wall. Eavesdropping was uncouth and normally beneath her but her curiosity compelled her to linger. Thankfully she didn't need to get very close to overhear their discussion.

"I'm not saying you are, petal, it just doesn't add up. Even the best Hunters can have problems after using lots of magic, and according to your report…"

"Heh, uh… You read those, huh?"

Ruby's father sighed. "Someone charged headlong into the battle against Adam Taurus." Oops, that would be Weiss' report then. "Ruby, do you have any idea how dangerous he is? You could have been killed!"

"I had to do something! He was going to attack the town!"

Weiss almost interjected but clamped a hand over her mouth. Adam did attack the town, although her and Ruby's intervention prevented much worse. A brief silence followed by a squeak made Weiss inch forward further, stopping when the floor creaked. Neither person inside noticed though she kept firmly where she was.

"I'm not angry you tried to help, Ruby. I'm upset you could have been hurt…" Ruby's father said gently, his voice soft. "I know you're going to take risks because that's what Hunters do. But don't make a habit of doing crazy things like that. Please? I can't lose another daughter…"

"D-Dad… I'm telling you…"

"Ruby, please. Just be careful, okay?"

Feeling guilty for listening now Weiss took a step back, then another. She turned her head and did her best to ignore the rest. It didn't take much longer for the pair to come out and when they did neither looked like they'd just had a heavy conversation. They were smiling, and Weiss managed to put one on to match when two pairs of eyes finally focused on her.

"Hello Ruby, sir." Weiss said politely.

"Weiss!" Ruby skipped over and moved in for a hug, and no amount of flailing or cursing could scare her off. Rigid as a board Weiss let her partner get it out of her system, rolling her eyes as Ruby planted herself at her side. "Weiss, dad, this is, uh…" She paused and pursed her lips. "No wait, dad, this is Weiss! Weiss, this is…"

"Taiyang, but everyone calls me 'Tai', if that works for you," Ruby's father chimed in, mercifully rescuing his daughter from her blunder. His hand dwarfed Weiss' as she shook it and she had to crane her neck to look up. Gods he was tall. Blue eyes duller than her own sparkled and he grinned, pulling her in suddenly and hoisting her off her feet in a hug.

"Ah! Uh… Uuuuuh…"

"Congratulations on passing and thank you so much for keeping my baby girl safe!"

"Daaaaad!" Ruby whined.

"I was so worried when I'd heard what happened in Holbrook! It took me ages to get a ship to Vale and by the time I'd gotten here you two were already back! Thank you so, so much. I owe ya one."

"Dad…?" Ruby prodded, tugging on her father's arm.

"Yeah, petal?" Ruby puffed up indignantly at the pet name and pulled on his arm again. Tai didn't register what she was after at first, not until he felt feet kicking at his shins. With a start he opened his arms and caught Weiss' shoulders, chuckling. "Oh jeez, sorry! Are you alright?"

Wheezing and blue in the face Weiss nodded, or maybe she was convulsing from lack of oxygen. Taking several deep breaths and feeling her lungs fill she smiled weakly. "Fine… It's a p-pleasure to meet you, sir…"

Gods above she thought she was going to snap in two! Tai might have worn the typical garb of a priest, but the man's physique was suited better for someone used to hard labor. Or slaying Grimm.

"Dad used to be a Hunter!" Ruby said, swaying as she beamed proudly up at the tall, blonde man.

"Used to…?"

"Ah… You know how it is," Tai answered, waving a hand dismissively. "Plans change as you get older. Very few people can keep that kind of work up forever."

"You're not _that_ old, dad!"

"Old enough that I have two grey hairs," Tai laughed. Ruby whined as her hair was ruffled and Weiss smiled when her partner hid behind her. As if her stature was going to do much to deter her father.

"Gray hairs are fine, dad! Uncle Qrow has loads of them, and Weiss' entire head is gray!"

What?! Weiss' brow twitched, and she spun around. "My hair is white, you oaf! And I'm the same age as you!" Two years difference, give or take a month or two. "I hardly have any gray hairs!"

Boisterous laughter made Weiss blush and she squeaked when a strong arm slung around her shoulders. "I'm glad to know my baby has such good friends. Does a lot to put my heart at ease," Tai chuckled.

"We're besties!"

"I tolerate her," Weiss admitted, smiling.

She was ashamed to admit no small amount of jealousy as Tai stepped back and embraced Ruby. Her father was enamored with her, as any good father should be. Ruby, despite her numerous protests, appeared every bit the 'daddy's girl' as Weiss had suspected she'd be. There would be a lot of teasing later.

"It was good to see you again honey, but I really do need to get back out there." Tai stepped back and smiled apologetically when Ruby pouted.

"Can't you stay just a little bit longer…? Pleeeeease?"

For a moment Tai looked to be seriously considering Ruby's plea. Then he shook his head and ruffled her hair again. "Sorry, but they probably need all hands-on deck for this. Shouldn't take too long though, then we can go grab dinner, okay?" Ruby's frown instantly flipped, and she nodded vigorously. "That's my girl. That means no eating sweets beforehand, okay? Can't be spoiling your appetite."

"Aw, but dad! Just one cookie isn't a big deal!"

"Would you eat only one…?" Ruby hung her her head and shuffled in place. Weiss heard a faint 'no' and Tai laughed. "Just hold out a little while longer and I promise we'll stop somewhere, okay?"

Weiss feared she'd be enveloped in another bone crushing hug when Tai opened his arms. Instead he leaned down and made the embrace as gentle as possible, patting her back before smiling down at her. "You're welcome to join us if you'd like. Treating you to dinner is the least I can do for saving my little girl."

"Oh, well thank you, but I wouldn't dare impose," Weiss began, cut off as Ruby leaned against her.

"She'd love to! And you're not imposing, Weiss!" Ruby said, nearly shouting. "It'll be our treat! Well… Dad's treat since I don't have much Lien, and I kiiiind of need to buy some stuff tomorrow, but uh… I'll be there in spirit!"

"More than spirit I hope," Tai teased. The doors below opened and Weiss heard another man calling for Tai by name, signaling his departure. "Welp, time to go help work things out. You girls just sit tight a little longer, we'll get this settled soon."

"Of course, thank you sir."

"Bye dad!" Ruby squealed, rising up onto her toes and waving emphatically the entire time Tai was in view. When he vanished downstairs she raced to the balcony, called out for him and waved again. Weiss stood just behind her, face in her hands as she could imagine their friends laughing. Why was her partner such a dolt…?

Sounds of discord vanished with the closing of the Cathedral's doors and a stillness settled in the building once more. Ruby stepped back from the balcony, her smile waning slightly. "He seems like a wonderful man," Weiss offered, hopeful to keep her friend from becoming upset.

"He is! He's super nice, and he's really fun to hang out with," Ruby exclaimed, balling her hands into fists at chest height. "He can be really overprotective sometimes, especially since…" she trailed off before shaking her head vigorously. "He's awesome! And you'll have an awesome time with us tonight if you come out! You will come out, won't you?"

In other words, it was _'Come out with us or I'll blubber and pout until you do!'_ Weiss liked to think she had the fortitude to withstand Ruby's waterworks. Then again, she liked to think she could handle Ruby's endless energy and yet she constantly was befuddled by the bottomless well that was her partner.

"I'll be there," Weiss conceded. Ruby bounced and threw herself at Weiss, the hug mercifully nowhere near as crushing as Tai's had been. "Until tonight, however, why don't we go join the others? I do believe we have arrangements to make for tomorrow."

Assuming everything was taken care of outside in a timely manner, and Weiss had no reason to think it wouldn't be, they would be given their new stipends, as well as an added pouch of Lien, an award for graduating. Weiss might not have cared for the coin as much if the empty harness at her hip didn't serve as a reminder she was without a weapon. Without Myrtenaster. Even a fake recreation meant something to her. And unless she intended to wear the outfit tailored for the ceremony full time she'd need to look into new clothing as well.

"I can't wait! We're real Hunters now!" Ruby giggled as she skipped towards the stairs, then twirled precariously at the top. "Let's take a job tomorrow! I want to get started right away!"

Weiss flicked her friend's forehead before making her way downstairs. "We can't, you know that. The Week of Veneration always follows graduation." Weiss smiled over her shoulder. "That means all non-essential forces are given a reprieve, and as newly forged Hunters…"

"That means us," Ruby realized with a huff. She perked right back up and smiled, jumping three steps to the landing and spinning. "Fine, there's other stuff we can do! I want to get new clothes too, and maybe I can see about getting my baby patched up!"

Weiss rolled her eyes and walked past Ruby. Was it unhealthy to refer to a weapon as 'my baby'? Probably. Was that going to stop Ruby from calling Crescent Rose that? Hardly. Where all Hunters tended to name their weapons, a gesture meant to trust in their blades, it was nothing more than for show.

Ruby darted ahead of her again and waited at the bottom of the steps, patiently bouncing on the heels of her feet. Weiss shook her head, smiling as she joined her friend down below. "Hey, Ruby…" she asked before Ruby could race to their friends.

Ruby turned on the spot and smiled. "Yeah, Weiss? What's up?"

Should she ask? Whatever Ruby and her father had been discussing earlier was enough to make them argue, or close enough to it: not that either of them showed any strain afterwards. What was so important that Ruby felt the need to try and argue with Tai? What had she been trying to convince her of? Weiss bit the inside of her cheek and looked out a nearby window, watching leaves dance soundlessly. Was it any of her business?

"Where should we go to dinner tonight?"

Silver eyes widened and were matched by a wide, childish grin. "I know tons of super good places!"

"And all those places, I assume, serve copious amounts of sweets…?" Weiss prodded knowingly.

Ruby laughed, pressing her fingers together. She didn't say no and shrugged instead, trying and failing to whistle.

"Well, think about it. As your guest it's hardly up to me to decide where we go," Weiss teased. Ruby nodded and followed along through the pews. "Don't tell me though, keep it a surprise."

Ruby grinned and saluted, or at least Weiss assumed it was a salute. It vaguely mirrored what one might see a guard give their superior, only her stance was horrendous, and the fingers were all out of line.

"I won't say a word!"

Unfortunately, that was the exact opposite of what Weiss wanted. To ask about the argument though was not only a betrayal of Ruby's privacy - how else could she have known they'd argued unless she eavesdropped, but also none of her business. If Ruby deemed it important then she'd share it in time.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Blake had no idea where she was being led. The Cathedral, or at least the main building where services and ceremonies were held, possessed no cells to speak of. It would explain then why those she had been brought in with were led off elsewhere, likely to some place more suitable to house prisoners. The barracks perhaps? Surely the Church had a place to hold prisoners, although Blake wondered what sorts they typically kept locked up.

Chains jostled around her wrists and she glared down at her bindings. Silver manacles clasped around her wrists, silver links locking like stern fingers around a coin purse. They were light things and could easily be broken if given the chance. Not by magic though: the Church had made certain of that.

Magic energy continued to swirl around her and yet remained just out of reach, refused her calls and urges to be drawn in. The manacles acted as a dam in a stream and blocked all flow. She'd tried once or twice to bypass it and got nowhere. Every time she attempted to conjure a spell the restrains would become chilled, blue runes sparking to life. There was no pain with it, a mercy she supposed, but it was evident she couldn't perform magic.

That explained then why the Church and Ozpin hadn't seen fit to stow her away in some cell. She was the lone Magi among their prisoners and could very well pose a threat, had she the magic to do so. In the face of Hunters however she was, without magic, as much a commoner as the rabble outside.

Fresh air filled her lungs as a door was thrown wide, stumbling as her escort pushed her out onto the walkway. A broad man with a mess of red hair and an equally unkempt beard glared at her, one eye closed and scarred over. "Get a move on," he growled, shoving her again.

Blake curled her lip in contempt before marching on. A gentle summer breeze passed through the open pass, leaves twirling through the air soundlessly. From somewhere beyond the walls she could hear the bickering finally dying down. Whatever clamor had begun during the ceremony was ending. If she'd thought the Hunters with her might answer any questions she'd ask what had happened.

"Hold." The simple command made Blake stop halfway across the walkway. Another Hunter had joined them and waved over her escort. Red, because she didn't know the bastards name, glared and pointed to where she stood. "Don't move a muscle."

"How am I supposed to breathe then?" Blake quipped.

Red sneered before moving away, speaking to the newcomer in hushed whispers. Blake could have listened in easily enough but didn't care enough to try. Instead she moved to the edge of the walk and leaned against the stone rails, peering down at the gardens below. Puddles of purple, white and red - lilacs, tulips and roses engulfed in a sea of green filled out the space, meticulously maintained. Stone pathways snaked through the grass and connected to doors hidden beneath carved stone, and a single crystalline pond sparkled majestically in the sunlight, the bright scales of fish glowing.

Children of nobles pranced about without a care in the world, their laughter filling the air, bright smiling faces, blissful in their ignorance. Only noble children would be able to wear velvets and fine linens, and one or two even sported what Blake suspected were tailor-made doublets that even to her untrained eye were high quality. Only children of nobility could afford to have two or three retainers apiece watching over them, or in this case, making sure they didn't sully their garments.

"Eulia, get back here! Put that down at once!"

Lazily her eyes drifted over to the shrill, raspy voice of a handmaiden. The woman scurried along in a dusty gray robe, her fading brown hair bobbing fitfully as she rushed over to the pond. A girl in a lustrous yellow dress that mirrored the sun knelt over the pond, and from here Blake could hear her giggles. It wasn't until the handmaiden lifted her up that she noticed the frog in Eulia's hands, grimacing and batting the slimy creature away.

"Disgusting!" The old woman looked like she wanted to retch on the spot. "That is play suited for boys, not young ladies! Come, come, we must wash your hands!"

Was that really so disgusting? Blake's lips twisted into a cruel smile as she watched Eulia be dragged away by the sleeve and disappear into one of the adjacent buildings. Frogs were hardly the grossest things in the world. _Besides,_ she thought callously, pushing away from the rail as Red and his idiot partner returned, _her father will sell her off to some noble brat before long and she'll be handling much worse._

"Leerin' at children now, animal?" the idiot barked at her. Blondie sounded woefully uninspired - as if Red wasn't, so Blake settled for 'Piss-for-brains', or 'Piss' for short. "Shouldn't be surprised, yer beastfuckers all the same," Piss grumbled.

Red earned some favor by swatting Piss upside the head. "Shut up, moron."

Piss grumbled and nursed his skull but said nothing more. "Let's get a move on then," her cherry-headed escort commanded. "Sooner we drop you off the sooner we get a break."

"Well, don't let me keep you from drinking." Not like she had much to lose by barbing the man. Red sneered and grabbed the back of her tunic, turning her around and shoving her. Did it help him feel like a man, pushing around a shackled young woman? Without a weapon or spell to her name insults were the only thing Blake could use. "Does your wife like being handled roughly as well? Practicing for her?"

The Hunter's face matched his nickname and Piss snickered into a closed fist. She probably deserved the harsh shove that nearly knocked her over, and the spit that clung to the back of her pant leg.

"Keep. Walking."

Blake glanced fleetingly at the railing before deciding it might be best to comply. She didn't think they'd throw her off, nor did she think the fall would be enough to kill her, even without magic. Not wanting to tempt fate however she marched along like the good little prisoner she was. Ahead, obscured by the shadow of a tall oak whose limb stretched out and brushed along their path, another door eased open. Another Hunter held it for them and ushered Blake inside, and Blake alone. Red and Piss hardly spared her a look before turning and doubling back the way they had come.

The main hall of cathedral was clearly meant for worship. Ozpin's tower, each level, was designated for research and scholarly endeavors. The building Blake now found herself in appeared to be living quarters, complete with more doors than any inn she'd visited, a common room with leatherbound furniture and a fireplace, unlit. Windows allowed natural light to fill the spaces, the marigold painted walls giving an air of ease.

"Where exactly are we going?" Blake asked.

Her new escort - she hadn't thought of a name for him yet, glanced back, sniffed, and left it at that. Well fine then, don't answer her. Another door leading outside stood off to her right, two windows, one on either side, showing another balcony and likely steps beyond the threshold. Blake stared at it furtively before shaking her head and trudging along. Running would only make things worse and, for the time being anyways, she was avoiding the worst of it.

Passing by a stairwell her ears swiveled hearing voices from below. Old and young mingled, some in furious exchanges, most in excitement or joy. One she recognized, and she slowed her pace when she heard Ruby's among the crowd, and another she vaguely recognized. Whoever Ruby spoke to sounded annoyed and fraught with nerves, and evidently it was all due to some antics of Ruby's.

 _I should go down and thank her._ Blake's eyes widened at the traitorous thought and she quickly dispelled any such notion. Her escort, realizing she'd stopped, came to a standstill and cleared his throat loudly. _She might well be the reason I'm even alive,_ the Meera mused, staring at the floor as she continued along. _But she's also the reason I've been conscripted. Which is worse?_

Death, obviously, but working for the very people responsible for so much strife was hardly a good alternative. Would she prefer an arrow to the heart or an arrow to the lung? Both would kill, one would just kill faster.

They turned, going right at a fork and into a hallway painted maroon instead. Doors were sparser now and more ornate, with gilding on each knob and trim depicting swirls of… Blake wasn't sure. Water? Magic? Swirling mass carved into wood framed each door, painted white over the dark cedar wood.

Any questions as to where they were going were answered by a pair of Hunters stood outside one of the doors. Their eyes snapped to her when they approached, sharing a silent glance with her escort before nodding. One came over and for a moment she dared to hope they'd remove her manacles.

The woman did no such thing, patting her down before clicking her tongue. "She's clean," she informed her compatriots. "Send her in."

"Wait, who's in there?" Blake demanded. Who did they have her meeting now?

"They're the archbishop's guest, Meera," the woman explained, dismissing Blake's question entirely. "Try anything and we'll be inside in an instant. Keep that in mind and we won't have any problems."

Not an idle threat either, unless these people made a habit of carrying weapons while wandering the residential wings. The door opened, and Blake's wrists were seized, pulling her along and pushing her inside. "She's here, sir."

"Thank you kindly."

Blake glared at her escorts and they returned the gesture before closing the door behind her. Did they make a habit of threatening all their prisoners? Last she checked she was one of them now. Assuming Ozpin had told anyone. Hells, she wasn't even a prisoner then. Pulling at her restraints she growled when silver bit into her skin, huffing and looking again for any way to unlock them.

Forgetting briefly someone was with her she cringed when a man laughed at her frustration. "Good luck getting those off. I hear they're bound by magic, not a key."

Blake frowned and focused on the man before her. Sat casually in a chair much too small for his large frame she felt her heart seize, an unpleasant nostalgia overcoming her. She opened her mouth to answer and words failed her, a defeated sigh coming out instead as her shoulders slumped.

"I'm not trying to make fun of you, Blake," the man continued, chair creaking in relief as he stood. "I'm saving you the trouble. Those aren't coming off without a Magi's help."

She didn't want to look up when he approached but did anyways. A somber smile greeted her, hazel eyes pinched between crow's feet and a thick black brow. It was her father and yet not, similar enough that the pain she'd long since thought gone returned anew, blossoming and dredging up memories she'd just as soon forget.

Tukson pulled her into a hug the moment her walls broke. A pained groan, silent as she could keep it, wracked her body and Blake barely managed to keep tears back. Her uncle brought her in closer and her nose pressed to his chest. He smelled of mead, which made sense since he worked at a brewery. A combination of honeysuckle and barley clung to his clothes, and while the scents on their own were meaningless they somehow brought comfort; an uncle's loving embrace made her distress less burdensome too.

"Edea's teeth, girl, you look awful…" Did she? Between being marched through the streets, held prisoner in Holbrook and then ferried around the Cathedral grounds she hadn't exactly had time to look at herself.

Tukson eased out of the embrace and cupped her cheeks, calloused hands rough against her smooth skin. "When did you last eat? Have you been sleeping well? You're not ill, are you?"

"I…" Blake's voice thickened, and she swallowed. "Last night, well enough, and no." She managed a weak smile that wasn't remotely convincing. "You seem well, uncle."

"Nevermind me, Blake! Gods… Do you have any idea how worried I've been? How long we tried to find you? I sent messengers, I looked in nearby towns. Hells, I even traveled as far as Vacuo to try and find trace of you!"

"I'm sorry…"

"And then I hear that you've gone and joined the White Fang! How on Remnant was I supposed to get to you then? That was years ago, Blake. I didn't know if you were alive, how you were doing. And I can't even begin to imagine what they had you doing for them!" Tukson sighed and pulled Blake back into a hug when she sniffled. "I was so worried…"

What could she say? Sorry felt cheap, explaining what she'd been up to even worse; if Tukson knew the sort of tasks she'd been performing then he'd probably have a heart attack then and there. "I'm alive…" she offered weakly.

"And a prisoner of the Church, not to mention wanted for numerous attempted murders." Attempted. He didn't know about the ones she'd actually carried through on, or he chose not to bring them up. Either way Blake cringed and hung her head, refusing to meet her lone living relative's gaze. "Blake… Why? What did you think was going to happen by working with them?"

"Change," she answered. Lifting her head, she shrank back a bit when Tukson stared at her, scrutinized her. Large hands clasped her shoulders, not uncomfortably, but firm enough to keep her in place.

"And you thought committing crimes would bring about change…?"

"We had to do something! Nobles won't change unless we make them, Tukson! We must force them to listen to us, otherwise things will stay the same! We've been repressed for too long and I'm sick of being looked down upon! We have every right -"

"They look down upon us because we make ourselves criminals, Blake." She bit her lip and looked aside shamefully. No anger, not from Tukson, that would have been easier. His hands left her and he rubbed at his face tiredly. No anger, just disappointment. "You could have hanged for what you did, easily. It's only by Edos' mercy that you're still here."

Blake sneered and shook her hands, chains clattering. "If any of the gods had mercy on us then mom and dad would still be here…"

"You know that's not true, honey. The gods don't account for the will of man…"

"It was the gods who let the Church kill them!" Blake screamed. Tears stung her eyes and she stomped her foot, shaking her head. "How can you be here knowing that? Hunters murdered them, Tukson! Your own brother, and yet you're here? Groveling before them? Don't you have any pride left?"

Through tears she watched a myriad of emotions flash across her uncle's face. First shock, then confusion. His eyes sought something in her and they dropped along with his posture when he failed to find it. "Blake… The Church didn't kill my brother, or Kali."

"You saw them, Tukson! You saw their killers, didn't you? They had the marks, their clothes…"

"Impostors." Tukson's smile failed to reach his eyes and the man seemed ages older than he was. Her uncle turned and settled back into his chair, burying his face in his hands for a silent moment. Unsure of what to do Blake stood as she was, chest heaving and trembling.

"What do you mean 'impostors'...?" she prompted.

Tukson leaned back in his seat. "Exactly as I said, they were impostors. I sought them ought, the killers, to try and exact revenge just as you have. And you know what I found?" She didn't, obviously, and now she wasn't certain she wanted to either. "They were with the White Fang, Blake. They copied the mark, I don't know how, but they were definitely with the Fang. The Church didn't kill my brother or your mother, sweetheart. We have Sienna Khan to thank for that."

All the air rushed from Blake's lungs at once. She felt dazed, weightless, as though dumped into a vacuum and left to drift. Tukson said something else yet his voice sounded muffled, distant despite only a few feet between them.

That had to be a lie. No way was that possible. Adam had looked up to them, treated Kali and Ghira as his own parents. People had loved them even after their departure from the White Fang. "You're lying…" she whispered hoarsely. "Why…? Why would Sienna have them killed?"

Tukson sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Edea's teeth, girl. Why? Because Ghira and Kali put together the Faunus Conglomerate! They wanted to continue peaceable protests, to try and achieve equality through discussion and civil disputes. That's enough for them to be killed in of itself."

"Liar." Blake refused, no, she _couldn't_ accept that the organization she was with had done such a thing.

"Why would I lie? Blake, I _saw_ them, their killers. They were in and out of White Fang camps regularly, meeting with that Adam Taurus bastard," Tukson growled. Adam knew…? "Think about it. The Conglomerate gives people afraid to fight a voice, a way to push for equality. More people than not want nothing to do with battle, so where do you think most support goes?"

"What happens then when the leaders of the organization are killed? And by the very people they're supposedly working with, no less? Think about it, girl! If the Church killed Ghira and Kali then it would betray everyone's confidence, brand the Church as turncoats and murderers. And it's any wonder the White Fang's numbers have gone up…" Tukson huffed, scratching loudly at his sideburns.

With no chair to sit in Blake sank to the floor instead. There were two explanations here: either Tukson was tricked into thinking this or her uncle spoke the truth. If it was indeed a lie, then it was a convincing one. Gods, she felt like an absolute moron for not thinking of it sooner! It seemed so obvious in hindsight now, thinking back on it. Frame her parents as martyrs, show that the Church couldn't be trusted, and even people who were once reluctant to fight would take up arms.

It hadn't been enough to spur every member of the lesser races into action. If that had been the case, then there would be riots in the streets even now. Was this common knowledge then? How many people knew? If the White Fang was guilty then it would also make sense, why they had kept it from her: they hadn't wanted her to find out and lose her as an asset.

Why then did Adam abandon her? He must have known she'd find out somehow, or there at least was a chance for it. The answer for that was right in her face too: Yuma. Everything she could do he could do as well, arguably better. Their supposed love? Evidently Adam cared more for the White Fang than her. That realization hurt more than she'd care to admit.

Blake looked up as Tukson joined her on the floor, pulling her again into a hug. Her arms dangled uselessly between them and she leaned into it, staring aimlessly at the fraying thread on his tunic. If she pulled on it would the entire shirt come unraveled? How old was the shirt? Why didn't he buy a new one?

"Blake…" Her uncle's voice was gentle as his embrace. Loving. When was the last time someone spoke to her like that? "I'm sorry, I truly am. I tried to find you sooner, to take you away from those people, but I never catch you. Every time I felt like I got close your camp would move, or you'd be away on some mission. Even your friends couldn't keep you safe…"

Blake's eyes widened, and she looked at Tukson. "What do you mean…?"

"Ilia, that's her name, right?" Her uncle smiled gently and brushed a bit of her hair back. "I met with her once. She recognized me, I think, and thank goodness for that. Otherwise she might have run me through." Tukson chuckled uneasily and shook his head. "I just asked her to protect you and watch over you for me. I didn't explain everything to her then and maybe I should have. Maybe you could have left together…"

Ilia knew? Or she knew enough at least that something wasn't quite right. Adam knew too then, he had the blood of her parents on his hands and kept her in the dark. Treated her like a pest and a plaything both. Ilia she could forgive, she'd only tried to help and knew a sliver of a sliver of the truth if that. Adam though…?

Anguish and rage boiled inside of her. Blake's face scrunched, and she pulled herself closer, letting out a scream into Tukson's chest. She screamed herself hoarse and slammed her bound fists into the floor until her hands ached and skin bruised.

 _Idiot. Fool. Ignoramus. Moron._

That it seemed so obvious now only made the draught even harder to swallow. They had kept her, strung her along until she proved a liability, and only then did they see fit to cast her aside. So what if she found out the truth now? What was she supposed to do against an organization as widespread and powerful as the White Fang?

She had her answer. Ozpin had all but offered her the means to get back at the people who had taken her life from her. All she needed to do was agree to the man's proposal and she could have her revenge. She'd save her friends, save Ilia, and make Adam answer for the crimes, for he was every bit as guilty as the killers themselves.

Blake smiled and pulled herself from Tukson's arms. "Uncle… I'm going to be joining the Church…" His shocked expression did nothing to lessen her determination. "I'm going to make things right. And… And I'll make the White Fang pay for what they did. To us and to everyone else."

/+/+/+/+/+/

Perhaps not exactly the modus operandi Ozpin had hoped for, revenge, but it would work well enough. The young Belladonna only needed proper incentive and she'd agree to work with them, incentive which Tukson had so graciously provided. Perhaps inviting the man along wasn't a mistake after all.

Replacing the scrying stone into his pocket the Archbishop turned as he heard foosteps approaching, the clack of heeled boots and dull slap of worn shoes well past their prime. Glynda, flanked by Qrow, marched up to him, each looking thoroughly exhausted. Good humored as always, he smiled and gestured to the table behind him. "Coffee?"

"At this point I'd rather mead," Glynda grumbled, the remark earning a raised eyebrow from Ozpin.

"You, drink? Gods, maybe the world really is going crazy," Qrow laughed.

"Anyone who would have to deal with you for so long would be driven to drink," Glynda retorted sharply.

Qrow grinned, then removed his flask and drank. He shrugged when Glynda refused a taste and sipped more. "Hm… I'll take that as a compliment, since I'm so much fun to drink with." He laughed raspily then winked. "I've been told what comes after is even better."

"Qrow…" Ozpin interrupted. "While I'm certain your escapades are endearing - in your own mind," Glydna snorted with barely suppressed laughter. "Let's save the sophomoric talk for a later time, hm? Status report on the situation outside?"

"Stifled, sir. Nobles who were behaving crudely were brought aside by the guard and reprimanded, and missives have been sent to the palace for further discipline. Most of the commoners who caused a scene fled into the crowds, unfortunately…"

"I'll find 'em," Qrow offered. "Shouldn't be too hard. I'll ask around, see what I can find. What do you want done, Oz?"

"Nothing serious, I assure you. Please just remind our fellow citizens that discourse isn't going to help anyone, and to conduct themselves properly. I'd hate to have to close off future ceremonies to the public as a result of today's incident."

Incidents that he should have accounted for better considering the forces at play. Having representatives of the Faunus Conglomerate present, and the leader no less, was bound to cause a stir. Shame on the nobles for not behaving like the adults they supposedly were, and equal parts shame on himself for not accounting for it. Then again, he was hardly their caretaker; the king and queen would dole out fitting punishment in due time.

Ozpin helped himself to a mug of coffee, sighing into the drink. The bitter draught did wonders to calm him and focus his thoughts, and right now plenty sought to take the fore in his mind, miss Belladonna chief among them. How would they move forward, he wondered? Smiling behind the glass he lowered it, gesturing to Qrow as the man cleared his throat. "Speak, please. You know the floor is open to you."

"Ah… Yeah, so about this week, Oz. Usually you got me workin' and I appreciate it and all but… Think I could get it off? Or maybe a few days?"

"Your niece?" Ozpin asked with a smirk.

Qrow nodded and chuckled. The man could come across as grizzled and rough, and indeed he was. Yet whenever Miss Rose was brought into the conversation there was a spark to his eye, a palpable excitement in his voice. It was endearing, really.

"I wanted to spend some time with her, congratulate her for graduating and all that good stuff." Qrow opened his mouth then closed it, rubbing his neck.

"And…?" Glynda pressed him.

Qrow gave the woman a pointed stare before sighing when Ozpin nodded for him to continue. "And… She's got some weird ideas in her head. Nothin' serious, but I want to make sure she doesn't go doing nothing dumb. Feel like it's my job to do that much."

"What about Taiyang? Shouldn't he try to speak to her, as her father?"

"Tai's headin' back to Patch tomorrow so it ain't like he's gonna be around," Qrow answered. He frowned and folded his arms. "Tried talkin' the idiot down from going back but he's real busy with sermons and shit. Says the people will get fussy if he isn't around."

"Well… We should laud his dedication to the faith," Glynda suggested, to which Qrow scoffed angrily.

"And ignore his own daughter? The only one he's got left? Come on, Glynda, tell me his little services are more important, tell me to my face and I'll drop it." She didn't and Qrow snorted. "See my point? He's still avoidin' stuff. Hells, he's probably scared stiff that she's gonna be a Hunter now."

Ozpin swirled his drink in his mug. Both Taiyang and Qrow had a fairness to their decisions, each man coped differently, after all. He'd just as soon wash his hands of the matter if Qrow hadn't come directly to him with the request.

"You'll have your time off, Qrow. As much as I can afford. Just because we decide to take a week off doesn't mean our enemies will as well."

Qrow grumbled as he ran a hand through his graying locks. "I know, I know. Just three days tops, 'kay? Just need a little time to talk her down from whatever ideas she's got in her head before she goes and gets herself in trouble."

"Anything we can help with?"

Qrow shook his head and shrugged. "Nah, I got this. A bowl of ice cream and some time at the fair should help her forget all about it," he laughed. "Thanks, Oz. I'll go look into some leads on the rabble for ya before it gets too late. Glynda?"

"For the last time, no, I'm not joining you for a drink, Qrow," Glynda replied sternly.

"Fine, suit yourself! See you guys tomorrow then."

Ozpin chuckled at the low growl from Glynda, then bade her farewell. Both of his assistants disappeared into the lift, ferried down to the cathedral and back to the masses. His time in the limelight was finished for the day, sadly, as much as he enjoyed playing the piper. There was yet more work to be done as always and with Glynda otherwise disposed of it fell to him to take care of.

Settling back behind his desk he removed a bound stack of papers, thumbing through them carefully. Miss Schnee was seen to, the proposal to her settled. She would become a Warden and learn the arts of sealing off towns. Wonderful. Miss Belladonna it seemed had suddenly become more open to working together and should soon be welcomed into their ranks, splendid. That was two pet projects finished.

What a fascinating group of initiates they'd had. So much potential, so many opportunities. Weiss Schnee had certainly lived up to her name despite what a handful of indignant nobles might think, and there was more yet to come. Was he feeling excited? It had been some time since he'd felt genuine excitement, yet he was certain the buzzing he felt was just that, not the copious amounts of coffee he drank.

Now… What piece should he move to the board next?

* * *

 **Off to work, so enjoy this chapter filled with merriment and love and other good, fuzzy stuff that was totally in it.**

 **Feedback appreciated, love thy neighbor, but not too much because you'd get in trouble, and water your pets.**

 **Peace!**


	19. Chapter 19: Noble Intentions

**Bit shorter than intended, this chapter. I'd had another whole section but it's getting moved to the next entry since it flows a bit better with what else I've got planned. Just some shenanigans this week then!**

 ***Insert obligatory thanks, feedback, offer cookies rant here***

 **And with that out of the way, take it away Weiss!**

* * *

Completing their training was enthralling, empowering beyond all belief. Nobles could say whatever they wanted now: Weiss had become a Hunter and no absurd bias would change that fact. Something that was intrinsically her own, achieved through effort and with no personal allowances due to her heritage. She had every right to her status as a Hunter and took no small pride in achieving it.

Which was why, when it came time to present the newly minted warriors of Grimm their monetary gifts for achieving their rank she couldn't help but feel slighted once more.

The awards ceremony was something that should take place behind closed doors, away from prying eyes. Instead the Church and nobility wanted to make a show of it. A 'display of cooperation between those in positions of influence' as Ozpin had so thoughtfully put it. Normally Weiss would accept her Archbishop's explanation and leave it at that. Not when she was being so blatantly cheated.

A smaller affair than their commencement, the six of them had been gathered into one of the Cathedral's lesser halls. Nobles of import - or ones local and readily available, had gathered to present funds to each of them, as well as impart blessings. As far as events went it was humdrum, the lone color in the hall belonging to the banners held aloft along the walls, sheets of yellow, green, gray, brown and red motionless in the absence of any breeze.

Servants and guards for each noble gathered beneath the banners, the latter of which bore the same crests emblazoned on the towering posts. Weiss recognized a few, hardly cared for any, and wondered why one or two were even there. Lesser nobles usually weren't invited to such an event as far as she was aware. Had the others, more influential wanted nothing to do with their tainted appointment? The noble who had cried foul of her nomination was notably absent.

Pyrrha, Ren, Nora and Jaune received their awards first, each handed a burgeoning satchel of Lien as large as their heads. By custom each Hunter was given five thousand Lien by the noble houses as a gift. A paltry sum for those who possessed millions and a small fortune for those who lived day-to-day on a handful of coin, it was enough for a Hunter to repair their weapon, purchase new clothing or armor and buy supplies. From there on a Hunter was expected to earn coin through work and provide for themselves.

Weiss stood just a bit taller and stared straight ahead, focusing not on the noble and Ruby to her left but a small stain on the stone wall ahead of them. What made the mark, she wondered? It almost looked like a burn mark, a black splotch that marred an otherwise impeccable chiseled wall. Why not clean it or replace the stone? Everything else in the Cathedral's grounds was spotless, or close enough.

"Thank you, sir!" Ruby exclaimed. The dolt practically squealed her thanks, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Weiss' fingers clenched harder around her wrists, her jaw following suit. They were dealing with nobles, not family friends; where was Ruby's restraint? _You know she doesn't have any. This_ is _her being restrained!_

Speaking of restraint, Weiss took a deep breath and made a smile come to the fore when the nobleman stood before her. She wasn't certain which smile was more forced: the gentleman's or her own. At least hers reached her eyes.

Hallis O'Rourke, a man made fabulously wealthy for dealing in exotic furs and cloth, and who wore his wealth on his sleeve… And just about everywhere else one might fit clothing. Despite the early summer heat a fur sash draped across his chest, the odd speckled garment undoubtedly distressingly hot. The rest of his outfit was the typical finery of noblemen, cloth with exuberant coloring and pricing, shoes so polished that Weiss suspected they'd been newly crafted solely for today's event and would be discarded soon thereafter. To have that kind of Lien…

"Ah… Miss Schnee. How pleased we all were to see that you completed your training. Commendable, truly!"

The incredulity that leapt to Weiss' face was hidden a second later and she hoped O'Rourke hadn't noticed. Pleased? Is that what they called decrying her accomplishments? Nobles had a peculiar sense of pleasure then.

As custom dictated she shook the man's hand, making a mental note later to wash it in scalding water. Being shorter than most everyone meant she needed to crane her neck and look up to see eye to eye, both a necessity and an infuriating display of deference. Nobles liked to think themselves important and imagine everyone looked up to them. So, when someone had to _literally_ gaze up? How it must tickle their egos.

"I trust that you'll perform your duties admirably? We all have expectations for you, Miss Schnee."

Weiss smiled tightly and bowed her head. "I intend to exceed expectations, sir. Perhaps I'll even accomplish more than any Schnee before me."

O'Rourke's smile broke and he snorted. "We shall see about that, won't we…?" She narrowed her eyes as the man planted a suspiciously light satchel in her outstretched hand, stepping back and smiling tauntingly. "Congratulations once again, Miss Schnee. Perhaps you'll become a Hunter yet."

Was the oaf blind or just trying to incense her? Probably the latter, and for that reason Weiss managed to bite her tongue and not take the bait, smiling up at the man instead. What a shame it would be if that russet beard streaked with gray were to catch fire. Sadly no one else among them could even use fire, meaning the culprit would be obvious.

 _A girl can dream, can't she?_

"Well, aren't you going to check your Lien…?"

She didn't need to. One glance down the line to her left told her exactly what the petty fools that fancied themselves nobles had done to her. Still trying to maintain some semblance of civility Weiss nodded and pulled back the drawstring, confirming what the weight of her gift suggested already: she'd been slighted. At best there was half the Lien of a normal award within: two and a half thousand Lien compared to the typical five.

"As a Schnee we're aware of your exceptional talent, both as a Magi and with a sword." O'Rourke grinned. "And as you're well aware, those of noble birth are often given smaller awards, if any at all. After all, it would be redundant to give the wealthy even more Lien, don't you agree?" Did the man realize the irony of his statement? "Regardless, a Schnee shouldn't need tremendous funds to be successful."

"Are you suggesting my friend's incapable then?" Weiss hissed accusingly.

"Gods no, I'm suggesting we're aware of your talent, young lady. It's a compliment!" A backhanded compliment if she'd ever been given one. Was she supposed to believe that the nobles were short on coin? They supported the entire city financially, how was a single satchel of coin going to break any one of them?

What few other nobles were in attendance shuffled where they stood, a few coughed, and none dared meet her gaze as she glared out at the crowd. Ruby touched her arm and Weiss shook it off, forcing a smile once more.

Fine, if they wanted to continue playing this game of theirs then she'd play along. She would play along and excel despite their efforts. "Thank you for your generosity, Sir O'Rourke. It's an _honor_ ," she allowed sarcasm to stain the word. "To serve noble men such as yourselves. I'm certain the king is grateful to have men like you in his employ."

The nobleman's face reddened to match his hair and he leaned forward, hands folded at his back. Through a strained smile he whispered, voice just loud enough for her enhanced ears to hear. "Careful, bastard. Remember your place and who you work for."

"The people of Remnant," Weiss answered easily, meeting angry hazel eyes with a smirk. Her hands were behind her back once again, fingers clenched around her wrists to hide her shaking. "How could I ever forget my generous benefactors?"

O'Rourke sniffed and stepped back. How she was certain he wished he could scream at her, call her all the names under the sun and even deny her the fraction of wealth they'd afforded her. For as mulish as nobles could be though they still honored customs and tradition. Usually. Some had voiced displeasure at their graduation, but none would dare openly refuse her, not with the king's people in attendance.

Nothing would keep Ruby from stepping in however, and much to Weiss' chagrin her equally demure partner placed herself between Weiss and the nobleman. "Problem, sir? Weiss seems upset, was it bad news?"

The nobleman cleared his throat, standing back and adjusting his collar. "Er, no, just an exchange between myself and Miss Schnee. Nothing you need to trouble yourself with young lady." He stepped back again and gasped when he bumped into Pyrrha, stepping away with a nervous smile. "Ah, pardon me, Miss Nikos."

"Oh no, excuse me, Sir O'Rourke. I was under the impression men of class and culture joined us today." Pyrrha smiled sweetly as she folded her hands at her waist. "It seems however we're in company of men who make sport of attacking young women."

"Why you insolent…"

"Not for nothing, sir," Jaune chimed in, taking a place beside his partner. "But we are all kind of Hunters now."

"Is that a threat?!" O'Rourke snapped.

"No, it's a promise," Nora answered with a toothy grin. "I didn't get to break any legs back in Lima. Maybe I can make up for it now? Can I, Renny?!"

Ren sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Nora, assaulting a nobleman will hardly solve our problems. Besides, I'm certain the poor gentleman has already soiled himself. That's punishment enough."

Weiss suppressed a laugh, turning her head away as O'Rourke grimaced and shielded himself. Puzzled murmurs stirred in the crowd and he glanced back at his peers, growing redder by the second. "Ah… If you'll e-excuse me, I have a prior engagement. Congratulations again!"

There was something beautifully poetic about watching the man rush off stage and past his servants, head down and face alight. Were she a lesser woman Weiss might have called after him, consequences be damned. She'd settle for his humiliation though, smiling wide as she heard nobles breaking out into stifled fits of laughter.

Other nobles, confused by the sudden departure of their spokesman, settled for polite applause. None seemed certain as what to do with themselves, not that Weiss could care. Moment of levity passed she glanced at the sparse Lien given to her, jingling its contents and sighing. Why had she expected anything less? She belonged to a noble house, did she? Funny, not a moment earlier she was positive she was a bastard.

Another occasion meant to be joyous, ruined by someone who thought themselves above her. Maybe O'Rourke and other nobles were, depending on one's measure of a man. In terms of wealth they were by far and away better people. In terms of character?

Weiss scoffed under her breath. She'd met Grimm with better character than some of the cretins she'd dealt with recently.

"Weiss! Weiss!" Ruby tugged on her sleeve until Weiss finally looked her way. "I can share some Lien if you want! I don't need this much, and… And dad said he'd help pay for whatever I need!" Silver eyes shone as Ruby thrust her award out.

It would have been easy to take the Lien and Weiss almost did. Instead, she placed a hand on Ruby's and shook her head. "Thank you, but no. I'll do quite alright with what was given to me."

"You shouldn't have to, though," Pyrrha interjected, standing a head taller behind Ruby. "That was a despicable display by them. How do they think they can get away with it?"

"Because they can. They hold the wealth, Pyrrha, they make the rules. And as loath as I am to say this, Sir O'Rourke was technically in the right. Members of noble houses who become Hunters are given less, or sometimes none. Why provide monetary gifts when we already have a fortune?"

"You don't have that money though!" Jaune paled a bit when his exclamation turned heads. Smiling nervously, he lowered his head and cupped a hand by his mouth. "I mean, you're… You know…"

"I am well aware of my circumstances," Weiss snapped. Her expression softened when her friends collectively cringed, and she raised her hand, eyes closed. "I'm sorry, I'm just… Exhausted. It's been a busy few days, for all of us. I think I'm ready to relax for a while."

Ren nodded in agreement and held Nora's shoulder, keeping her back from the nobles. "I think we could all use some time to rest and recuperate. It's fortunate that Veneration Week always follows graduation."

Fortunate certainly. Weiss wasn't sure she had the patience for another ceremony, not if it meant playing the nobles' silly games. Even if the awards service lacked the pomp and circumstance of their convocation it still proved trying.

With the services concluded there was little to keep Weiss from leaving. She had no family waiting for her outside, no home to return to besides the residential wing that every Hunter was given as a formality. Faced with the men who did everything in their power to undermine her she had no desire to remain, and even her friends' presence did little to change that.

"If you'll all excuse me…" She fixed her Lien to her belt and straightened her tunic. "I'm going to pay Roderick a visit and commission a new rapier."

"We were thinking of going out to celebrate, actually…" Pyrrha shifted her weight with a nervousness unbecoming of the top graduate. "If you're worried about Lien then we don't mind covering for you! I'm sure Monty and Eileen might even give us a discount to celebrate!"

Hunger clawed at her stomach and the promise of good company and food made Weiss smile. "Thank you, honestly, but I think I'd rather be alone right now. I have a lot to do before the week is over." And less Lien than usual to accomplish it all. Weiss turned to leave and made it one step before someone seized her sleeve.

"We don't mind, Weiss! We can even all pitch in and split the bill!" Ruby smiled imploringly. "Please come join us? It'll be fun!"

"Yeah, Ruby and I can have a pancake eating contest!" Nora exclaimed, flexing before patting her stomach. "I've got to defend my title!"

"Last time you 'defended your title' you ended up sick," Ren pointed out.

"But did I lose?"

Ren sighed, seeing the futility in his argument. Jaune chuckled nervously and itched the stubble sprouting on his young face. "Uh… What about seeing a show? There's going to be a lot of minstrels in the city right? We could go and…"

"No, thank you," Weiss asserted as gently as she could. Easing her arm from Ruby's grasp she smiled at her friends, concealing the angry twisting of her heart within. "I appreciate your offers, but I really would prefer to be alone right now." She smiled gently and drew up the hood of her tunic. "Don't let me keep you from having fun, however. I'll see you all tonight, I promise."

Not that she assumed her friends expected her to do anything extreme, but she felt it necessary to say as much. It was… Upsetting that her assurances made them all visibly relax yet she took it in stride, smiling and waving to them. Ruby's pleading eyes were the last thing she saw as she turned and left the hall, giving wide berth to the nobles and exhaling loudly as she doors slammed shut behind her.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Roderick's forge rarely bustled with the activity of some of the more prolific businesses. It struck Weiss as odd considering he was officially employed by the Church. As she browsed the weapons on display, short swords, staves, lances and maces hung from the wall, she reminded herself that the man was one of many such blacksmiths the Church commissioned for its recruits. The only one she had found that would provide his services to someone like herself. Weiss reached out and ran her finger absently along the haft of a spear, smiling as she listened to a newly initiated Squire argue with the man over cost. It might have been a convincing argument on the boy's behalf if Ruby's voice wasn't deeper than his own or if he had an idea of what he even wanted.

The smith didn't do it for the coin. Roderick owned his own shop and as such had no landlord to pay which was perhaps why he could afford to serve so few customers. Weiss rolled her eyes and turned from the weapons to watch the young Kanin boy argue, again, over why he needed steel bracers when he fought with a bow. For his part the smith explained for the umpteenth time why heavy armor was counterintuitive for an archer.

Eventually the boy gave in and relented, leaving with a quiver of fresh arrows, sent on his way to a tanner better suited for his needs. Weiss giggled once the boy had gone and stepped away from the display she'd been hovering by, tilting her head in amusement at the man's exhausted expression. "Having a nice day?"

"Ralthor's balls…" Roderick cursed, running his hands over his rough beard and groaning into them. "The lad's worried if someone gets into close, whether or not he's safe. I told 'him that any archer worth his salt won't let anyone get to close to him!"

"And if they do…?" she asked, repeating the boy's own query. The blacksmith narrowed his eyes then snorted after catching on.

"Then he's got the dagger I made him. Honestly, what's hard to understand? The lad's going to be yards and yards away from the action! Plate armor's only gonna make firin' his bow harder!"

How easy it would be to patronize. Weiss smiled and politely kept her mouth closed as Roderick paced. Bars of various metals reflected midday light pouring in from the windows at the front of the shop, bronze and steel the most plentiful. She didn't recognize the ice blue ingot, nor the green or red. What kinds of ores were those? Pyrrha might know, but she wasn't here to answer her whimsical observations.

"Right… Enough of that," Roderick chuckled, stopping and leaning across his counter. "I'm guessin' you're here for a new weapon?"

"How'd you know…?"

"Because you never go anywhere without that rapier of yours, lass. I'd sooner expect you to trot through that door drunk than without your weapon." Weiss smiled sheepishly, and the smith shook his head. "Let me guess…" he mused, raising an eyebrow. "It broke on you?"

"To be fair…" Weiss began.

"A rapier is narrow, aye, but it's not weak. Any weapon of decent make can withstand a handful of blows," Roderick said. "That reinforcing I did was nothing more than a patchwork job, girl, I told you that. I insisted that you buy a new weapon, even a temporary one. Hells, I would have given you a damn weapon to borrow if I thought you'd take it!"

After the day she'd had Weiss couldn't stand to be admonished, even if she knew Roderick meant well. "It wasn't my intention to have it break in combat!"

"And I'm not sayin' it was, Weiss. And I know you ain't here for an 'I told you so', but you need to listen to your smithy when he tells you somethin'. My forge might blow hot air out its arse but I sure as hell don't."

"Worried about losing your best customer?" Weiss asked through a bitter smile.

"Customer nothin'! I'm worried about a young lady getting herself killed because of her pride!" Oh, well that was touching. His genuine concern made Weiss immediately regret her biting remark, lowering her head shamefully. Strong hands clasped her shoulders and she forced herself to look up again.

"There's nothin' wrong with a warrior trusting their weapon, but even the best of blades breaks in time. There's no shame in needing a new one. I've seen too many a good man and woman die because their weapons failed." Roderick sighed and used his sullied apron to wipe soot and sweat from his face, streaks of moisture staining tanned skin. "I'd hate to see you go their way."

Weiss rolled her tongue before releasing a heavy sigh and nursing her temples. "I'm sorry, I've just had a very difficult past few days."

"Aye? Didn't you just graduate?"

"Much to the chagrin of the noble houses, yes." she lamented.

Roderick scowled and swat at the empty air. "Bah! Bunch of posturing bastards! Don't they realize it's fine folk like you who are the reason they can even get fat and wealthy to begin with? They ought to be groveling at your feet!"

"Yes, well… I think they were too busy groveling at Ozpin's to pay me any mind."

"You sound disappointed. Want them kissing your boots?" Roderick asked with a teasing smirk.

"Hardly! I'd just like to be treated with the respect I deserve! I've worked hard to get where I am and they try to ruin me at every possible turn!"

The blacksmith stroked his ashen beard for a moment in silence. Weiss drew a sharp breath and clasped her hands together, thumbs rubbing together. Someone outside shouted to another and a brief heated exchange ended with a procession of guards separating them. Weiss glanced through the window and saw a man led away from the shop, and another guard speaking to someone just out of view.

"You're still a Hunter, aren't ya?" Weiss nodded. "Then damn them. Their words only mean as much as you give em worth, Weiss. Do you know what the others call me? The other smiths in the city?" Roderick scoffed and leaned forward, hands spread on the countertop. "White Fang sympathizer, animal lover, heathen. And those are just the ones I'll repeat in polite company."

"Why would they call you such a thing? You abide by the laws! You hardly make a living out of outfitting criminals."

"True, but the nobles see anyone who ain't pure blood Muran as lowly. I don't need to tell you that," Roderick explained. "I'm a lesser man for serving anyone who wants to fight for what's right in the world? Fine, call me what you will, but I've got a good conscience knowin' I proudly serve anyone and everyone. And I'd do that with or without the Church's contract."

"My point is, don't let their opinions matter. They can't keep you from being a Hunter, Weiss, and they sure as shit can't keep you from being a damn good one either. Do your job and do it so well that they look like the fools they are when they call you rubbish!"

Weiss smiled, clearing her throat and blinking twice. "Speaking from experience, are we…?"

Roderick's booming laughter filled the small shop as he swept a hand across the space before him. "You think I've kept open by sellin' junk? Like I said, do good enough work and most folk will recognize ya. Everyone's got naysayers, lass. It's how you deal with 'em that matters."

Well, obviously, although if it was so obvious though why did it feel like a sudden revelation? Weiss had tried to practice as much but it was easier said than done when undeserved hatred was thrown on your plate at every conceivable chance. With a guilty realization she reminded herself others had it far worse. _At least Ydrans are treated with respect, mostly. Some people are denied before they even have a chance to plead their case._

O'Rourke could give her whatever he wanted. He could have given her nothing at all and she'd find a way to get what she needed. She'd have to do a better job of not letting them get to her in the future. True, she'd had the last laugh with O'Rourke, but he'd still managed to rile her up, which was exactly what he'd wanted. Next time she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Now… If we're through with our little heart-to-heart, I'm assumin' you didn't come here for a chat. As witty and charming as I am," Roderick paused when Weiss laughed. "Oi! I give you a life lesson and you pay me by laughing at me?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Weiss snickered, covering her mouth and waving a hand for the smith to continue.

Roderick wasn't bothered in the least and smiled easily. "Let's get to business, hm? What sorta weapon can I make for you? I'm guessing another rapier?"

As if that wasn't obvious. Her entire fighting style, from weaving runes to her swordplay was predicated on using a rapier. "If you could make one similar enough to Myrtenaster's design I'd love it."

"I'd guessed as much!" Weiss flushed and smiled, shrugging as though to suggest 'What can I say?' Roderick grinned, stepped back and gestured to the wall of ingots and ores behind him. "What do you want to use? Bronze is the cheapest, obviously, but it ain't too durable or reliable if I'm honest. Better suited for arrowheads or a cookin' knife than any blade."

"Steel would be good, though it's heavier than I'd like…" Weiss' eyes drifted along the wall as she examined the selection. "Iron is cheaper, though weight would still be an issue. Quicksilver would be ideal for Grimm, but then there's the issue of price."

"It's expensive, aye, but it _is_ Veneration Week, lass. That means I slash prices for any Hunters that come into my shop, and last I checked you're a Hunter, ain't you?"

A smile split her face and Weiss moved closer to the counter. Quicksilver was within her price range then, though there would still be the matter of buying the materials for the grip and the labor itself. "Give me a sales pitch. Why should I buy Quicksilver?"

"Playin' that game, eh? Fine, I'll bite!" An ingot was handed over and Weiss marveled at how easily she held it in her hands. "Lightweight first, but it's got good tensile strength to it, and the shear strength ain't half bad either. Unlike iron or steel, it's a good conductor of magic too, makin' it a good choice for Hunters and Magi. Plus, it's pretty," Roderick added with a grin. "And ladies like pretty things, don't ya?"

Weiss rolled her eyes, smiling as her fingertips glazed over the ingot whimsically. It was certainly light enough that she could easily wield a blade forged from it. Magical conductivity was a bonus too.

Rather than go in on the idea however she looked again to the selection, eyes settling on an ingot to the far right. Blue as her eyes yet a paler shade, she could see streaks within the ingot itself resembling the rings of an aged tree. Drawn to it, Weiss set down the Quicksilver bar and pointed. "What's that…?"

"Ah, someone's got a good eye! Expensive tastes too. Gods help whichever poor soul wins your heart." Weiss stuck out her tongue and smiled as Roderick laughed. "This here is Everfrost, imported all the way from Atlas. Came in on a recent shipment, and it's the only ingot I've got smelted so far."

"Did you say Everfrost…?"

"Aye. Got somethin' in your ear?"

Weiss' hands trembled as she reached for the ingot. Roderick was puzzled but handed it over and watched as she drew it closer, turning over the bar and running her hand over it. The ingot was cold to the touch, cold as snow, yet her skin didn't prickle as it might otherwise. Quicksilver might boast moderate conductivity but Everfrost… Everfrost was one of the best. Much better than a small shop in Vale ought to have access to even. _No offense, Roderick, but this belongs in a far greater shop._

"Well, are you just gonna gawk all day or are you going to fill me in?" Weiss glanced away from her treasure and flushed. "Gods, girl, what's got you so smitten? You're staring at it like you've found your soulmate!"

She hadn't, she'd found something far, far better. Weiss set the ingot down as calmly as she could, revering the slab as a priceless artifact. "That's the very same metal that Myrtenaster is crafted from. The original one," she elaborated. "Well, to be precise it's Everfrost ore with a bit of Mistralian Feril Ore as its core."

Roderick whistled and rubbed his forehead. "Feril Ore eh? Never had the chance, but I figured this stuff was special."

"How much?"

"Er… I don't have much of it, and the merchant I bought it off charged -"

"How much, Roderick?" Weiss asked again, halfway to throwing her Lien and whatever else she could part with onto the counter.

"Easy lass, easy. The merchant charged me eight-thousand per ore. If I were to make it a rapier - and I obviously can't be usin' no Mistralian whosy-whatsits, not when I don't have none…" Roderick tapped a finger on his chin. "I'd guess it'd be at least seven-thousand Lien for the rapier, labor and all."

"Oh."

Nothing quite like having the wind torn from your sails in an instant. Weiss' heart dropped so hard she swore it could be heart, feeling as though the very shop floor itself had been pulled from under her. The actual, authentic Myrtenaster might be out of her reach but she had a chance of making the next best thing. Still an imitation, sure, but a blessed good one at that. She gazed again at the chilled metal and bit her lip, arms hanging limp at her sides.

"I could haggle a bit, though that seven-thousands already marked down with the holiday and all." Roderick smiled at her encouragingly. "How's six and a half thousand fancy you? I could even go low as six and a quarter if that's easier."

Weiss appreciated the man's willingness to help but everyone's generosity had their limits. She pushed her satchel across the counter and drew a sharp breath. "Two and a half thousand Lien," she stated miserably. "I might have another four hundred set aside elsewhere…" Less than three thousand and not even half of Roderick's lowest price.

The blacksmith winced and slid the satchel back her way. "I'd love to help you, Weiss, I really would, but this material's expensive. I can't eat three-thousand Lien and hope to turn a profit. I'm sorry."

Weiss shook her head and blinked a few times before smiling at the man. "No, no it's hardly your fault. I shouldn't be trying to buy top-tier materials when I haven't the coin for it."

At best she could afford steel, which again was too heavy. Even Quicksilver was likely going to be too expensive, all of her money pooled, and she doubted anything else she owned was of much value. She couldn't take up any jobs either to earn Lien to pay Roderick, not without a weapon. Maybe an iron rapier, an alloy of bronze and iron, or… Something.

No money for a weapon, no weapon to take on jobs to earn money from. What was she supposed to do? She had her magic, sure, but too many spells and she'd be defenseless. Without a blade she was a bird with clipped wings.

The shop's bell chimed as the door swung open. Weiss didn't pay it any mind, straining to not panic as she weighed her options. She could perhaps ask Ozpin for more Lien? It would be unorthodox, but she could try. There were her friends too and… No, they had their own costs, she wasn't going to stifle them for her own sake. Nails dug into her palms as she closed her eyes and focused on breathing. She wasn't going to panic, she refused to panic. That's what O'Rourke and the other damned men wanted her to do.

"Oh my, is someone giving you trouble?"

Roderick stood a bit taller and Weiss furrowed her brow. What was he so surprised for? Weiss turned, tilting her head at the unfamiliar man and his young companion. Daughter? They looked similar enough.

"Lord Bisset! What… How may I help you…?"

Bisset? Weiss forwent her usual respectful air and looked the man over. A finely tailored if plain white, double-breasted long coat and pair of black trousers and polished shoes with not a single scuff on either. The man before her smiled and tipped his wide brimmed hat, brilliant orange hair poking out beneath. Not a man she was familiar with, although her smithy plainly was.

"I'm in the city for some business and thought I might stop by and say hello, old friend."

Weiss didn't mean to look so incredulous as she stared at Roderick in disbelief. The man was much too focused on the noble to pay her any mind, and despite being twice as wide and every bit as tall he seemed skittish. "Ah… Well thank you kindly for your visit! If you're here for a commission I'm afraid I'm currently busy…"

Lord Bisset shook his head and waved a hand. "Not at all. The dagger you made my daughter is proving to be more than suitable for her needs." A short girl, shorter than Weiss, peered around the nobleman's back. Brown eyes sparkled with a nervous excitement and she waved to Weiss before hiding again.

"I see…?" Roderick didn't and neither did Weiss. "Well, if you don't mind, sir, I need to finish with this young lady…"

Weiss stepped back on reflex when the towering noble looked down at her. Rather than the scorn or disdain she was used to, or even the put-upon smiles, he gave her a genuinely warm greeting and bowed his head. "Ah, Miss Weiss Schnee, correct? I've heard much about you, it's so good to finally meet face to face." He took her hand and Weiss felt heat creep to her cheeks when he kissed the back of it. "Lord Alexandre Bisset, at your service."

"Ah…" she said dumbly. Well this was weird. A noble that wasn't outwardly repulsed by her? For once Weiss found herself at a complete loss. Thankfully the man didn't seem to mind, bypassing her entirely as he picked up the Everfrost ingot.

"What a fine piece of metal! I'm astonished that you've been able to procure it, my good man. No offense intended, of course!"

"None taken, my lord. It's fresh in as of this week, right from Atlas."

Lord Bisset nodded, holding the metal up to the light. Weiss' breath caught as she saw rays pierce the outer shell, sparkling blue metal within dancing whimsically, flashing as countless torchlights in the night. The nobleman rasped his knuckles on the bar and hummed thoughtfully before setting it back down.

"I apologize for interrupting, I'm simply taken aback by such a brilliant piece. So rare, and renowned for its worth to Hunters. I daresay this is quite a treat for you, Miss Schnee."

Weiss almost didn't realize she was addressed until Roderick meaningfully cleared his throat. Bolting upright she smiled, still not quite comfortable, and met Bisset's playful green eyes. "Ah, yes sir, it's… Amazing. Breathtaking even." And far out of her price range.

"Do you intend to purchase it? It would make a fine weapon I would think."

Weiss' smile vanished as quickly as it appeared, her eyes drifting off to the side. "I… Cannot afford it, sir."

"Is that so? Well that just won't do! The future of Remnant rests in the hands of our brave, fearless Hunters, and I should think nothing, but the best would suffice!" Lord Bisset stamped his cane on the floor, startling Weiss, not realizing he'd even had one until now. "Roderick, how much?"

"Er… The lowest I can go is six and a quarter, sir. Thousand Lien that is."

"Will you have to compromise on its quality?"

Roderick, earnestly taken aback, frowned and leaned forward. "I never cut corners on my work, sir! I only put out the best quality!" Realizing he was too close and his voice louder than intended the smith moved back and cleared his throat again. "Er… That is ta say no, it'd still be top shelf."

Weiss watched the enigmatic noble as he stroked his nonexistent beard. At some point is daughter had wandered away and begun playing with knives and swords, her back partially obscured by long brown hair. If Lord Bisset didn't seem bothered, then Weiss wasn't going to say anything about it either.

"If I were to pay you ten could you have it done quickly? Say… The end of the week?"

Roderick's jaw dropped and for a long moment he stared. Weiss did too, watching in silent awe as the noble produced a satchel easily five times larger than her own, setting it on the counter with a resounding thud. How easily a man could part with a fortune like that…

"It would be for Miss Schnee of course. I've no use for a weapon like that, lacking any magic proclivity," Bisset gestured to himself, interrupting the stunned silence. "That is assuming the young lady will allow me this kindness?"

In the face of such overwhelming generosity she should be flustered, perhaps even bowing to the man before her. Part of her wanted to, yet an overwhelming part, one filled with skepticism, kept her from even meeting the man's gaze. There had to be a catch, a stipulation for this. No nobleman would be so altruistic to buy her anything even a quarter as expensive, so why? What did Lord Bisset have to gain?

She needed to know, and so Weiss decided to be as blunt as the mallets on Roderick's shop floor. "What do I give you in exchange? That's perhaps a small sum for you but it's more Lien than I've earned in my entire life." Weiss looked to the man for an answer, hands on her hips. "Forgive me, Lord Bisset, but I'm not inclined to believe that a man will part so willingly with his coin without a catch."

"What a prudent woman you are! I'll concede that I have a stipulation, though it's nothing so unsavory as you might think." She'd believe that once she heard the condition. Lord Bisset smiled and held up a finger. "All I ask is this: Should my holdings ever encounter Grimm I should like to call upon you for aid. Only once. I assure you I am not buying your loyalty, nor would I pretend to. Think of it as an… Investment for the future."

That was it? Weiss let her posture relax and stared at the man before looking to Roderick. The smith helpfully shrugged, mouthing 'I don't know' and leaving the decision to her. It was hers to make, and really, she didn't seem to have anything to lose by agreeing. She'd likely be dispatched to Lord Bisset's holdings at one point or another…

"Hunters aren't meant to take personal jobs, sir," Weiss pointed out. Hunters worked for the Church, took jobs by request. "I'm afraid accepting your proposal would be against the rules. I will have to respectfully decline," she added with no small reluctance, words dying on her lips with a wistful sigh.

The nobleman sighed and relented, nodding as he leaned on his cane. "Prudent and insightful, a wonderfully dangerous combination. I admit I was trying to bend the rules a little, and I apologize for thinking I could deceive you." His arm crossed his chest and he bowed at the waist. "Please, take the Lien then as my apology, and should we have the chance to work together in the future, through proper channels," he added. "Then I would be most grateful for it."

"As long as you realize I can make no promises…?"

"Of course, of course!" Lord Bisset chuckled and rested his hands on his cane. "As I said, take this as an apology. I've insulted your intelligence and morals, it's the least I can do."

Weiss smiled, relieved the man hadn't become angry for calling his ploy. It was still strange that any noble would go out of his way to help her, not to mention incredibly convenient. Roderick seemed to know the man though and she needed the Lien desperately. If he was willing to part with it and for so little, a chance encounter in the future? She'd be an utter dunderhead to say no.

"I appreciate your generosity, sir. Truly I do." If she'd had a skirt she'd have curtsied for the man, then and there. Instead Weiss placed her hand over her heart and bowed, keeping the position until Lord Bisset tapped her gently with his cane.

"None of that! I'm investing in Remnant's future, as any sane man should! I am not a gambling man after all," the noble laughed, then smiled as he twirled his cane and pointed to Weiss with it. "But I will wager you'll become a splendid Hunter, Weiss Schnee. Let this gift be a show of my good faith, and perhaps that not all of us in Vale wish to see you fail."

Not for the first time today Weiss smiled and bowed her head. "I'll do my best to surpass your expectations, sir."

"Wonderful, wonderful! That's what I like to hear. I can rest a bit easier knowing that we have youths like yourself paving the way for Remnant's future!" Lord Bisset turned and snapped his fingers, pointing to his side. "Emilia, come. We've more meetings and you haven't time for browsing, dear."

Weiss took the brief reprieve to marvel at the ingot once more, placing her hand delicately over it. Everfrost would make a wonderful weapon, comparable to the genuine article even. Suddenly the nonsense with O'Rourke, and even the debacle that was her graduation, all of it seemed so insignificant. She'd have a blade befitting not only a Hunter but a Schnee, one she could be truly proud to wield.

"Thank you again, sir!" Weiss called earnestly. Lord Bisset stopped at the door and smiled, tipping his cap to her.

"Think nothing of it, Miss Schnee. Just do remember that you have friends in the world, hm? And best of luck in the future."

Friends indeed. Weiss intended never to see the man again if it could be helped, not trusting him whatsoever. Still, if his Lien was good and she'd obtained a new weapon for it then she'd play his game. Someone else could answer his summons in the future, should it ever happen. If he was so content to let her take his money, then she'd do so. After how the nobles had tried to cheat her it was only time she got something in return.

Weiss giggled, giddy as she ran a hand over the ingot once more. "You'll have it done by the end of the week…?" she asked, near vibrating as she stood still.

Roderick smiled and nodded, taking the satchel and peering inside. "Crazy fool's really paying so much… Aye, aye, it'll be done before the week's out. I'll get started on it today even! You're my priority job, Weiss."

"Wonderful! Thank you so much, Roderick!"

The blacksmith laughed, shaking his head and patting his most recent earnings. "No, thank _you,_ Weiss. Just earned me a month's pay with this job, you did. I'll be able to take it a bit easier after this."

It was hardly her Lien but if he wanted to thank her she wouldn't turn it down. Fastening her own satchel to her belt once more she moved for the door, having to catch herself and keep from skipping. Maybe she would go join her friends now, assuming they were still at Monty's. Even if they weren't she needed to go have some fun and share the good news with someone, anyone who would listen.

 _Is this how Nora feels? I want to run up and hug the nearest stranger!_

Weiss stepped onto the road and wrinkled her nose as a drunken mill worker staggered past, singing to himself with a mug of mead in hand. Maybe not the _nearest_ , maybe she'd wait until she saw her friends.

A new weapon, becoming a recognized Hunter, and now an entire week to relax and enjoy herself. What more could she need? Weiss smiled and jogged away from Roderick's shop, keen on meeting her friends and sharing the good news.

* * *

 **Lord Bisset seems like a nice guy. Deeeeefinitely trustworthy.**

 **As far as Weiss is concerned 'If this dunce wants to buy me a weapon then so be it!'**

 **She knows there's no strings attached, she called him out on as much, so no harm no foul, right?**


	20. Chapter 20: Networking

**Sometimes it pays to know people.**

* * *

Yang hated being tailed by murderers.

Not in the literal sense, though that happened often enough. Not unless birds made a habit of killing people. The only way these 'murderers' was if their incessant calls drove her to jump off a cliff.

Stupid things made a habit of keeping well out of her view too. Oh, she heard them alright, always chatting and teasing her from the treelines. She'd thought it peculiar at first that she was being stalked by a group of birds until she'd realized just whose birds they were. That knowledge left her even _more_ annoyed.

Short of incinerating the forest however Yang couldn't shake them. Nor did she want to: trying to kill her tail would be just as telling as letting them continue to follow. That, and forest fires were awfully hard to contain, and she had places to be, people to find.

Her stomach growled, gnawing at itself and clamoring for some kind of fill.

Food to eat, also. Huffing she looked around for any trace of something besides plants to eat. There were the ravens - not crows, she'd come to realize, which made them… What? What was the term for ravens again? Annoying? Unreliable? Assholes?

Yang snickered at her unspoken jab, then paused to blow bangs from her eyes, running her hand back to pack down her hair. Sweat made it stick to her neck, her clothes soaked through. Dust clung to her trousers and kicked up in clouds, the roads talc in the dry summer heat. Absently she licked her lips and tasted her sweat on them.

A worn, rickety road sign provided much needed direction, the faded scrawl sending her off in the right direction. Devoid of the usual wagon wheel ruts or travelers she had nothing but natural landmarks and the occasional - far too occasional for her liking, signs to lead her along. She would manage, even if it had taken a day or two longer than planned.

Pits worn from constant rainfall made the road treacherous for carts and horses. Considering she hadn't found Devin or his family along her travels the ill-maintained road hadn't proven an issue for them. That or the Grimm caught up to them and hauled them into the forest, cart and all.

Yang scowled and shook her head, sending an angry glare towards the teasing calls of the raven behind her. A black, flitting form soared between trees and she'd half a mind to ignite it in midair, dropping her hand to her side and exhaling slowly. She was almost there, no sense in raising alarms now.

The sun, her constant companion, hung well overhead by the time Yang arrived at Holbrook. Were it not for newly formed, still smoldering craters she might have mistaken the town for another. Fields once brimming with produce lay scorched and turned over, clumps of charcoal strewn about in place of edible plants. A handful of workers labored to recover what little they could, sure, but even to Yang's untrained eye the harvest was pitiful.

Farmers worked tirelessly to reclaim what they could of their craft, small carts partially filled with their paltry haul. Guards, or more accurately, people masquerading as guards stood watch while their fellows salvaged what they could. Yang slowed to a halt when one approached, and she repressed a playful smile as the guard called for her to halt. When the boy stumbled, his armor too large for him, she snickered and hastily covered her mouth behind her hand.

"Halt!"

Unable to help herself Yang cooed, leaning toward the young guard. The boy went red in the face and tried to stand taller, bless him, still more than a head shorter than the Dimuran. After two days of trudging along by her lonesome, harassed by ravens and sore as can be she was in dire need of some laughter. Shame the poor lad before her was going to be the source of it.

"S-State your business! Why are you here?"

 _To pinch those adorable little cheeks of yours!_ Yang grinned and tossed her hair. "I'm here to meet someone, a man named Devin." She set her hands on her hips and rolled her neck with an audible crack. "He is here, right? He made it?"

The boy tilted his head, freckled face scrunching up in confusion. "Uncle Devin…? How do you know him?"

"Aw, he's your uncle?! That's so adorable!" And confusing. Cassie was a little girl and this kid had to be at least fourteen. Yang leaned forward again and smirked when the boy averted his eyes, face turning pink. Hey, she didn't choose these clothes, the clothes chose her. "He and I go way back, we're friends. He _is_ here, isn't he? Made it safe with Trina and Cassie?"

Hearing his family members by name made the boy squirm, nodding and adjusting his hands on his pitchfork. Not even a real weapon, just as the oversized set of chain clearly wasn't his, or the boots tied to his shin with twine.

"Um… R-Right this way! They're just inside…"

"Neat, thanks!"

The boy nodded and promptly turned, stumbling when his foot nearly pulled free from the boot. Yang gave a soft 'aw' and watched his shoulders go rigid, grinning as her little escort tried to salvage his pride and marched headlong towards the gates.

At least that's what should have been there. Instead of the usual gatehouse or even walls there stood a stack of crates, barrels and small pieces of furniture. Stripped tree trunks lay in a heap beside the remains of the wall, prepared yet obviously not in place. A pair of carpenters stood over them, locked in an animated discussion as they tried to sort out how to repair their shattered defenses.

 _Shit, did I do that?_ She knew her fire had gotten out of hand but was it that bad? The walls were stone, the remains of the gate, she assumed that's what the charred timbers were, looked caved in and splintered. Not fire then, an explosion. Still could be her but more likely than not it was someone else's handiwork. Nice to know she hadn't robbed these people of their protection then. _Just their food and any chance of surviving,_ Yang jeered, mentally kicking herself.

For a little town like Holbrook it certainly was bustling with activity. Residents scurried around like ants, carrying supplies and materials for repairs. Immediately inside the walls Yang paused to watch a small group working to restore a burned down home, two walls and a section of the roof all that remained standing. A heap of knickknacks, brittle and seared, slowly grew as the interior was stripped clean.

"Wait here a moment," the boy ordered. Yang nodded and smiled, waving the boy off. His face flushed again, and he made to speak before turning away in haste and rushing towards the back of the village, disappearing into a long, squat stone structure.

And now she was bereft of company and alone once more. Well, not _alone_ alone, she had all these nice people to chat with! Yang smiled at a couple on their way from… Somewhere. The man smiled back politely and nodded, as did the wife, both hurrying along without so much as a 'hello'. People went about their business in silence or engrossed in their own conversations. She'd get plenty of looks, sure, but aside from staring at a distance no one deemed fit to come up and greet her.

A balding man changed that, marching up to her with the posture of someone with a rake stuck right up their ass. Suspicious probably wasn't the best look for a first impression and Yang smiled when he stopped feet short, hoping to bridge the gap by extending her hand to the man.

"Hey there, I'm Yang!" she greeted cheerily. The guard glanced at her hand and nodded.

"I know."

Oh, he knew? Well that saved her the trouble of introductions then! Yang grinned, hand dropping back to her side, the other on her hip. Neither of them spoke for a time and she let her eyes wander, humming, foot thumping rhythmically against the dry ground.

Holbrook really was a far cry from a bustling city, wasn't it? Patchwork homes, a blacksmith whose shop was so scarcely used it was clean. Even the walls themselves, the parts that hadn't been blown to smithereens, were a mix and match of stone, wood, and seemingly whatever else the town had on hand at the time. Deprived didn't even begin to cover Holbrook's resources.

"Are you here to sightsee or looking to meet someone?"

"Meet someone! But uh… You're not them?" Yang rose to her toes and peered past the guard. "You taking me to them? His name's Devin, and uh… His wife is Trina, they got a kid and a dog too."

"I'm well aware of who you're looking for."

"Oh… Well neat! So, you takin' me there?"

"No."

Yang raised an eyebrow, folding her arms, then thinking better of it when the guard placed his hand on his weapon. Losing the standoffish posture, she slouched, hooking her thumbs in her belt and grinning. "Aw, come on! I just want to say hi, make sure they're alright. You can ask them about me, I'm friends with them!"

"Father!" The boy from before rushed over to them, stumbling and catching himself with the pitchfork. His father rolled his eyes, Yang wanted to tell him not to run with a sharp tool like an idiot. "Father, Aunty Trina wants to see her."

The man's eyebrow twitched, and he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Oscar, I told you not to mention it. Why does she know?" He narrowed his eyes at his son. "Did you listen to a word I said?"

"He did, Laurel. I made him tell me."

Yang laughed and moved past Laurel, embracing the shorter woman and lifting her off her feet with ease. "Awesome, you guys really did make it!"

Trina smiled easily as she was set down and smoothed her blood-stained shirt. "Not mine, I promise," she assured, noticing how Yang stared at the garment expectantly. "I'm helping to prepare food. And thanks, by the way, for clearing the roads. Wish you hadn't disappeared the way you did though, had us worried sick."

"Oh, heh, my bad! I figured draw the Grimm away though, ya know?" Yang chuckled, scratching her cheek as she swayed in place. "Here I am though, alive and in one piece! Sorry it took me a while to get back, kinda got lost for a bit."

The woman laughed good naturedly and shook her head. "It's good to see you're well, Yang. Why not join us for a meal? I'm sure my husband and Cassie would love to see you."

"Trina…" Laurel warned from behind her. "We can't be taking in more visitors right now, you know that. Until supplies from the other towns arrive…"

"Yang is the reason we even made it here, Laurel. Surely we can put up one more person!" The short brunette, hands on her hips, moved to meet her brother, craning her neck to sternly glare up at him. "Besides, she's a Hunter! Weren't you saying you were worried about Grimm coming back?"

"Well, yes, but…"

"Are you going to have Oscar fight Grimm?"

Laurel's eyes fell, and he ran a hand over his shining scalp. "No, I didn't plan -"

"Then Yang stays!" The Dimuran snorted as she watched Laurel buckle under the woman's gaze.

Moving to Trina's side she folded her arms, cocking a playful smile along with her hip. "I'll be good, sir, promise. You won't even know I'm here!"

A crash behind them turned heads and a young man scrambled to collect scraps fallen from his arms. With a red face and nervous glance towards Yang he rushed along, disappearing between houses by the gates. Laurel snorted, rolling his eyes before looking at Yang skeptically.

"Right… Trina, you're housing her. We haven't room in the barracks with the wounded and no other home is vacant right now."

"I was already planning on it, my lovely brother," Trina sang, smiling as Laurel's face turned pink. Like father like son, Yang mused. A gentle hand grabbed her arm and her hostess nodded behind them. "We're in a house just past the general store. Would you like to come see Cassie? Devin's out helping to gather wood right now."

"I was hoping she'd help with patrols first, actually." Laurel returned Trina's glare before his eyes flickered to Yang. "Grimm often show up in the days following attacks, as you know. We suffered casualties during the attacks, and even before then we were short on men. It'd do us a world of good to have a Hunter roaming around."

Yang was about to agree until her stomach interrupted her, sounding like an Ursa, and being just convincing enough to make Oscar jump. Chuckling nervously, she placed her hands over her stomach, patting it with a grin. "Sure, but first uh… Got any food? Haven't really eaten much," she admitted. "Not unless you count the blue jay I found on the side of the road."

What a disgusting meal that was. Stringy, bony, and hardly any meat. Not to mention the stupid ravens were hovering around it before she'd claimed the snack as her own. Oscar belched and covered his mouth, sun-kissed skin turning green. Laurel rolled his eyes, slapped his boy on the back and sighed. "Trina?"

"We have some grain and pheasant left over from this morning. It's not much, but we'll gladly share it with you."

Yang's face split with an eager smile and she pumped her fists. "Awesome! Sign me up then! I'll take some mead if you've got it, too!"

"Drink after you've done your patrols, Hunter," Laurel warned. "Head to the gate once you're through eating, you can relieve the patrol there and make your rounds."

With that Laurel took his leave, snapping at the nauseous Oscar to follow. Yang watched them go, her smile wavering until she finally let out a groan once alone. "What crawled up his ass and died?"

"He's the captain of the guard here. What's left of it," Trina amended. Yang followed as they made their way further into town, to the portions that had been spared fighting days earlier. "He has a lot on his plate so forgive him if he's short. He's…" She paused then smiled. "No, he's always like this. Today's just bad since we're expecting supplies, he wants to make sure everything's in order before they arrive."

Makes sense, kind of. Yang itched her cheek absently and turned her head at a squawk, an annoying sound that turned into laughter. A lone raven perched along a rooftop cocked its head and hopped along the edge, beady eyes trained on her. It glanced at Trina fleetingly, losing interest and squawking again at Yang. The blonde scowled and shooed the animal, sticking out her tongue and watching as it took off from its perch.

"Not a fan of ravens?" Trina smiled, amused by Yang's outward display.

Yang forced a laugh, itching at her nose. "You have no idea…"

/+/+/+/+/+/

It was telling when the patrol returned later, and Yang was to be sent out on her own. Holbrook hadn't the manpower to spare for more men, not when one of its 'guards' shambled through the gate, rickety as a reed in a storm. Yang watched the elderly man shuffle along, wisps of white hair flapping in the wind, sword rattling in his bony grasp. Part of her almost offered to carry the poor guy back home, saved the trouble of doing so when a pair of young men did just that.

"You see now why I need you on patrols." Laurel sighed. If the town was so hurt for protection that the old and infirm were playing guard then yeah, she had a pretty good idea why. So much for just checking in on things then, looked like she'd be stuck in Holbrook for a few days at least. "You're certain you don't want a weapon…? We do have a few swords in the barracks."

"Nope, I'm good!" Yang grinned and slapped her palm loudly against her bracer.

Taking off as she had before meant most of her belongings were left in Devin's cart. Gods bless him and Trina for deciding to keep everything in hopes of seeing her again. It felt nice to be back in her usual brown cloak, to have the cool metal and leather clasped around her forearms. Gone were the ratty clothes she'd pilfered from a clothesline: she'd burned the garments as soon as she'd gotten the chance.

The guard's captain shrugged, knowing better to question a Hunter and their tendencies. "Fine by me. You remember the route, aye?"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it! Hundred meters into the forest, around the perimeter of the town, and as far back as the mountain." Yang gazed upon the rising rock that loomed over Holbrook's southern end. Sheer faces, towering spires and crags stretched up into the sky, and within hours it would cloak the squalid town in shadow. "You're sure you don't want me to go up there too?"

"Last time we sent someone up there the town was attacked," Laurel growled. "So, no, I think we'll pass this time. Seems like an ill omen now."

A bad luck mountain, huh? "Well… Sounds like you guys had a… Rocky time of things." Laurel narrowed his eyes and Yang chuckled. "Sorry, sorry. That joke really stunk. I'm just… Fielding jokes here," she continued with a thumb over her shoulder. A farmer booed and another groaned, shaking his head and returning to tilling.

"Just… Go. Please. Before I regret this any more than I already do!"

Pleased with herself Yang stood taller and puffed out her chest. "On it, boss! Just wait, I'll do a… Crate-r job!" She snorted and gestured towards one of the burned holes nearby. "Eh? Eh?"

"Go!" Laurel and farmers shouted in unison.

Sheesh, tough crowd!

Pleased with herself Yang threw a wave over her shoulder and sauntered away from the gates, meandering along the walls for her patrol. Aside from the distant sounds of construction and muffled chatter it was silent, annoyingly so. She hadn't thought she'd miss the company of the ravens until they'd left, thinking better perhaps of drawing her ire any longer.

Shame, that. She'd lost the only companions who might understand her jokes. Finding a squirrel nestled in a birch tree she moved under it, grinning and waving to the skittish creature. "Hey, hey buddy! I hear you're _nuts_ for that acorn!"

The squirrel chirped, looking at her before bounding across the branch and leaping to another tree, then another, disappearing into the woods. Even squirrels didn't want her jokes! Yang huffed, stomping away, the epitome of maturity. Her jokes weren't bad, people just didn't get them! Maybe her puns were so clever that it was too high brow for most.

Yang sighed, then laughed to herself. "Nah, they're bad…" So bad that they were good, but still bad, borderline blasphemous. And that's why she loved them! That and a groan or look of disgust was every bit as rewarding as raucous laughter.

Laurel hadn't been wrong in assuming more Grimm would be arriving. Energy tended to linger even after the initial attack and stragglers - typically lesser variants like Creeps or Itoli, would wander into town. Even a run-of-the-mill guard could handle those with enough training, but then that was assuming the town had guards to begin with. The captain looked the part, as had two of the men standing by the remains of Holbrook's gates. As far as Yang could tell however that was the extent of their forces.

And so the elderly and weary Hunters were enlisted instead. Not that Yang minded terribly; Trina had fed her, she'd spoken with Devin briefly and played with Cassie. Her clothing, cleaned and repaired, had been furnished and she'd even been offered Lien as thanks, which she turned down. There wasn't much else to do in Holbrook besides patrol. That, or help rebuild.

To Yang's complete shock the walls of Holbrook were undisturbed. Piss poor in construction and about as reliable as a paper canoe, but free from Grimm. After passing by the gate three times, cracking jokes much to the chagrin of the guard, she wandered off into forest.

Though to call the trees around Holbrook a 'forest' would be akin to claiming a young boy's first hairs amounted to a beard. Spindly birches, starved oaks and maples twisted and bent, gnarled as they rose up from the deprived earth. In a time where vegetation flourished, and leaves should be green as grass the trees here burned as a flame; orange and red, yellow and brown littered the scrawny limbs. Leaves crunched loudly underfoot, and Yang watched, dejected, as a starving hawk, roused from its perch, took off on weak wings, chasing an equally pitiful mouse into its home.

She'd noticed the sorry forest on her way into town of course and written it off as damage from the flames, from smoke and ash. Yet trees wouldn't have turned so poorly within only a few days. Yang's fingers brushed at a trunk and bark crumbled away, revealing sickly yellow flesh beneath.

The entire forest seemed ill, taken by a plague that robbed it of all vitality. Even the sunlight that filtered through sparse, deprived canopies looked dimmer than usual, as if light itself was robbed of its strength.

Yang stopped by a fallen tree and thought to sit on it, reconsidering when her foot caved into the log. Insects scurried out of their broken home and swarmed across the forest floor, vanishing under blankets of dying vegetation.

 _We don't know what's changed but the forest isn't what it used to be._ Yang frowned, squatting down and running her fingers through the dirt. Dry, powdery, more like sand of a desert than a flourishing forest floor. Laurel's pallid face returned to her thoughts, his despondent words with it. _Without a botanist nearby, we can't figure out what's wrong. If whatever is ailing the forest reaches the fields then what few crops we have left will die. If we lose our crops…_

Something had to have changed recently. Holbrook wouldn't have survived on farming alone, and without livestock that could only mean they hunted for their meats. Without traveling some ways from town there would be no game to speak of near town. Did Hunters always have to venture away, out of Mount Glenn's shadow, or was this a new development? Laurel had made it sound like the latter, so what had happened?

On a whim Yang moved to a miserable maple, using her fingers to peel back bark. Yellow flesh greeted her, and she dug her fingers into it, scraping and tearing. Within yellowing fibers and viscous sap, she saw it. Thin black veins coursed through the tree, pulsing. Tearing the flesh free she grimaced when a noxious fume poured from the material, filling her lungs with fetid air that left her eyes watering and chest burning.

"Fuck!" Yang backed away and waved the air before her, staring at the gnarled, bilious tree. Miasma. Rot magic. Not Grimm, she noted furiously as she stormed away. Grimm she could fight, she could handle, but miasma? Without the healing magics of a specialized apothecary or the right solutions from an herbalist nothing she could do would cleanse the woods of their taint.

Magic like that didn't just appear out of thin air either. Someone had cast an ailment on the forest, and if she had ventured a guess, the fields as well.

The fields! Yang turned and began her run back towards the town, heart hammering in her chest. Animals in the forest were starving because plants were no longer edible. Just meeting miasma was enough to make one sick. Consuming it? Even the hardiest of men would fall if enough of the magic was inhaled.

Yang broke from the treeline and rounded Holbrook's walls to the front. Farmers who had been toiling not an hour earlier were notably absent, as were the guards. Weapons lay abandoned in the fields, baskets of produce neglected, carts forgotten. She looked around desperately for signs of the residents, finding none. Stifling the rising terror, she ran for the gates, feet sinking in fertile soil, trampling over poisoned crops. Slipping through the barricades she found her way back into the town.

Well, she'd found the farmers, along with the entire rest of the town. For a second Yang questioned why everyone was gathered as they were, knelt in the center of Holbrook, until she noticed a group in the middle. Armed men flanked a woman, both turning upon her arrival and reaching for their weapons. Yang frowned hearing flesh strike flesh and saw Laurel fall to the dirt, blood leaking from a gash on his forehead as he was hauled back to his knees.

Whines and stifled protests rose from the crowd and died out just as swiftly as they'd started. Yang growled under her breath and took two steps before the men drew their weapons, finally prompting the woman to turn around. She appraised Yang, waving her men off and twirling her spear before hanging it off her shoulder.

"Well, looks like we have a visitor," Amber said, grinning. Her spear dripped with blood, staining the pale earth crimson. "If you're here to pillage then I'm afraid you're too late. Or, if you're hoping to play hero…" She bounced the weapon on her shoulder, tilting her head with a coy smile.

Yang returned the smile and held her hands up. "Hero, me? Nah, I'm a nobody. Just sort of passin' through." She found Trina and Devin in the crowd, the latter battered, though not nearly as bad as Laurel was. Cassie clung to his chest and bawled into it fitfully; where was their dog, Luna?

"Good. See, no one has to die today! We just want what's ours and we'll be out of your hair." Amber looked around at the piteous state of the town and scoffed. "From the looks of it though you're hardly able to pay up."

Yang moved towards the gathering, stopping when two more men at Amber's flanks moved to intercept her. Blowing them away with fire would be easy, just as easy as incinerating all the villagers in the crossfire. Amber smiled knowingly, twirling her spear before driving the point into the ground. "I know that look, kid. Go on, try something." She leveled her weapon at Laurel's throat behind her. "And see how fast I gut this one."

Dozens of pleading eyes looked to her for help and Yang could do nothing for it. Any spell of hers would cause more damage than it was worth, not to mention fighting risked more Grimm. Grinding her teeth, she forced a smile, hands up as she moved closer.

"Not another inch, you scaly bitch," Brawnz growled.

Oh, oh _him_ she could set alight. Yang smiled tersely and kept her hands raised, puckering her lips and winking. "Easy, tough guy, I'm not doing anything." She ignored the lumbering clod and looked at Amber instead. "What's the town owe ya, anyways? How much Lien?"

"Five-thousand Lien!"

Yang's whistle was overshadowed by the angry shouts from the crowd. Laurel pulled against his captors, blood-stained face contorted in anger. "That's not what we agreed on! You're changing the price again!"

"Three thousand for our services, and another two for the trouble those bitches before gave us," Amber listed off. "It's either a blood price or coin, we don't care which. Are you going to pay up for them, girlie, or should we start taking heads?"

Yang's smile faltered, and her eyes flashed. Lowering her arms slowly she eyed Brawnz' weapon, raising an eyebrow. She'd melt it before he had a chance to swing it, force feed him the molten scraps too. The hired muscle wasn't the problem, it was the witch with the spear hovering inches by Laurel's throat.

Amber opened her mouth to speak and for a second Yang thought she'd cawed. Lifting her head, she watched a lone raven circle overhead, angling itself to inspect the gathering below. Then, to their surprise, Yang's included, the bird landed on her shoulder. She leaned her head away and growled at the bird threateningly, stopping short of throttling spotting a familiar red ribbon around its ankle.

"A bird? Cute. You a falconer then, girl?" Amber asked.

Didn't falconers technically train, you know, falcons? Yang's lips twisted into a wry smile and she rolled her eyes. "Nope! Just a little pest. Probably heard there were some carcasses nearby and came to eat."

"There will be if you don't watch that tongue of yours."

"Right back at you, you dumb - Ow!" The raven pecked her head and Yang swat at it, scowling as the bird took off and circled overhead. Brave little turd landed on her arm again and she narrowed her eyes at it, fingers flexing threateningly. "Do that again and you're dead, you stupid crow."

"Not Qrow! Not Qrow!" Its voice was feminine, lower in tone, and unrecognizable thanks to incessant squawking. Yang knew the creature and its kin well enough to catch the distinction in its words.

"Oh, and it talks? Handy," Amber whistled, leering at the bird with a grin. "Maybe I'll take that as part of our pay. Could come in handy."

"I don't think you'd want this one." Yang wrinkled her nose. "Probably diseased or something."

"I'll decide what I do and don't want here, blondie. This town owes us," Amber said. "And unless you plan on fighting us off we'll take whatever we damn well please."

The raven cocked its head, beat its wings before laughing. Yang cringed at the sound beside her ear and tried to pinch the animal's beak shut, scowling when it ducked away.

"Mistake! Mistake!" the bird croaked. "Fight and die! Fight and die!"

Bandits as well as villagers exchanged confused stares. Yang rolled her eyes, wondering where in the world the flying rats had picked up a penchant for theatrics. Or better yet why, once again, a bird had been sent instead of its owner coming herself.

Amber lowered her weapon with a laugh, resting her spear on her shoulder to clap. "Adorable! Threatened by a bird of all things!" She grinned and leaned forward, eyebrow cocked. "Teach it any other tricks, blondie? Can it dance?"

Yang offered a shrug and half-smile. "No clue, not my bird."

"Oh, then whose is it? Who's the talented falconer?"

"I'm pretty sure that doesn't apply to -" Yang began to say, cut off by another loud screech. "Oi, clam up you little feathered turd! I'll burn you up!"

"Raven! Raven! Raven!" the bird sang, hopping in place on Yang's shoulders.

"Yes, we know what kind of bird you are," Amber remarked, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Who is your master?"

"Idiot, idiot, idiot! Raven! Raven!" The raven fluffed its feathers and watched Amber for recognition, tilting its head every which way. The woman stared cluelessly, then rolled her eyes.

"If you're stalling with this stupid thing I'll just -"

"Branwen! Branwen! Fight and die! Fight and die!"

Yang couldn't help the smile that came to when Amber's face fell. Brawnz and his partner exchanged uneasy glances and the pair holding Laurel shifted nervously. Proud of itself, the raven puffed up its chest and laughed again, then took off and circled around the gathering. It tried to land on Amber's shoulder, squawking angrily when her spear fended it off.

"Fool! Fool! Fight and die! Fight and die!"

"Shut up! Nolan, shoot that fucking thing down, would you?!" Amber shouted. "I'm sick of listening to it!"

A boy with deep-crimson hair, one of the ones holding Laurel, stared at Yang. She watched as his complexion grew paler and paler, eyes widening and jaw going slack. "Nolan, eyes up, you idiot! Shoot that fucking bird before I shoot you!" The raven continued its jeers, laughing as it flew well out of Amber's spear's reach. Amber growled and shot Yang a furious glare. "Make your bird stop, dammit!"

The blonde Dimuran shrugged, smiling sheepishly. "Told ya it ain't mine."

"Uh, ma'am…" Nolan finally found his words, eyes still locked on Yang. "I uh… We might have messed up."

"What do you mean 'messed up'? The only thing that's going to be 'messed up' is your face! Now quick gawking and do what I said, you moron!"

Brawnz stepped back and lowered his hand from his weapon. "Shit… Uh, Amber? We should go."

Amber scowled, turning and grabbing the large man's tunic, pulling him down to her level. "What do you mean 'we should go'? It's just a brat and a bird! I'm not leaving without our Lien!"

"Ma'am, that's the Branwen's runt!" a girl exclaimed, her lone gray-blue eye wide as she let go of Laurel and stepped away. Her partner followed suit and the guard captain collapsed, sputtering and coughing out dust as he rolled onto his side.

With all four of her subordinates now backing away Amber turned back to Yang. She narrowed her eyes, studying the blonde's face for a long moment. Maybe if she could flash her eyes red or say something really conceited then it'd help sell it. Turns out Amber didn't need it, lowering her weapon and blinking owlishly. Then her jaw fell, head shaking side to side slowly as she took a half-step back.

"O-Oh, oh shit. Begging your pardon, miss! We uh… We didn't realize this town was under Raven's watch!" Amber smiled nervously and held her spear out, shaft first, offering it to Yang. "Here, take my weapon as an apology. The others' too!" She turned her head and nodded towards Yang. "Come on, idiots, put them up!"

Villagers watched in stunned silence as the five bandits, just moments away from raiding their village and slaughtering them all, now groveled at Yang's feet. To be fair Yang was a bit confused too, more so by the misunderstanding than the offers. What was she supposed to do with five weapons? Sell them? Heh, that might not actually be a bad idea.

"Put them at my feet. Go on," she said, gesturing to the empty ground before her. Amber nodded and laid down her spear, snapping at her underlings to follow suit. Metal clattered noisily as blades were thrown and Yang smiled, moving and picking up a dagger, turning it over in her hands to examine it. "Not bad! I might actually use this one. The rest are crap though." She glanced at Amber and frowned, watching the woman squirm in place.

"We… We have Lien too, if you want. A few thousand back in camp. I-It's yours!"

Tempting, but Yang was beginning to notice just how uneasy the villagers were. Not towards Amber and her crew, not any longer. All eyes were on her now, waiting to see what she'd do. Sighing, Yang shook her head and tossed the dagger at Amber's feet, blade sticking into the dirt.

"Get out of here, all of you. And if you ever come back to this town again you bet your ass the tribe will come looking, got me?"

Amber nodded frantically, clasping her hands and bowing, the others following her lead. Without another word or gaze in her direction the group rushed past her, filing through the makeshift gates and disappearing. Without bandits harassing them anymore Yang expected the villagers to cheer, or hell, applaud her for saving them. Even just a 'thank you' or two would have been nice.

Instead the entirety of Holbrook sat in complete silence, content to stare at her rather than voice any gratitude. Breaking the silence, the raven chortled before landing before her, hopping in place and lifting its beady eyes up to face her.

"Debt. Debt! Master wants! Debt!"

Yang grit her teeth and lunged for the animal, cursing as it flew through her hands and took off, laughing as it too vanished beyond the walls. On her knees she leaned back, sitting on her heels and sighing. "Stupid bird… Shoulda burned it when I had the chance…"

Laurel cleared his throat and Yang looked up, flashing a nervous grin at the still waiting villagers. The captain of the guard, though no doubt grateful, gazed upon her as one might a coiled snake.

"I, ah… I can explain?"

Laurel nodded, as did a number of the villagers. "Please do," he insisted, pushing himself up with a grunt and collapsing onto his rear end. A rattling, pained breath shook his chest and he wiped grime and blood from his brow. "Starting with, perhaps… How you know the Branwens?"

Chuckling nervously Yang nodded, rubbing the back of her neck. She should probably get that cleared up, huh? Letting her eyes wander she caught a glimpse of the ailing trees outside the walls and bit her lip. That was more important but somehow, she suspected the villagers wouldn't care so much, at least not yet.

Where did she even begin? How did she even begin this kind of conversation? Yang sighed, settling back onto her rear and crossing her legs. Well… She'd often dreamed of having an audience, just not for this. Rubbing her hands together she grinned. "Holbrook how are you doing tonight!" she shouted.

"It's the middle of the day!" came her reply.

Yang rolled her eyes and dropped her hands into her lap. "It's rhetorical, you arse! You're not supposed to answer!"

"Yang…" Devin staggered towards the front of the crowd, Cassie clinging to his leg. He smiled, the gesture difficult with a bruised, swollen cheek. "Please, just tell them. You're a hero, remember? It doesn't matter where you came from."

Oh, but it kind of did. Yang scratched at her cheek, itching at the thick scales creeping up her neck before letting out a sigh.

"Can we… I don't know, take a rain check on this? I did just kinda save you all, and besides…" She pointed to the sky, to nothing and huffed. "You're going to listen to that birdbrain? It doesn't know what it's saying!"

"I think it did, and I think you need to tell us why that bird seemed to know you. And why it apparently belonged to a dangerous tribe," Laurel warned. "Should we expect the Branwens next? Are you bringing them to our step now?"

"No! I'm not, honest. I'm not even part of the tribe!" Not anymore. Yang ran a hand through her golden locks, sighed, then rolled her shoulders and smiled. "Alright, look, here's the gist of it, 'kay? I'll keep it plain and simple."

She didn't miss how a good few of the villagers leaned forward, eyes trained on her intently. Laurel watched her intently and Devin, joined now by Trina, nodded encouragingly. Right, better to get it out in the open now and get it over with.

"Well, it all started when I was born…"

The crowd unanimously groaned, and Yang let herself have a laugh. Hey, they asked for it! She finally had an audience, and while she'd give them the answers they wanted, she was so going to work on some of her material.

"Just remember," Yang warned, wagging her finger and winking. "You guys wanted this."

That could change soon but hey, that was their problem, not hers.

* * *

 **A shorter entry this week, and mostly an intermediary one at that, setting things up for the chapters to come.**

 **And before anyone might ask, nope, that raven isn't Raven. I mean the raven IS a raven, but it's not Raven-Raven, catch my drift?**

 **Thanks for reading, have a wonderful day wherever you are, and feedback, as always is appreciated. Until next time, Gambol out!**

 **...**

 **See, this is the part I fly away or something, but I don't have that power, so... -walks off stage-**


	21. Chapter 21: Public Relations

**Missed an upload last week! Sometimes, life gives you lemons. Other times it gives you lots and lots of work, then more work, and just when you think you're done... You get the picture.**

 **Have another chapter with my love! There's also a fruit basket in the mail.**

* * *

Only two things could rouse Weiss from her slumber at such an unseemly hour in the morning. The first would be nothing short of the end of the world. Barring fireballs raining from the sky, the ground opening to swallow them, or the moon crashing into the world, the end times hadn't arrived.

The alternative? Her pseudo-father figure had asked to dine with her before leaving for Atlas. Weiss would never pass up the opportunity and made a mad dash to the carriage that morning, hopping on one foot as she fixed her boot and smoothing her clothing as she raced through the buildings. In her fervent effort to join him she hadn't fixed her bedhead, embarrassed beyond measure when Ironwood pointed it out. A quick pause to purchase a brush - an obscene gesture particularly given the shop had yet to open, they'd ventured to the noble ward for their meal.

Breakfast was delicious if lavish for her tastes. No expense had been spared, and despite her insistence to help pay Ironwood refused to let her drop even a single Lien. After paying an obscene amount of money for what they were served, Weiss followed Ironwood's example and thanked the staff for their hard work while simultaneously apologizing, mentally, for making them work at such an unseemly hour.

All that remained now was the ride to the pier and seeing the Archbishop off, something she wasn't at all keen on doing. Fortunately, Ironwood saw fit to distract her with conversation along the way. It was a small gesture but helped alleviate the gnawing displeasure in her breast.

"And you're certain you want to go through with this?"

"Of course. It's only natural that I become a Warden." Weiss bowed politely to the servant holding the door open for them. Ironwood left first with herself on his heels, eyes firmly on his back as they strolled along.

"I don't imagine it will make my life any easier, but I can do so much more," she went on. "Wards will keep the towns and cities safe from Grimm. And if I learn how to create them on my own I could perhaps put new ones in place, travel to residences that haven't had one before. I'm certain people would be grateful for it."

Ironwood chuckled, wrinkles forming as he smiled back at Weiss. "Is that right? And do you intend to both establish and maintain these wards yourself? Or did you plan to call on other Wardens to lend their aid?"

She had considered such an option, actually. Now that the words were spoken aloud, it sounded rather ridiculous. Finding the other Wardens - other Magi specializing in runes, would be a nightmare unto itself. She'd assume the Church knew their whereabouts, but it was still a bureaucratic nightmare to get even one sent her way.

Four guards stamped their boots into the ground, lifting their scabbard blades high as Weiss and Ironwood passed through a cast iron gate. A cursory glance back and she caught sight of the chefs watching them, smokestack caps removed, wrung in their hands as nervously as a child caught sneaking desserts before supper. She wasn't sure why, their meal had been heavenly; cutlets of beef so fine and tender that they melted upon your lips, and vegetables braised in a manner of oils and spices, alien to Weiss yet delicious all the same. Fresh loaves of bread with rich honey - too rich for her tastes, and an offering of carved fruits completed the ensemble. Far more than any person ought to have for breakfast.

Clad in stark white without a single thread out of place Ironwood paused to greet his retinue and Weiss felt her good humor wane. Even if the man decried wealth in the Church he still led a life of opulence. One look at herself: the simple blue tunic that hung over her slender frame, slightly too large, and the woolen slacks paired with it, fastened at the waist by a belt, made them appear more as a master and servant than acquaintances enjoying a meal together.

 _Maybe that's why everyone kept staring at us_. Weiss' lips curled at the unpleasant thought, passing by the guards without so much as a glance. Offended or not they stepped in line silently behind her, forming a loose-knit perimeter around herself and the Archbishop of Atlas. It was… Unpleasant, having guards leading her everywhere. She felt more akin to a prisoner than someone of import.

Perhaps noticing her distress or expressing his own Ironwood broke the silence with a gentle chuckle. "They're here for our benefit, you know. Don't treat them like they're a nuisance."

"I… I wasn't, sir!" Weiss glanced up at the man by her left and cringed. Had she been glaring at them? Had her displeasure been that obvious? "I apologize, sirs. Thank you for escorting us."

"Doing our job, ma'am," a man far older than herself answered.

Nobles dragged her through the mud, guards called her 'ma'am' and treated her like a lady of the court. _Between politics and civil unrest can't I just enjoy one afternoon without being harassed?_

The one boon of the noble ward, and indeed the only one, was the almost forced serenity that its residents upheld. Oh, Weiss was aware of the looks she received from women chittering behind sleeves or fans, or the haughty looks many residents gave her when they thought Ironwood wasn't looking. It was as though her mere presence unsettled the peace here, her existence a stain on the spotless fabrics of their luxurious clothes.

Scrutiny proved short lived as they reached the Commons. Everything the aristocracy did was bombastic and exuded their wealth and the Commons were no exception. Lattice-work enclosed the grass-carpeted gardens, roses, lilacs, lilies and hanging from the wooden braces or forming a perimeter around the enclosure, red giving way to yellow, orange, purple and blue, an orderly cavalcade of hues.

Central to the Commons loomed a statue of polished marble, a head taller than the tallest tree in the ward and guarded by three men in armor. A statue dedicated to Vale's first king, a man who, according to myth anyways, commanded every element, every field of magic, and single-handedly could fell even a Leviathan Grimm.

 _Runes would account for his extensive prowess, though even those have their limits._ Weiss paused to stare dubiously at the figure, tilting her head and scrutinizing his features. He was handsome, she supposed, with strong features, a powerful build, and wearing elegant armor and robes that, even when cut from stone, one could tell were of high quality and make.

Given how nobles tended to be nowadays, portly, unathletic and often incapable of much besides chatting and eating, she was inclined to believe the First King's persona might be a little exaggerated.

Hooves struck cobble and a carriage drew itself forward, coming to a shuddering halt with the whinny of the horses at its helm. A young driver nodded politely to Ironwood, tipping his cap to Weiss. Besides the guards he was the first one who didn't look down on her since arriving, which was refreshing. If anything, he looked bored out of his mind.

"Seems our carriage has arrived." Well duh, that was obvious. Weiss followed Ironwood and moved to open the door for herself, drawing her hand back when a guard did it for her. Right. Forcing an awkward smile, she climbed in, rejecting the guard's offer to take her hand. That was just a bit too much.

While the carriage scarcely budged when she climbed in the entire structure creaked under the Archbishop's weight. Weiss hid a barely suppressed laugh behind her hand, looking out the slatted window, slivers of green and brick peering through. Settled on cushioned seats, the guards made certain the carriage was prepared before shutting the door and sealing them inside.

"Thank you for bearing with these formalities, Weiss." Ironwood rasped his knuckles on the carriage and with a whip of the reins the horses spurred into action. The carriage pulled ahead with a sudden start before easing into a comfortable pace, wheels churning beneath them. "I thought you might enjoy a taste of the highborn life, if only for a day."

"You are sorely mistaken," Weiss grumbled.

"Oh?"

"It's absurd! First, they offer to cut my food for me, then one of them even had the gall to feed me! Then there was the woman who wanted to give me that dress. Not _sell_ it to me but _give_ it! That dress must have cost a hundred Lien!"

"Seven hundred and thirty, actually," Ironwood said, laughing when Weiss' face fell. "That's how nobility operates, I'm afraid. Flamboyant shows of wealth and gifts are no different to them as exchanging a simple greeting. You get used to it."

"As if! How do you put up with it? It feels like every person we met this morning..." And there hadn't been that many, Weiss recollected. The head chef at the restaurant, the seamstress, the young noble couple who sought to earn her favor with a beautifully crafted sapphire brooch. "Every. Single. Person. Has tried to buy me in one way or another. I thought that was illegal?"

"Paying for a Hunter's personal services is illegal. Offering Lien or other gifts for their favor, however, is allowed." Ironwood smiled knowingly and crossed one leg over another, drumming his fingers on the knee. "Particularly monetary gifts from well-to-do nobles, or in some cases, gifts of invaluable ingots."

Weiss felt an immediate heat creep up her neck, warmer than the air outside the carriage. Her eyes darted nervously around the dim space before settling on the bare floor between their feet. "I haven't a clue what you're referring to," she stammered, face growing redder when Ironwood laughed.

"I should think not. I'm speaking in hypotheticals, of course." The Archbishop smiled. "While there's nothing inherently wrong with accepting a gift from a gracious lord or lady, do be careful to note the difference in intent. As you grow in influence there will be many people who wish to be held in esteem by you."

Wringing her ponytail, Weiss' eyes drifted back to the older man's bemused expression. "As I no doubt assume you've had plenty of suitors." Emboldened by the lighthearted banter it was her turn to smile playfully. "Perhaps plenty of young ladies who wished to be in your good graces."

Ironwood coughed loudly into his fist, hand nervously pulling at the collar of his white overcoat. "I haven't the slightest idea what you mean, Weiss."

"Oh, and here I was mistaken their wistful glances as longing." Cupping one cheek in her hand she looked out the window, enjoying the silence between them for a moment. "I should think an Archbishop wouldn't be so easily swayed, after all. Besides," she mused, smiling as she glanced over from the corner of her eye. "I think that Miss Goodwitch as stolen your heart already."

There was no helping her gleeful laughter as the normally stoic Ironwood sputtered and blushed. Oh, how obvious it must be if even she was able to see it. His wayward stares, the way his posture seemed to loosen in her presence, and the tinge of excitement to his voice whenever they spoke. And that was in public, gods only knew how they got on in private.

Weiss pulled a face and dispelled unsavory thoughts from her mind in an instant. Those were not images she ever wanted to entertain.

"As I was saying…" Ironwood cleared his throat, posture decidedly more rigid. "Just be mindful of what you accept in the future. Dropping all pretenses, I'm aware of what Lord Bisset gave you, and while you weren't inherently wrong to accept it, do bear in mind that he may be seeking more from you before long."

That went without saying. One didn't need to be part of the court to understand the games the high-born played. Thanks to Ironwood's interventions Weiss felt better prepared for it than any of her friends. "I'll bear that in mind, though I do have to ask… How exactly did you find out?"

A mysterious smile was her reply and she rolled her eyes. "I'm an Archbishop, Weiss. We have ways of uncovering details."

"You paid Roderick a visit, didn't you?" she accused.

"Let a man have his fun, won't you? Yes, I visited the blacksmith, after no small amount of searching for your usual place of business, mind. When I asked to commission a weapon for you he assured me one was already in the works and paid for no less." Ironwood smiled as Weiss fidgeted. "So, while it's hardly a weapon, I should hope a nice morning would make up for the lack of a gift. Unless there is anything more you actually need…?"

It would be easy to list any number of things and let Ironwood buy them for her in an instant. Instead Weiss shook her head, giving the older man a reassuring smile. "I'm grateful for your company, sir, as trite as that might sound. It means more to me than any trinket might."

"I don't think it's trite at all, and goodness knows my coffers are grateful for it." Ironwood folded his hands in his lap and leaned forward. "Though should I take that to understand you don't want the new weapon? I'm certain your smith -"

"No! I'd still very much like my new weapon!" Weiss protested, sinking back into plush fabric as the Archbishop broke into a loud laughter. Her ears twitched at the piercing sound and she lowered her head, cringing and covering them with her hands. Enclosed spaces and boisterous merriment did not mix any better than alcohol and swordplay.

"Good, good. It will be a fine weapon, I think. One suited for an up and coming Hunter, one who all of Remnant will soon know, no less."

"You flatter me…" Weiss wished she could blame the heat for her flushed face, yet the carriage, while small, was well ventilated and pleasant.

"You have all the tools to succeed, Weiss. I'm not trying to ingratiate myself by praising you."

Weiss rolled her eyes. "I know. You're the last person I expect that from." She huffed, glaring out through the slim wooden slats. "It's the sycophants that seem to grovel whenever I'm in your presence that I can't stand. Once you're gone they'll be right back to treating me like the plague."

"They can't stand that you've excelled despite their efforts. Let them wallow and sulk." Ironwood scoffed, batting a hand irritably before smiling her way. "And should they try to inhibit you again just remember that I, Ozpin, and the Church are forever on your side. No noble is going to go so far as to earn our ire. Once they see you'll continue to succeed despite their best efforts they'll move on to another game."

Weiss hoped he was right, she really did. In the larger parts of the capital people didn't mind her, either oblivious to who she was, uncaring as to her heritage, or in no position to be decrying a Hunter. Nobles had nothing but time and the means to slander her, it seemed. All because of one infidelity. One mistake that, while not of her own making, seemed ubiquitous with who she was.

With luck they would find another person to latch onto, someone else to harass. Or perhaps she could reverse her own fortunes sooner than she'd ever hoped. Fingering her satchel on her hip she felt along the spine of a sealed letter, a wistful smile growing into an earnest, hopeful expression. One letter could well change her fortunes yet.

/+/+/+/+/+/+/

Weiss wished Ironwood could have stayed longer. Another day, another hour, any time spent with him would have been cherished. His stay in Vale had come to an end and Atlas had need of its Archbishop back. No amount of pleading from a wistful young woman would prevent his departure, nor was Weiss selfish enough to try. She was proud of herself for maintaining composure as they stood upon the gangplank, embracing the man that might as well be her parent one last time before watching him disappear onto the ship. Stacks billowed white smoke and the anchor rose from the water with a resounding creak, water splashing onto the onlookers who strayed too close to the edge.

With little more to do that day she watched and waited, watched as the mighty Atlesian vessel, metal hull slicing through the surf with the ease of a heated blade, ferried its occupants offshore and into the endless ocean. Feeling a part of herself go with it Weiss sighed when the vessel became little more than a speck on the horizon, far, far out of reach.

The crowd that had amassed had begun to disperse moments earlier and now she found herself among dockworkers and little else. Scores of Varuna scurried about, their webbed feet slapping wetly on the ground, blue and green skins sparkling and water dripping from their drenched hides. Foremen shouted orders and warehouses became alive once more, machinery groaning and furnaces roaring with the fury of a dragon as ore and Dust were thrown into its belly.

Ironwood's carriage, provided to him by an enterprising nobleman, had long since departed. Left to her own devices Weiss turned and began making her way from the piers, back towards the city proper. Carts rushed along the narrow streets and pushed her to walk along the edge, watching as goods were hurried along. Horses hooves stomped loudly on the packed dirt and Weiss watched, mildly amused, as an irate merchant yelling at his employees stepped into a fresh horse pie.

In a turn of events Weiss found herself with a unique dilemma: what was she to do? The Week of Veneration meant most Hunters were given a leave from duty. A wonderful thing to be sure for those overworked, though torturously droll for a newly minted graduate. Unable to take jobs she was stuck in the city to do… What exactly?

Her weapon was still being finished by Roderick, which meant training wasn't an option. Ren and Nora had left to visit a neighboring settlement and see some friends. Jaune and Pyrrha were off to Anima to visit his family. Ruby was with her uncle getting up to god knows what trouble.

Feeling Ironwood's absence more intensely than ever Weiss drew her hood up, frowning down at the cobbled streets. The instructors at the Cathedral would be too busy to spend time with her, and Ozpin certainly would be too preoccupied with his regular duties to even give her the time of day. There was the possibility of starting her studies as a Warden, although she'd yet to receive the materials to do so.

For a city as large as Vale was it felt remarkably empty. Listening to the gentle jostling of Lien in her pouch she changed her course, taking a road that ran alongside one of Vale's many canals. With the residential district on her left she followed the river, passing beneath banners of green with crossed axes, Vale's insignia. The scent of salt in the air vanished the further inland she went and was soon replaced with a myriad of others. Foodstuffs, livestock, and the general, off-putting scent of too many people crammed into a small space. The marketplace, abuzz with activity as ever, was hardly her usual stop, but then she'd nowhere else to be.

 _Might as well browse. Maybe I'll find something nice._ Weiss paused at a crossing to allow a family to rush past, slipping into the crowds and rising onto her toes in an effort to see. _Of course, I can't shop if I can't even see the stalls! Confound it all!_

Vale's marketplace, despite being a central point of commerce, was nowhere near the commercial district. On the cusp of the residential and agricultural zones, in the shadow of the city's great walls, a large circular plaza stood as a place where merchants local and foreign could gather to peddle their wares. Many erected stalls to do so, canopies of red, blue, yellow, and any color one could imagine vied for attention, droplets of color amidst a sprawling, overcrowded site.

Commoners milled with nobility and the wealthy, discernible both by their finery and the guards which accompanied them. Peasants and laborers alike were pushed aside or barked at, scolded like animals to make way. Lien evidently excused someone from having manners and the aristocracy, as they were so good at doing, turned up their noses and sneered at their lessers.

"Pissants…" Weiss cursed under her breath. Excusing herself as she brushed through the crowds she finally made her way to her stall of choice, a rickety, wide structure with tapestry mirroring the ocean hanging from its roof, cloth flapping listlessly with each breeze.

Clothing and strips of material laid out before her. Tunics, doublets, long-coats and linens hung from wooden posts, dyed in soft grays, deep blues, bright greens and warm reds. Her eyes were drawn to a luxurious white bliaud with blue cuffs, ruffled and fanning out from the wrist. A matching skirt, blue as the cloudless sky, hung in place beside it. Weiss ran her fingers along the cloth and smiled, picturing herself in the outfit. She had a new weapon as a Hunter graduate so why not a new outfit as well?

"Fifteen-hundred Lien."

Weiss guffawed before she realized the owner of the stall had addressed her. A frumpy woman in a bright yellow gown stared at her, graying hair poking out beneath an equally garrish cap. Looking between the pieces on display and the abhorrent attire the woman wore she furrowed her brow, mouth moving before she could think better of it.

"Are you the owner…?"

"No, I'm trying to sell someone else's work as my own!" Weiss yelped, a ruler thwacking the top of her head. "Of course I am! What kind of question is that?"

Blinking back tears and suppressing the newfound urge to snap at the woman Weiss forced a smile. "P-Pardon me, I was just… Taken aback by your wonderful outfit, is all."

"Shouldn't be! My usual gown is being washed. This ratty old thing is a disgrace to clothing everywhere!"

"So why wear it…?" Weiss stepped back and dodged another vengeful swipe of the ruler. "Hey!"

"Daft girl, I said why! Darn youth don't know how to listen anymore…"

 _That or your hearing along with your manners are leaving you in haste._ Thinking better of insulting the woman further Weiss gestured towards the bliaud. "This is worth fifteen hundred Lien, correct? Might I purchase it?"

Taking stock of her the woman looked Weiss over, wrinkled brow wrinkling further, beady green eyes narrowing. Doing her best not to fidget uncomfortably she waited in silence, acutely aware of the snickering of nearby shoppers.

"Won't fit." The woman shook her head and pointed at Weiss, or more precisely, her chest. "Too small."

"I beg your pardon? I am not! My tunic is simply tight!"

"Too small," the tailor repeated stubbornly. "Try Arianne's stall a way down, she sells children's clothing. Fit your sort a lot better."

Cheeks turned crimson Weiss scoffed, turning away as if to leave before whirling back and pointing at the woman. "It's a small wonder anyone shops here! You're terribly rude!"

"And you're flat. Unless you want to purchase some cloth then be on your way!"

Weiss' eyebrow twitched, and she ground her teeth, fingers twitching at her sides. Would she get into trouble if she were to 'accidentally' let a gale of wind knock over the stall? Most certainly. The cathartacism that would come from the deed almost outweighed Goodwitch's inevitable ire. On the cusp of committing assault, with magic no less, Weiss' common sense kicked in and she stepped back, shaking her head. Not worth the charges, tempting as it might be.

"Have a good day, ma'am," Weiss said pointedly, smiling. "I hope you find clothing nice enough to hide what a horrible woman you are."

Ignoring whatever the woman barked at her she pushed her way through the crowd, grumbling to herself. Honestly, what self-respecting merchant insulted their potential customer? And she wasn't flat, darn it! It was beginning to feel like a running gag at this point and a bad one at that. If this was the gods getting kicks at her expense, then they could well go and stuff themselves.

A new outfit wasn't going to happen, not unless she checked every stall the market had to offer. Deciding it would be more prudent not to go on a shopping spree - one never could have enough Lien in case of emergencies, Weiss busied herself by simply browsing. When she could get herself through throngs of people she was able to get a glimpse of what Vale's sprawling markets had to offer.

The most common items on sale were foodstuff. Unsurprising given the city's vast farms beyond and within the walls. Coupled with its abundant hunter population - and yes, the distinction between 'hunter' and 'Hunter' still confused people, she irritably noted, hides, meats and various animal products were on display in various stalls and carts. She passed a jeweler claiming to sell imported goods from Vacuo, a fisherman whose sense of smell must have failed since his catch had long since passed its expiration date.

An older gentleman sat beneath an awning and whittled at a small log with his knife. Sculptures carved of dyed timbers lined a shelf, some representing influential people, others random characters. She recognized Ozpin among the selection and smiled, almost considering buying it as a joke. No doubt Ruby would play one of her many immature games with such a toy.

Somewhere nearby she could just make out the beleaguered melody of a bard and their harp. Over the swirling voices of the crowds it was almost imperceptible, and for a moment Weiss thought she had imagined it. Picking her way through she followed and, much to her relief, confirmed she wasn't mad. Sat by the central commons of the marketplace, resting in the shadow of a white birch, sat a young Kanin, fingers plucking relentlessly at her lute. Not a harp, not that Weiss had any real musical inclination to recognize the difference without seeing the tool itself.

When she described the Kanin as 'young' it was inaccurate for they nearly had to be the same age. Long brown hair flowed down the girl's back, straight save for a few bent, twisted strands that stuck up stubbornly against gravity. Weiss inched forward, finding moving easier as the crowd thinned out. Fewer people seemed interested in the lone Kanin musician than the bustling stalls around her.

Weiss noticed the scratched, tattered body of the lute, bearing scars from years of use and in ill-repair. Despite the sorry state of the instrument it still sang a lovely tune. Muted by the rabble, to be sure, but harmonious, hanging in the air and sweet as honey. The girl had talent, that much was plain. It was more a shame then that her ragged clothing clearly showed no one cared for such talent. A brown tunic, frayed and split at the neck, clung to her slender frame, held in place by threads of string. Gray trousers with tears aplenty, bound to her waist by a rope, outlined her slender legs. The girl wore no shoes.

Frivolous shopping no longer interested her, and Weiss contented herself to listen. The girl played listlessly, ignorant of the few stares she received, or too lost in her own playing to care. Beside her a small basket sat and Weiss inched forward, rising to her toes to peer inside. A few Lien, hardly enough to afford a chunk of stale bread, lined the container.

Suddenly the three-thousand Lien burning a hole in her satchel seemed excessive. She had food, clothing - even if her attire needed replacing. She had a roof over her head and friends. Could this girl say the same? What was a hundred Lien to her? Or two hundred even? That sum might allow the girl to eat for a week or more.

Weiss had begun to approach when a haughty, ignorant, barking laughter cut off the girl's melody. She cursed the moment she saw a tall man strode into the small clearing around the Kanin, a sneer plastered on his face. His clothing, a deep blue jacket with white trim, shined shoes, and a walking cane with a sapphire encrusted in its grip, made her pitiful appearance all the more glaring by comparison.

"What do you think you're doing, street rat?"

The Kanin flinched back, clutching her weathered instrument to her chest. "P-Playing music, milord…"

O'Rourke scoffed, then broke into a fight of derisive laughter. "That? You call that music? I've heard better melodies from a wailing pup! I'd thought an animal dying and came to see the sorry thing." He scowled. "Instead I find a dredger masquerading as a minstrel."

Guards jointed in with the nobleman's searing laughter, members of the commonfolk quickly joining in. Withering under their combined ridicule the Kanin whimpered, lowering her head and clutching the lute tighter still. Her thin figure trembled, drawing back when O'Rourke came closer.

"Tell me, animal. Do you know the punishment for impersonating a man of music?" The girl whined as O'Rourke's cane lifted her by the chin, too nervous to draw away, too afraid to try for fear of being struck. Wide brown eyes stared up at him warily.

"I d-don't, m-my lord."

"I should think not. Leave it to a rat to be ignorant to the laws!" A flash of pity crossed the man's features and O'Rourke lowered himself to her level. "It's maudlin, isn't it? A poor girl trying to survive in the world, perhaps trying to provide for her siblings? Or is it a sick loved one? A parent?"

Between the cane still at her chin and the Muran's face inches from her own the Kanin tried desperately to avoid his gaze. When he raised her head further she whimpered. "N-No one, my lord… I'm by myself."

"Oh. Piteous thing. Alone you say?" The girl nodded. O'Rourke stepped away, standing and shaking his head. "How sad. It tugs on my heart to hear such a somber tale." He clicked his tongue, lifting his cane and thwacking it against his open palm, each strike making the girl flinch. "But… It's not so bad, is it?"

"S-Sir…?" the girl questioned.

"Indeed! For there is no one who will miss a single rat! No one will miss you when you die!" Cruel laughter erupted and the noble, galvanized by the laughter, grinned and stepped closer again. "For who misses a lone rodent when there are droves upon droves? Nay, perhaps I should do the city a service and do away with you now! Consider it a mercy!"

The Kanin screamed and curled up as O'Rourke's cane raised overhead. It fell short of striking however and he stumbled from a sudden weight, nearly toppling over. Baffled, he stared down at his makeshift weapon and tried to figure out where the slab of ice encasing half its length had come from.

"That is quite enough!" Weiss pushed aside a stunned few and moved herself into the scene. The Kanin, shaking and looking ill enough to toss her lunch, if she'd ever had it, stared at her. Offering what little condolence, she could with a fleeting smile Weiss focused her attention back on O'Rourke.

"You!" The noble growled and slammed his cane on the ground, clicking his tongue when the ice fractured but held firm. "I knew I smelled more filth. Is this your idea of a joke, halfling? Come to protect a peasant now, have you?"

Another rune glowed on Weiss' palm, a jagged teardrop-shaped mark with a line struck vertically through the center, top open. The noble and others took a step back, the former's face losing color.

"Are you threatening me, Schnee?!" he roared, regaining his fleeting, boastful confidence from before. O'Rourke stomped forward and slammed his cane down again, growling at the stubborn casing. "I'll have you arrested for this!"

"And I'll have you arrested for assault," Weiss retorted. His personal guard bearing his house's insignia would be of no use. Thankfully a handful of the city's own were nearby, their green and gold tabards designating them as a neutral party.

If the nobleman showed any concern, then it was fleeting. Weiss narrowed her eyes as he snorted, waving his hand and gesturing to whatever few guards were nearby. "Is that so? Hunters cannot enforce common law, lest you forget! You have no authority here."

"No, but anyone with half a mind can see what you were about to do. If nothing else," she argued as she moved towards the girl protectively. The Kanin watched Weiss nervously, not as nervous as before, although worried for whatever might come next. "If nothing else I could have you taken away for causing a disturbance. In fact, why are none of you arresting him?" Weiss looked to the few guards she could find in the crowd. "He's clearly disturbing the peace!"

Weiss knew it was a stretch. Hunters couldn't make arrests, nor could they force the local guards to do so. It had been plain as day what O'Rourke intended to do however and that in of itself should be enough grounds to place him in manacles right? … Right?

None of the guards made a move on O'Rourke. He smiled while Weiss balked, tapping his weighted cane on the cobblestone. A few men-in-arms looked away, shamefaced, while others glared at her, as though her gall at demanding they intervene was graver than the noble's affront.

"The guards remember who truly runs this city! It's a shame that you and the Church seem to forget that." Weiss glared at the loathsome man's smile. How was someone so belligerent and abhorrently offensive? If the noble put his energy to something worthwhile maybe the city would be a better place. "You Hunters think you're so special, don't you? That, because you have magic, you're so much better than the rest of us."

Weiss smiled bitterly. "It isn't my magic that makes me think I'm better, O'Rourke," she retorted. "It's that I'm not a horrible person. I don't exaggerate when I say Grimm make for better company than you."

The noble's forehead throbbed as a vein pulsed, eyes narrowed. "Is that right? Strange to hear coming from a _bastard_ whose own family disowned her!"

"The Church accepts me, as do my friends." Weiss moved herself between the Kanin and O'Rourke. "I wonder… Where would you be without your wealth? I've done just fine without it, but can you say the same?"

Ice shattered as O'Rourke struck the ground, splintering his cane in the process. Face red and hands trembling he pointed his cane at Weiss. "Arrest her! Chain her up and throw her in a dungeon!" he barked. When no guards moved, not even his own, he turned on them and grabbed the nearest by his tabard. "That's an order, damn you! I said arrest her!"

The guard moved to break the hold, thinking better of grabbing an agitated nobleman and dropping his hands. "She's done nothing wrong though, sir. We can't…" He trailed off as he fell to the ground, chain rattling.

"Fah! She threatened me with magic! She insulted me!" O'Rourke turned on her again. "Fine, I'll teach the halfling manners myself!"

The noble stormed ahead and visibly shook with anger. He held the cane aloft, eyes bulging, and jaw clenched. Beside her the Kanin whimpered and scooted herself back in the dirt, begging for it to stop. O'Rourke came close enough to strike and shouted as he brought his cane down at Weiss' head, sapphire flashing as it caught the sun. What a travesty, a member of the aristocracy attacking a young woman and a Hunter. Weiss almost pitied the man…

Call it a trick of the sun. Weiss watched O'Rourke's cane transform before her eyes, elongating and narrowing into a red, wicked blade. Black horns sprouted from his forehead and his hair burned bright, unkempt and wild. The blade caught the sun and she felt not cobblestone beneath her but scorched earth, the sound of raging flames replacing the white noise of the crowd.

Crystals erupted at O'Rourke's feet and raced up his legs, engulfing his torso and stopping just short of his neck. His arm, having been mid-swing, was locked in place and his cane hovered a foot above Weiss' head, trembling. Weiss stepped back, light fading from her outstretched fingers, eyes locked with O'Rourke's.

"Y-You… You…" Breaths coming in frigid gasps, clouds rising from his lips, the noble looked down at himself. His nose brushed roughly against a shard of ice and he gasped, then whimpered and began to struggle. "Undo this at once! How dare you use magic on me! Do you know who I am?!"

Unfortunately, yes. Weiss looked down at her hand and paled, then looked away hearing the frantic slap of feet on stone. The Kanin girl had gathered her meager possessions and fled, disappearing into the crowd. Not that anyone seemed to mind her; shocked murmurs rippled through rabble, pointed stares and frightened gestures all aimed at her.

"A Hunter assaulted me! She used spellcraft on me!" O'Rourke shrieked. While terrified he smiled almost manically, laughing as he pulled against his bindings. "You'll rot for this, Schnee! You're finished!"

O'Rourke's men began to try and chip away at the ice with sheathed blades while the city guard, finally deciding to earn their pay, began to move. Weiss took a half-step back before raising her hands as they approached, swallowing and biting her tongue. An older man with a scraggly blonde beard approached her cautiously, hand on his sword.

"Miss, please stand down. Don't m-make this harder than it has to be."

Weiss paled, having half a mind to run as the Kanin had. Where would she go? She lived in the city, she was obviously a Hunter. There was no escaping unless she fled from the city itself and then her crime would only become direr. Submitting, she lowered her hands and bit her lip as she watched the guard take out heavy rope in place of proper shackles.

"Just a moment! I say wait just a moment!"

A mess of wild green hair bobbed and a disheveled, Weiss was certain on purpose, lanky man rushed out of the throngs of bystanders. He fixed the spectacles threatening to slip off his nose and waved his hands frantically to the guard.

"Oobleck?" she asked, baffled.

"Just a moment, good sir! Please, allow the Church to handle this." Oobleck approached Weiss and frowned, looking between O'Rourke and her. "Matters of magic are our specialty after all, I think it best that we see to her discipline."

While technically true that didn't satisfy all parties involved. Namely a certain noble-turned-ice statue. O'Rourke sputtered, taking a brief moment to snap at his guards before scowling at Oobleck. "She's assaulted a member of the nobility! I think the city guard is more than suited to make an arrest!"

"Oh? And what if she decides to try and flee? Or use magic? Can you men fight against a Magi?" The city guards blanched and looked away. The older man, rope still in hand, pursed his lips and drew back. "The Church specializes in containing and handling Magi. I assure you that she'll be punished for her transgression, Sir O'Rourke, but I cannot assure you her cooperation if you leave this in the hands of the city's sentries."

Would she attack the city guard? Of course not! She wasn't some belligerent, violent criminal who flung spells on a whim. Then again Weiss never considered herself, for all O'Rourke's jibing and taunts, the kind of person who might unleash magic on a civilian. He was pompous, insufferable, ignorant and dreadful in every manner possible, but O'Rourke was still a civilian.

Oobleck's proposal sat well with the guard, none of whom were over keen to try and subdue an agitated Magi. O'Rourke wanted to protest and nearly did, finally accepting the senior Hunter's proposal with a firm nod.

"Very well, but I expect it to be harsh! She assaulted me, after all! I may have injuries after this!"

"Of course, sir. You can expect that the Church will see Weiss Schnee is properly dealt with, you have my word."

Cringing hearing her full name used, like a child called by their irate parents after finding sweets missing, Weiss bit the inside of her cheek. Her nails dug into her palms and she shuffled her feet helplessly, fully at the mercy of whatever Oobleck had in mind. Running was still an option but she wasn't going to dig the hole any deeper than it already was. She might still retain her status as a Hunter after this debacle. Might.

Oobleck gestured for her to follow and she did so without a moment's hesitation. Guards and common folk alike moved aside, giving wide berth to the dangerous young woman. Heat crept up her ears and Weiss refused to look back as O'Rourke shouted after her, laughing even as he remained trapped in ice.

She'd helped the Kanin, sure, but at what cost? A hand went up to the Hunter's Mark on her neck and she winced, dropping her hand to her side and closing her eyes. It was her own doing, this mess, and now it was time to pay the price.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Weiss wished the city guard had taken her away instead.

Oobleck had marched her directly to the Cathedral with not a single word passing between the two of them. She passed by a handful of familiar faces, member of the clergy and other Hunters coming from business elsewhere. Looks of pity, curiosity, and amusement were among the many expressions she was given as she was herded along, bound by nothing besides her guilty and sense of duty.

The ride in the lift had been stifling and Weiss desperately wanted to ask what punishment awaited her. They had paused for a brief time at the main entrance for Oobleck to send word to Ozpin. No doubt by now he and Goodwitch would be waiting for her. The mere thought of Goodwitch's ire was enough to make her shiver, chasing goosebumps away by rubbing her arm.

Doors parted, and the lift jolted to a gentle halt. As expected they were greeted by an empty corridor, the desk along the left wall devoid of its occupant. Oobleck placed a hand on her back and gently urged her ahead, falling in line behind her. Weiss folded her hands behind her and gripped her wrist to try and stop the shaking, lips twitching as words formed and died instantly upon them.

"Ozpin?" Oobleck knocked on the heavy doors, the sound like thunder to Weiss' strained ears. "I've brought Miss Schnee. May we come in?"

A muffled reply came and Oobleck threw wide the doors, stepping around Weiss and moving to the desk where the Archbishop sat. Goodwitch already stood at Ozpin's side, the austere woman glowering behind her thin-rimmed spectacles, a look that could set Weiss alight in an instant. Port, a stout man with a mustache that resembled more a squirrel's tail than facial hair, stood on the opposite end, arms laid across his barrel chest.

"Weiss, please, come in. Take a seat if you would."

A lone chair stood before the gathered instructors, and with little choice otherwise Weiss took it. Planting her feet square and laying her hands in her lap she tried to look up and meet their gazes only to hastily avert her eyes. Goodwitch was angry, the others, concerned. Ozpin seemed caught somewhere between disappointment and disbelief. She'd rather they all be angry, that would be easier.

"I trust you understand why you're here?" Ozpin asked. Weiss nodded. This tribunal, this executioner's panel, it was the end of her career as a Hunter? Not even a week old and already she felt like her future was being taken from her.

"Could you explain yourself?" The Archbishop kept his tone neutral, even smiling gently when she managed the nerve to look at him. "I'd like to hear your side of the story, if you would."

Nodding again and rubbing her thighs nervously Weiss took a deep breath and began to rub the sole of her boot against the floor. "O'Rourke harassed a performer, sir. He threatened to attack her and insulted her. I… I stepped in to prevent him from assaulting her."

"Which is not the job of a Hunter, young lady," Goodwitch reprimanded. "The local guard is responsible for -"

"Glynda, please." The stern-faced woman went silent, sighing and adjusting her spectacles. Ozpin, lowering his hand onto the desk once more, smiled again. "Continue, if you would."

Weiss fidgeted in place and glanced at the instructor's expectant faces. As if she had any way of avoiding this. "We argued for a brief few moments and I… May have said something to incense him." A few 'somethings', but they didn't need to know that. "He approached and looked poised to attack us, so I reacted."

"I see." Ozpin let silence settle, each passing second adding to Weiss' growing anxiety. Just when she thought she might speak out and ask for an elaboration the Archbishop spoke again.

"And why, pray tell, did you see fit to use magic against him? From what I understand, Sir O'Rourke is neither a swordsman nor a Magi. At best he'd have had a cane with him."

Her immediate answer clogged her throat and was replaced by a useless shrug. Why? Because she'd seen something that wasn't there, something she'd thought hadn't stayed with her, and she'd panicked. Things were already bad enough without admitting she'd had a moment of weakness and attacked out of fear. Not of O'Rourke. Weiss couldn't fear something less if she tried. No, she'd feared what she _thought_ he was in that fleeting moment. What she thought she'd seen.

"I didn't have a weapon on me, sir." Weiss swallowed, her voice thick and wavering. Her hands balled into fists in her lap and she took a deep breath. "If I'd had my weapon then I'd have blocked him or parried and taken the cane. Left with no other recourse…"

"You sought to prevent his attack without causing undue harm? Is that it?"

"Yes sir."

Aside from mild discomfort, and no small amount of damage to his pride, O'Rourke wouldn't be injured by the ice. Her spell had wrapped around his body, coiling itself as a snake might its prey, and stopped his attack mid-swing. Considering the other spells at her disposal it was the best option and, Weiss liked to think, showed that even in her lapse in judgement she had enough sense not to kill the man.

Ozpin removed his spectacles and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Weiss noticed bags under his eyes, frowning as she wondered why he'd suffered a lack of sleep. They hadn't been there before, she was certain of it.

"Weiss," the Archbishop began, settling down his eyewear and folding his hands on the desk. "Humor me for a moment, won't you? I know you know the answer to this question but please, if you would. Why is it that Hunters are restricted from enforcing common law?"

"B-Because… Sir, because our magic and martial prowess makes us dangerous." Weiss' lips trembled, and she took a deep, uneven breath. "And because the crown forbids it."

Ozpin shifted in his chair and nodded. "Precisely. A Magi on their own is dangerous. Anyone with magic can easily kill even the most seasoned guard or soldier with a single spell. As such, restrictions must be put in place. Magic cannot be used to enforce common law, nor can a Magi or Hunter act in place of local authority. We are primarily slayers of Grimm, and in rare cases, of rogue Magi."

"Such violations often lead to imprisonment, or revoking one's status as a Hunter completely," Goodwitch added. The woman stepped from behind the desk and slammed her palm on top of it, making Weiss jump. "Some have even been branded as rogues for attacking nobility before, Miss Schnee."

Weiss whimpered, eyes wide as she trembled in her seat. Ozpin sighed and waved Glynda down again before standing himself. "Weiss, we are not saying you shall be branded as a rogue, or even that you'll no longer continue to be a Hunter."

"I'm simply making sure she recognizes the severity of the crime she's committed," Goodwitch responded.

"By scaring the poor girl? She's terrified, Glynda!" Port bellowed. "You're acting as though we're about to lead her to the gallows!"

"She assaulted a nobleman, Peter! And you're protecting her? If she doesn't learn from this then she might do it again!"

"I sincerely doubt Miss Schnee will repeat the same mistake twice," Ozpin interjected. Port and Glynda both went silent while Oobleck adjusted his tie nervously. "From what I understand O'Rourke rather deserves a bit of humility, but that is neither our duty nor our place to administer such."

Weiss, having found her voice again, lifted her head before shaking it. "He a-assaulted a young woman, sir. What was I supposed to do? The guards weren't going to stop him!"

Ozpin held a hand up. "I am not defending his actions, nor am I excusing his behavior. However, there are rules, Weiss, and like it or not we are bound by them. Without our tenants we are little more than tyrants lording their power over the masses. I cannot say that any of us might have acted any differently in your position." He smiled. "Indeed, as I understand it our esteemed friend here nearly intervened himself."

Oobleck flushed slightly, adjusting his glasses and clearing his throat. "I merely had the mind of shouting at the man to scare him off. I often find people like him flee once confronted with authority."

Authority, or a group of like-minded Hunters. Weiss smiled tentatively at her memory of her friends, savoring O'Rourke's utter indignation. Her smile vanished as soon as Ozpin began to speak again.

"What we would _like_ to do and what we _can_ do are often two very different things, my friends. As difficult as it may be to be a bystander at times, intervening and flaunting magic can be just as harmful. What does the populace think if a Hunter begins to use spells to subdue anyone who remotely disagrees with them? Anyone who speaks ill of the Church?"

"No one does such a thing," Weiss protested.

"Hypotheticals, my dear," Port said patiently. "What the Archbishop means to say is it can only take a single display to disrupt the people's faith in the Church. If they come to fear the people meant to protect them then we've caused irreparable damage."

"Not to mention the harm that might come to our funding," Goodwitch added with a sour grimace. She groaned and rubbed at her forehead. "I shudder to think what the fallout of this might be. If nobles begin pulling their support…"

She hadn't even considered that. In the moment all Weiss thought about was stopping O'Rourke, and shamefully, humiliating him in the process. If she'd stopped to think about what might come of it perhaps she wouldn't have acted as she did. Then again, given her… What would she call it? Flash? Panic? Hallucination? Whatever it was she'd acted more on that than out of any actual need.

If the Church lost funding or support of even a sliver of the population then that would be on her shoulders. Any angry nobility who wanted to get to her would go through Ozpin, which in turn would likely mean all their fury and disdain would be levied on him instead. Or her, if they were given the chance.

"Weiss, I would like to make something abundantly clear before we proceed." Weiss looked up and blinked in surprise finding Ozpin standing before her. When had he come around? Realizing he was waiting for an answer she nodded dumbly, folding her hands tight as he sat on his desk.

"Whatever might come of this we do not blame you. What you did, morally speaking, is sound. None of us fault for you that." The Archbishop released a long sigh. "However, rules are rules, and some discipline must be administered as a result. Fortunately, as it so happens, I have just the thing for you. Though I'm afraid your day is about to get markedly worse for it." What did he mean? Weiss' furrowed her brow, lips tugging downward. "Qrow? If you'd please."

Qrow sighed and pushed himself off the wall by the door. Weiss watched the man haggardly move across the room, his gait slow and unhurried. An open flask in his hand sloshed about and he stopped by one of Ozpin's bookcases, propping himself against it and taking a long drink. Had he been there this whole time? Weiss' eyes skimmed over his dirtied clothing, his untucked tunic, stained with dirt and sweat, and the torn, battered red cloak hanging off his shoulders. He looked like he'd just been through hell, as the fresh cuts on his face and arms might attest.

"Qrow, would you like me to explain?" Ozpin asked gently, though with urgency.

"Nah, I got it, I got it. Just gimme a sec."

Weiss watched as Qrow finished his flask, shaking it upside down and scowling. He nearly threw the container away before thinking better of it and stuffing the empty metal away in his shirt. "Do you know where Ruby is, kid? Seen her at all lately?"

The question made her pause and consider for a moment. "No…?" Weiss drummed her fingers on her thigh as she thought. "I saw her last night when we all went out to eat, but I haven't seen her today."

"Yeah, well no one has. Not me, not any of the instructors, and all your little friends are gone too, so can't ask any of them either." Qrow huffed and scratched at the stubble along his chin. "Guards haven't seen her, neither has that Monty guy you all usually go to. None of her usual stops have seen a trace of her since yesterday."

"What…?" She'd heard Qrow loud and clear but asked more out of disbelief. "She's probably just, I don't know… Exploring the city?" Weiss offered hopefully.

"None of the gates have noticed a girl matching her description, and Qrow has searched the city since early this morning for any trace of her," Glynda explained.

"The woods outside the walls too, and the nearby farms, and even the slums." Qrow growled and slammed his fist against the bookshelf, rattling it and causing a few books to tumble loose. "I swear if she went off looking when Tai and I told her not to…"

Ozpin picked up on Weiss' confusion and offered an explanation. "Miss Rose believes she may have seen someone she knows. Or to be more accurate, knew," he amended. "Despite assurances from her father and uncle both we believe that she may have left the city in her efforts to track down this person."

"She's chasin' ghosts is what she's doing!" Qrow barked angrily. "We told her she's gone a hundred times now and she won't listen!"

"Many of us have trouble dealing with loss, Qrow," Ozpin said calmly. "In moments of stress or desperation we might see things which do not exist. Our minds are wont to play tricks on us at the most inopportune times." His eyes met Weiss' and for a fleeting moment she dared wonder if he somehow knew what she'd seen earlier.

"Musings aside, we have an idea of where she might be heading. Which brings us back to yourself, Weiss." Ozpin leaned forward, hands folded and elbows on his knees. "Now, I understand that this time is generally meant for Hunters such as yourself to rest and relax. Given the circumstances however, and the outcry that is doubtless to come, I believe it would be prudent that you be excused from your leave and sent elsewhere for the time being."

Weiss connected the dots easily enough and raised her eyebrows. "You want me to go and find Ruby? Is that it?" She'd go without any explicit instructions even if it meant leaving the city without permission. It was convenient then that she might have a formal excuse, if only to avoid further disciplinary action.

"Precisely. While Qrow could search further I'm afraid his talents are needed elsewhere. And, as miss Rose's partner, I believe it appropriate that you seek her out regardless." Weiss nodded firmly, already set on whatever was needed of her. "As I said before, we believe we know where she is going. Given that she has at least half a day's lead on you, and her magic, it's likely you won't beat her there. However, we can offer you some assistance in your travels."

"The nobility will see the mission as punishment, being forced to travel and fight, potentially," Glynda added seeing Weiss' surprise. "It's a remarkably light and forgiving sentence given the severity of your actions."

"One which Glynda herself was the first to voice support for," Port pointed out with a snorting laugh. The blonde instructor flushed and narrowed her eyes at the white-haired bush of a man.

"Getting back to task, we would have you leave immediately. As I'm well aware that you are without a weapon still you shall be provided one from the armory, as well as a small amount of Lien to help with whatever supplies you might need."

"Consider it done, sir. I'll leave right now if that's all." Weiss was already halfway out of her chair before Ozpin motioned for her to sit.

"A moment longer, then you're dismissed." Weiss sat again and Ozpin looked past her towards the doors. "I've taken the liberty of granting you a temporary partner for this task. While we don't anticipate any hostility one can never be too sure."

"Understood, sir. And where might I be heading?"

"Holbrook. We have reason to believe that either in that town or one adjacent miss Rose encountered someone she thought she knew and has since sought to return to confirm her suspicions. As such we'll be sending you back to attempt and track her down."

Weiss felt a twinge of fear and stifled it, nodding emphatically. "Understood! Though… Who is my partner?" All of her friends were away with other business and other Hunters, while present, likely had their own missions. Could it be an initiate? Possible, though she loathed to think of having to babysit someone during her search.

"Please, come in," Ozpin called, and for a moment Weiss wasn't sure to whom he spoke. The doors to his office swung open and Weiss turned, eyes widening seeing the newcomer.

The outfit was jarringly familiar, black upon black and seemingly much too heavy for Vale's impending summer months. A black scarf, though it covered most of the woman's neck, allowed just a bit of a red mark on her neck to show through. Weiss strained her vision and gasped audibly recognizing it as the Hunter's Mark, standing and nearly knocking her chair over.

"You!"

Blake's thin eyebrows rose imperceptibly, arms dropping from her chest to her sides. She met Weiss' shocked gaze with a frown, amber eyes narrowing. "You…"

Behind her Ozpin chuckled, clapping his hands together and breaking their stare down. "As I understand you two are acquainted. That's good. I know that you have a tumultuous history together..." That was a nice way of saying they had tried to kill one another. "But you are both Hunters now, and as such I expect you to cooperate in this endeavor."

Weiss sputtered, then pointed at Blake while staring in disbelief at Ozpin. "She's a Hunter? She's a criminal!"

"So are you, technically," Qrow pointed out.

"You are both absolved of any misdeeds, provided you cooperate and see to your assigned task," Ozpin interjected. "Do I trust that you two can at least pretend to get along? I'm well aware of how uncomfortable this must be but given the suddenness of everything there wasn't any time to look elsewhere."

Weiss and Blake went back to glaring at one another. Work with a member of the White Fang? The Conglomerate, obnoxious as they might be for interrupting the most important day of her life, she had no issue with. A group of murderers and thieves was another thing. True to Ozpin's word however Blake did bear the mark, and her presence in of itself was proof enough of her changed allegiance. It was asinine to expect her to work with such a person, but then perhaps it was asinine to get away with assault without any real punishment too.

Both women turned to Ozpin and nodded, then promptly returned to staring at one another. The Archbishop smiled, a single bead of sweat rolling down his temple.

"This is going to go swimmingly…"

* * *

 **Just to reiterate something said in this chapter: Hunters aren't allowed to act as guards. Are there some guards who have magic? Sure, but they're not supposed to use it. Made an effort in this chapter, more so than others, to illustrate how other people in the world view magic. It's a wonderful tool against Grimm, sure, but it's also something that could be seriously dangerous if not regulated. Obviously.**

 **Where oh where has Ruby gone, where oh where can she be?**

 **She's 100% at a bakery getting cookies. They'll scour all of Remnant for her and find she hadn't left the city after all. Nope, just eaten herself into a cookie-induced coma!**

 **Thanks for reading, friends! Feedback is appreciate, but not required. Though there may or may not be a sticker in it for you if you do leave some ;)**


	22. Chapter 22: Frenemies

**"A Wednesday chapter?! You're insane!"**

 **No, I'm Gambol. And also busy, so chapters come out when they're darn well ready. Thank you for your input though, disembodied voice!**

 **Silliness aside I think it's safe to say that chapters won't be coming out on a regularly scheduled basis now. I'll do my absolute best to never let more than two weeks lapse between entries though! Life's busy once again and hobbies, unfortunately, take a back seat for now.**

 **With all of THAT out of the way, enjoy!**

* * *

Vale's city gates closed with a muffled thud, heavy wooden beams coming to rest in ruts, well-worn into the packed dirt from years of punishment, packed hard as cast stone bricks. Behind them the city walls worse up, stretching into the pitched darkness of a cloudy night sky, continuing for an indeterminate length. To Weiss' inhibited vision the walls were never-ending, although her rational mind knew it to be otherwise.

As she and Blake trudged along down the central road bereft of carriage or steed Weiss let out a shallow, displeased sigh.

She'd left the city many times before but never in the manner she was now. Late in the evening to avoid the prying, vengeful eyes of a passing nobleman. Word of her assault on O'Rourke had filled the city with an excited chattering more befitting of the long dining tables within the Cathedral's quarters, a fervor she was used to seeing from over-excited initiates, not masses of tradesmen, nobility, and even the guards. Sparse as the streets were during their solitary trek to the gates she had heard it uttered plenty.

" _A Hunter attacked a nobleman; can you believe it? I bet he had it coming!"_ A cherry-faced tanner with an arm slung over his apprentice's shoulder barked with laughter. " _Would 'ave paid good money ta see it!"_ he'd roared. _I bet the bloke near shat himself!"_

 _"Hear that 'Rourke bugger got 'imself frozen? Good riddance! Bastard's run lot of me friends out of business!"_

 _"And he attacked a young girl!"_ An indignant woman stood in the shadow of a stall spoke to her friend, shielding their mouths but not bothering to lower their voices. _"How he gets off without any punishment is beyond me!"_

There was, unsurprisingly, a clear divide of opinion about what had happened: fellow nobility and aristocracy called for her head, demanding swift, disparate punishment for the crime. Common folk and even the guard reveled in what she'd done, caring less for who she was and more for having one of the city's "bumbling fat-purses" as one guard called him, taken down a notch.

Weiss huffed and stared up at the night sky, clouds stubbornly depriving her the light of the moon or even that of the stars. Her thin cloak, dark green and making her all but invisible, fluttered behind her at the slightest of breezes, the sparse material barely making a sound.

Some loved her, others reviled her for what she'd done. Ultimately it didn't matter: the nobles had made their displeasure known and Ozpin had provided her a choice: remain in the city and face their ire or go forth on a mission, days removed from her graduation, with a woman who had not even a week removed tried to kill her. Were Ruby not involved she'd have taken her chances with the nobility instead.

Blake, at least this early into their journey, was not altogether unpleasant company. Distressingly silent in comparison to Ruby's overtly excitable behavior, and leagues tamer than Nora's bombastic behavior, the Meera hadn't spoken a word since leaving the Cathedral's grounds. In the early hours of the moonless night they left, accompanied only by two Hunters, then left on their own at the gates.

The other woman, Weiss had decided, was not to be trusted. Her changing of allegiances came too easily, nothing that a Hunter's Mark could convince her of. What game was she playing at? A spy for the White Fang?

Blake's ears twitched, and Weiss strained her own to try and pick up whatever slight sound the Meera heard. Insects chirped around them and bats overhead squeaked, for a lack of a better descriptor, feasting on the swarms along the city's fields. Her own hearing was better than a Muran's yet evidently worse than a Meera's. Frustrating, that, as she'd have to rely on Blake for an early alarm.

Amber eyes stared a hole through her before Weiss realized the ravenette was looking her way. Indignant despite being the one staring first she frowned, looking straight ahead and pulling her hood tighter to hide her face. "What? What do you want?"

"Plenty," came a dry, humorless reply. Weiss looked again and found Blake smirking at her. "For starters though maybe, you could walk a little less heavy-footed?"

"Less… Are you suggesting I walk like a clod?!"

"No, I'm saying you stomp when you walk."

Weiss narrowed her eyes and focused on the bleak road stretching out before them. Blake was just trying to get a rise out of her, attempting to get under her skin. Her boot slammed into the ground, a small stone digging into the sole, and Weiss scowled before kicking it aside. It skipped along before tumbling off and coming to rest in a ditch.

They continued in silence for a moment longer and Weiss, sheepishly, realized Blake hadn't been wrong. She'd felt wronged and agitated, unfairly punished for recent events, but had thought she'd kept her distress well hidden. Only after hearing what amounted to a horse's hooves slamming into the dirt did she realize she'd been storming along the entire time, her legs immediately grateful as she eased up on the weight of her steps.

Blake snorted and shook her head. "Better. I'd wondered if you'd even noticed."

"Oh, I'm sorry, is my being upset at being made to work with a murderer bothering you?"

"Not as much as my being forced to work with a prissy little bitch."

Aghast, and admittedly taken aback, Weiss stopped while Blake continued to stalk ahead. Her hands clenched, and she stormed after the woman, gritting her teeth and reaching out to grab Blake's shoulder. Her wrist was caught and the Meera whirled around on her, pulling her arm down and Weiss in so they stood inches apart.

"Need something, princess…?" Blake whispered, tightening her grip on Weiss' wrist. Refusing to give the woman any satisfaction she bit back a whimper and sneered, defiant.

"Put on your hood, we can't risk being recognized. Or rather, _you_ can't."

The Meera scoffed, releasing her hold and stepping away. Rather than do as asked she shook her head. "Grimm could be about, and certainly will the further we get from the wards." Weiss began to walk again as Blake did, holding and rolling her wrist. "I have no plans on being snuck up on, nor do I trust you to be able to notice anything."

 _Or to tell me._ The words might have gone unspoken, but Blake's tone suggested as much. They were working together, yes, but not by choice or desire. Weiss had been forced to leave and Blake… Blake was still an uncertainty to her. If so openly antagonistic why agree to work with Weiss?

Pained as it made her to do so Weiss hung her head, closed her eyes briefly and let out a frustrated huff. "I… Apologize for how I was walking. I hadn't realized I was being so loud."

"Hm…" Blake's ears swiveled, and she glanced towards one of the fields, amber eyes glowing in the dark. Her hand moved towards the chains on her hip and she let it drop when a bird flew out from the rutted ground. "You people rarely do realize when you're bothering others."

"Excuse you? And what exactly have I done?!" Weiss balked. "I've barely spoken to you until now!"

"If you have to ask…" the Meera glanced back with a frown. "Then forget it."

Frustrated, and with no desire to spend the evening bickering, Weiss threw her hands up and decided to follow at a distance instead. It had taken three days by horseback to reach Holbrook originally. It had been at a leisurely pace, granted, and they had stopped frequently to gather news and rest. The request hadn't seemed urgent enough to warrant spurring the horses into a gallop and neither she nor Ruby had any desire to arrive, thighs chafe and limbs and back aching from a rough ride.

Still, those three days had been at a quicker pace than theirs was now, and they had no means of moving faster. They could run, sure, but that would only leave them winded and scarcely any closer than before. So, they walked, moving as casually as a couple out for a midnight stroll, with all the haste of a laborer making their way to the mill, reluctance impeding their steps.

Farmhouses stood as blotches against a dim sky, hardly discernible against the backdrop of black. Trees rose up like bars of black iron and formed cages, groves becoming inescapable prisons. Weiss shivered as a cooler breeze rumbled down the road, turning her head and coughing as dust kicked up and tickled her nose. Blake made a sound to clear her nose and Weiss wondered if her sense of smell might be greater as well.

An hour into their walking - or what Weiss assumed to be any hour, for telling time was impossible, she'd come to realize two important things. The first, more mundane realization, was that she was growing terribly bored. In the moment when Ruby prattled on about all things unimportant and whimsical she couldn't care less. Now that she was with Blake however, a woman who spoke as sparingly as possible, she rather missed the inane prattle. All the more reason to find her partner then.

As Blake stopped and held up a hand Weiss waited. The Meera, not for the first time tonight, moved towards the edge of the road. She crouched and stared out over the fields, tilled land having given way to unkempt grass a long time ago. While Blake stared out at the sea of green Weiss chose to watch her instead, observing how her ears continued to swivel, eyes unblinking as they watched some unseen entity.

Her second realization was she knew remarkably little of Meera and their abilities, or habits, or… Anything really. It was sheer idiocy to assume that every person, of every race and creed, behaved the same way, believed in the same thing. Yet despite confrontations like O'Rourke's and hers the day before the city was a largely homogenous place with people of every kind living in relative coexistence. There were clear divides to be sure and an obvious social hierarchy favoring Murans, but people seemed to be largely civil, kept to themselves and rarely caused a fuss. As such many went by unnoticed, just another face in a crowd. Weiss had never, or if she had it had been rarely, given much thought to each and every person's life.

Blake stood again and shook her head before moving along without a word edgewise, neither explaining herself nor offering Weiss any. That was fine by her as every exchange they seemed to have inevitably led to an argument. Besides, it left her with her own thoughts a while longer.

What did she know about Blake? The woman belonged to the White Fang. Ozpin assured her that had changed but she was skeptical. To change one's allegiances so willingly hardly bespoke trustworthiness, which suggested one of two things: Blake was capricious beyond belief or something had happened that was so convincing, so unprecedented, that she'd willingly switched.

Weiss was loath to believe the latter, leaving her with only skepticism and doubt. That mindset didn't lend itself well to her other assumptions either. Blake used shadows to fight, hiding in Adam's until called upon. Despite their arguments then she didn't enjoy confrontation, or preferred subterfuge to directness. Fine, if it didn't make Weiss the slightest bit paranoid about going to sleep later.

The woman fought with an odd weapon combination; a sickle and chain were more tools of a farmer than the weapon of a trained killer, and that was indeed what Blake was. Weiss' assumptions told her Blake had killed plenty of times before, no doubt relishing in any chance to deal the Church and nobility a blow. While she could almost entertain the latter, the former was inexcusable. Nobles were selfish, whimsical, and at the best of times, seedy. Lord Bisset might have been generous but she didn't grant him any exemptions.

The Church and, by extension, its Hunters, worked for everyone's safety. There were a few bad apples to be certain, but the overall body of work spoke for itself. Remnant would be doomed without the Church. Without people like herself working tirelessly to hold back Grimm, Weiss mused with a growing sense of pride and perturbation both. They were the shield for society against an endless, vicious force. The White Fang sought to splinter that shield and throw Remnant into chaos.

Blake glanced back, and Weiss again looked away, having been staring at the back of the Meera's head as her anger grew. She was supposed to believe that a woman who had pledged herself to a cause so abhorrently malicious, so callously disregarding of everyone's safety, could be won over so easily? Bah. She'd sooner believe Pyrrha had a fear of combat, or Nora's giddiness was put upon and as false as Bisset's goodwill.

"Problem…?" Blake's question spurned further musing and Weiss looked up with a frown.

"None at all," she answered coolly, shivering again as a cold wind ruffled her tunic. "Just enjoying this wonderfully bleak night."

The Meera smirked, shrugging before drawing her waterskin from her belt. "I like it. Its peaceful."

Weiss knew nothing about the Meera, and as her 'partner' took a right at the fork in the road, paying no heed whether Weiss saw the sign and followed her, she decided regardless that she intensely disliked Blake. She was up to something with this, the only question was what. And whether Weiss could do anything to stop whatever Blake had planned.

/+/+/+/+/+/+/

By the time the moonlight was little more than bleak residue upon Remnant and the sun, shy as a timid, blooming boy around young maidens crept over the horizon, Weiss and Blake had arrived at their stop. From the main road and following a worn, illegible sign they veered into a side path, weaving through trees and brush as a snake through tall grass. Wide enough for two carriages and relatively kept it was clearly leading somewhere well-traveled, otherwise no one would bother to maintain the route.

Weiss could have almost cried out in joy when she saw an inn through the trees. With the rising sun behind it, rays splashing out behind the building, it looked like the gods themselves had presented her and Blake with the residence. Trees had been cut away ages ago, sparse stumps remaining, many with stools sat around and refurbished as makeshift tables. Dirt turned to gravel as a narrow path led from the main road to the front door, hidden just beneath the shadow of an awning. Several oil lamp posts stood and marked the makeshift walkway, lights losing life steadily, flickering in the waking hours of the morning.

Unsurprisingly, there had been no one up and about when they stumbled into the inn, feet aching and bodies weighed heavily by fatigue, stomachs growling from hunger. Despite the latter neither Hunter took up the owner's offer to prepare a meal and instead asked after beds, keen to be off their feet.

He was a little man and Weiss couldn't help but compare him to the dwarves in so many stories Ruby enjoyed reading. A long mane of red hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, a bushy beard, and frayed, slightly oversized brown quilted vest sat snug across his broad chest, a stained white shirt beneath. Short black legs in brown beige trousers hurried him along as he led them across the room to a staircase that disappeared into the dim light above.

Weiss scarcely remembered reaching their room, too tired to even voice a complaint about sharing a room with a killer. There had been some exchange made of Lien, and if the man had asked for all her life savings she'd likely have given it without realizing. Once they had paid and settled Weiss kicked off her boots, nursed her aching feet, then threw herself onto the bed.

Blankets still reeking of soap greeted her, a rough yet pliable straw mattress caving beneath her meager weight. She buried her face into a downy pillow and sighed, in sheer bliss. A cursory glance across the room showed her Blake wasn't much different, taking her jacket off as well as her boots, though curiously she kept her scarf on, wrapping it tightly around her neck before turning in bed, her back to Weiss.

Drowsiness hung from her eyelids and dragged them down, refusing to let go once her eyes had closed. Weiss sighed again and relaxed in bed, as if the action somehow relieved the tension in her calves, the aching soles of her feet, or stifled the incessant, faint gnaw of hunger in her stomach. Birds had just begun to fill the morning air by the time she fell asleep, filling the air with a wonderfully languid tune.

/+/+/+/+/+/+/

Harsh rays burned holes through her eyelids and Weiss cursed venomously. Her fingers provided little help and after it became apparent that the world wanted her to wake she rolled onto her back, groaning as she stretched out her limbs, popping her back in the process. A shrill yawn rattled away the last vestiges of her slumber and her eyes drifted open begrudgingly, narrowing as she came to stare at the stained ceiling of the inn.

 _I'm… Indoors…? Since when?_ Her mind filled with muddled memories and she groaned, nursing her face in her cold hands and rubbing away lingering fatigue as much as she could. In something of a stupor, she and Blake had traveled through the night, determined not to sleep outdoors if they could help it. Weiss swung her legs over the edge of the bed, stretching once more before looking around the room.

She was grateful for it, she supposed, although waking up with hardly any knowledge of how you came to be there was a little unsettling. Weiss' brow knit, and she frowned when she finally noticed the bed opposite her own was not only made but empty as well. No belongings sat upon the nightstand and if she didn't know any better she'd assume she'd come into the room alone.

After inspecting her feet for blisters and massaging them for a moment she slipped her boots back on, searching the room for her own possessions. Her satchel and Lien were still bound at her hip, having left an indentation in her pale skin from sleeping on it all night. Weiss absently rubbed away the red marks as she found her weapon, a training rapier of moderate make, laid across her own nightstand. Having not undressed for bed she didn't quite need to search for her clothes, and her bag, mercifully, rested just at the foot of her bed. A quick search of its contents revealed nothing had been taken. A map of the kingdom remained rolled up by twine, a small, wax-paper package bound by string with dried meats waited patiently to be consumed. Weiss reached in and grabbed a pair of vials, green liquid sloshing about silently. With luck she'd not need the salves on the trip, though better to have them and not need them.

Weiss tucked her meager goods away and slung her bag over her shoulder. "Now the only thing I'm missing is Blake…" Huffing, she checked once more to be certain nothing was left behind before leaving the room. A narrow hall with a dozen doors opened before her. To her right it ended, a single window letting sunlight flood in. Beneath it a vase, green and yellow painted, held aloft a red hibiscus flower in full bloom.

She took the stairs down, boards creaking as she went. Before she'd made the turn at the first landing she could already just begin to make out voices. One was Blake's, thankfully, and the other she scarcely recognized as the innkeepers. The man laughed gruffly, and she swore she heard Blake laugh too, the sound alien to her. Another woman's voice joined in, making Weiss tilt her head as she descended. One of the barmaids perhaps?

To Weiss' surprise the inn, despite having the capacity for several dozen, was nearly empty. One table in the far end of the main hall held a group of three, a merchant in finery accompanied by two guards. Another hosted a young man and an older man, their dirt-stained, shabby clothing and tanned skin painting them to be farmers. Besides the table where Blake sat they were the only patrons, speaking in more muted tones than her partner.

"'Tis true! I swear on my late mother's name; the lad didn't know his ups from his downs!" The innkeeper bellowed, booming laughter shaking him, hands on his rotund belly. Weiss kept a respectful distance and smiled politely, her eyes wandering briefly to the twin black horns that curled out from his forehead.

"You should stop serving them, you know," Blake chided, a playful smile showing she meant no ill. Amber eyes snapped to Weiss and her smile waned slightly.

"Ah, but why would I? Men with a little ale in their belly are more willing to part with Lien!" The Toro grinned unapologetically. "Who am I to say no then? Let them drink I say! Hah! Let them enjoy the night and line my coffers! Is not my fault that they are too quick to drink, and quicker still to let loose their coin!"

The trio laughed again, and Weiss shuffled purposefully, clearing her throat. Blake settled down and finally looked at her, merriment vanishing as she frowned at Weiss. Looking as thrilled as someone finding a beetle in their bed she frowned, sitting back from the table and taking a drink of her mug.

"Did we wake you, girl? Apologies!" Weiss smiled politely at the Toro and shook her head.

"I overslept, so I should be thanking you, actually."

"That right? Good then! Because I had no plans to stop!" Laughing again the Toro slapped his hand on the table and Weiss rolled her eyes. How could anyone be so energetic this early in the morning? It was absurd, heretical even. What was this man on anyways?

Thankfully his employee had a little more tact and rose from her seat, smoothing out her gray, rough spun tunic and approaching Weiss. While the Canis wasn't exactly smiling at her she looked… Curious? Weiss opted to maintain her own smile and had begun to greet the girl when she was sniffed, gasping and leaning away defensively.

"Wh-what are you doing?! Stop that!"

The Canis did though only after a moment longer. When she met Weiss' eyes again, one hazel, the other brown, she wrinkled her nose and tilted her head. "You smell like Blake now…" she mused, frowning and tilting her head the opposite way. "Or does Blake smell like you…?"

Unable to follow Weiss lifted her arm and sniffed herself. She did smell a little rank from their travels, though nothing that would be considered offensive. Oh but she was offended, narrowing her eyes at the Canis, hands on her hips. "Is that any way to greet someone? You could do with better manners!"

"You stink," the Canis said with a shrug. "I'm just pointing it out."

Weiss seethed and lifted her hands, unsure what to do besides make a throttling motion that went unnoticed. The Toro sighed and rubbed at his pudgy face, leaving the table to grab the Canis' arm and pull her aside. "Lupa, I told you to stop sniffing the customers. It's rude."

Lupa, stumbling before catching herself, shrugged. "What? She stinks, sir. I'm just telling her she stinks." As casually as she'd insulted her then the Canis looked her over, pursing her lips before pointing behind them, past the tables and to another door leading outside. "There's a bathhouse behind the inn. You should use it."

"I… I will bathe when I am full well and ready to!" Weiss snapped. "And you should listen to your employer, Lupa! You're terribly rude!"

"I apologize for her, miss. She means no ill will." The Toro glared up at his charge and chopped the side of her head with his hand, giving Weiss a satisfying show as Lupa drew back and whimpered. "The girl has about as much sense as a goat, and as much grace as a three-legged mare besides."

Lupa frowned and itched at her cheek. "I'm plenty graceful, I can balance as well as anyone," she argued.

Blake set down her now empty mug and chuckled. "I think what Sebastian means is you are blunt and, well… Rude."

"Oh."

 _Pot, meet kettle._ It was too early for this. Weiss rubbed her eyes tiredly and grumbled to herself before looking down at Sebastian. The red-maned Toro had just finished chopping Lupa a second time and sent her off to the kitchens, dusting his hands on a ratty cloth hung at his belt. "You could do with some better help, sir. Some that aren't quite so…"

"Lupa is fine," Blake interrupted. Weiss glared at the Meera who brushed her off and held her mug up for Sebastian to take. The Toro obliged, seemingly all too thrilled to be away from Weiss as he hurried behind the counter. Exasperated, Weiss moved to the table and sank into a chair.

"You have a very skewed idea of what constitutes 'fine' behavior, then." Weiss sniffed the air before gawking at Blake. "Are you drinking?! It's still morning!"

"Cider, non-fermented," the Meera acknowledged, brushing Weiss aside with a wave of her hand and taking back her mug. Another was placed on the table and Weiss muttered thanks, glancing at the honey-tinted, warm liquid whimsically. "The water here isn't very good," Blake continued after a drink. "Too much clay in the well, right, Sebas?"

"Aye, aye, we're getting it fixed though!"

Across the room the older farmer spit out his drink and grimaced, peering into his mug before slamming it onto the table. Lupa rushed out of the kitchen and began to wipe his table. "Give me some of that cider, you snake! I ain't drinking no dirty water!"

Sebastian excused himself and rushed back behind the counter, filling several mugs as disgruntled patrons shouted across the room. Weiss sighed, elbows propped on the table and her head in her hands. "Blake…" she began, nursing her temples, eyes closed. "Why were you so insistent we come here…?"

"Because it's a den of thieves and murderers?" Tilting her head when Weiss stared, Blake rolled her eyes. "It was a joke."

"Jokes are meant to be funny," Weiss snapped.

Rather than argue Blake sipped her drink, leaving Weiss to stew as she glanced around the room. _Rustic_ was the best word for the inn, whose log walls, worn and colored by age, allowed sunlight to slip through, attenuated by the crudely carved lumber. Everything inside looked handmade - obviously, as how else would anything be crafted? No two chairs were the same, each fashioned no doubt out of whatever wood was handy. The tables were simply flat boards set upon carved logs, the inn favoring functionality over form.

"It's because I know the people here."

Weiss arched an eyebrow at Blake's admission, nodding as she looked after Sebastian. The man darted back and forth, refilling mugs and checking food as it sizzled loudly on slabs of heated stone. She was ashamed of her growling stomach when she caught wafts of seared meat and vegetables, the hint of garlic and sage making her salivate and licked her lips in anticipation.

"That's all?" she asked, looking back at the Meera expectantly. "Just catching up with acquaintances?" Blake offered a simple 'mhmm' and returned to nursing her drink. Realizing she'd not get anything more Weiss exhaled, sampling her own cider and wrinkling her nose at the overbearing tartness.

The back door swung open and Lupa rushed out, tray in hand and several steaming plates on display. The farmers were served, the rowdy merchant, face now rosy and deep into his mugs, waved her over and demanded a plate as well. Lupa delivered, smiling as the man snapped again and demanded something more. The Canis tilted her head and seemed to test the weight of her tray in her hands before lifting it and smacking the merchant over the head.

Weiss gasped, eyes locked on the man as he slumped down into his chair. Neither of his guards moved to defend him and she watched as one even thanked Lupa as the pair lifted the unconscious man out of his seat. They disappeared up the stairs and the older farmer, having been about to make a demand of his own, slinked back into his chair and started his meal in silence.

"She… She assaulted him…"

Blake shrugged. "And? He'll assume he drank too much when he wakes up."

Weiss watched as Lupa went off to the counter with a lackadaisical air, satisfied with herself. Sebastian pat the girl's arm and smiled and for a moment she had to wonder if her assumption about 'killers and thieves' wasn't accurate. "Do the staff here make a habit of assaulting people…?"

"No more than Hunters do, I believe."

Okay, she'd walked right into that one. Weiss huffed and drank, eyes fixating themselves on an interesting knot in the floorboards. It wasn't the most inaccurate accusation, and frankly if given the opportunity she'd gladly turn O'Rourke into a living ice sculpture in a heartbeat. Jealousy wasn't the first thing she thought she'd feel after witnessing an assault but the levity of Lupa's actions, and lack of reprimand thereafter, made Weiss envy the girl.

Lupa smiled as she stopped by their table. Weiss' mouth watered, and she placed a hand over her stomach as it grumbled, eyes trained on the tray. "Sorry for the wait," the Canis said, setting plates down before them, glancing at Blake with a smirk. "Extra for you. Sebastian says it's on the house."

Blake raised a delicate eyebrow and looked over at the squat Toro who watched them with a knowing smile. "That wasn't necessary," she chuckled. "But give him my thanks."

While the barmaid hurried off Weiss folded her arms. "Okay, now I'm curious. How do you know them, and why are they so inclined to give you free food?"

Rather than reply immediately Blake began to slice apart her strips of beef, pushing golden brown pieces through an orange sauce. "They're friends," was her answer.

Weiss acquiesced and nodded, favoring her meal over chasing questions. To Sebastian's credit the food did look exquisite, albeit not as flamboyantly so as what she'd enjoyed with Ironwood the day before. Thin cuts of beef with charred skin mixed with green and red bell pepper, onions, scallions and carrots sizzled in a shallow pool of sauce, flecks of herbs mixed in. Following Blake's example, she blew on the first spoonful and coughed at the sudden spice, glaring through watery eyes when the Meera chuckled at her plight.

Their meal was spent in a comfortable silence as both women took their time, although for different reasons. Just holding the spoon by her nose made Weiss' nostrils burn, her buds ache in anticipation. Blake had no issue with the bite and instead busied herself with a leather bound book she'd brought along, the cover slightly yellowed and stained. Deeming her hunger more important than fleeting curiosity Weiss didn't bother to ask, subjecting herself to the unpleasant yet delicious dish.

One plate of miserable, tangy beef and two mugs of cider later Weiss fanned herself with her hand as beads of sweat evaporated on her skin. She'd assumed partway through that her meal had been spiked with extra spice, a suspicion all but confirmed when Blake smiled knowingly at her. Confound the woman. Next time they stopped for a meal she'd be certain to ask for something dreadful on her behalf. Perhaps snail? That punishment fit the crime nicely.

After the farmer and his farmhand had left the inn fell into a comfortable, if tense, silence between Weiss and Blake. With their destination in mind they'd little to discuss, or so Weiss thought. She had little desire to make small talk with the woman and it appeared the feeling was mutual as the Meera engrossed herself in conversation with Lupa and Sebastian instead. Ill-content to remain a third wheel, Weiss pardoned herself and stepped outside for fresh air.

 _The_ _Dragon and the Knight,_ or so the faded board dangling on bronze chains named it, was every bit as ramshackle as Weiss expected. The building itself, with moss and vines claiming the exterior walls as their home, almost gave the appearance of being abandoned. The windows, while clean, were tinted either by grime or other means and made looking inside impossible without straining, and the lack of smoke rising from the twin chimneys would suggest the place unoccupied.

Weiss took a seat on a bench nestled among a bed of flowers in the shade of a billowing blue spruce. Fresh and brittle needles crunched under her boot as she drove her toes into them, grimacing when her back stuck to planks, sap dripping down from above. Finding a spot, she could comfortably relax Weiss leaned back, closed her eyes, and listened.

Accustomed to Vale's perpetual activity even in later hours the atmosphere out here, so far removed from all that, Weiss found herself antsy. The chipper song of birds was a little too cheerful, too pitched. Leaves rustled with every breeze, every frantic, busy skitter of small critters rushing to find a meal or cover from a would-be predator. Far away, yet close enough to hear a hawk screech, its cry followed by the frantic, pleading squeaks of a rodent before it disappeared into the distance, Weiss wondered if she should be concerned for the rodent or if it was just nature taking its course.

Sometimes things just happened. There was no rhyme or reason to nature, it simply was. Animals were wont to do whatever their instincts dictated, and the consequences were of their own doing. Weiss frowned, stomping her foot down as if to quell the rising unease she felt. That rodent had been trying to find a meal no doubt, or more depressingly, perhaps trying to reunite with someone.

Was Ruby okay? Had a hawk found her and taken her in its clutches as well? Her chest tightened and Weiss grimaced, nursing herself and opening her eyes to the rays of fleeting light that pierced through blueish needles. What if she wasn't at Holbrook? What if something had happened to her…? What if…

Rowdy banter and laughter disrupted her quiet reverie as well as the cheerful song of nearby sparrows. With minimal effort Weiss lifted her head and cast a curious glance back down the winding path.

They were hidden at first by the thickets, only voices carrying around the bend. When a group of men rounded the corner, she took in their armor and weapons first, marking them as far more than any average traveler. She'd thought them bandits or mercenaries until one member of the group tilted his head and flashed the Hunter's Mark. Hunters? Why here?

Foremost in the group, a man with burnt-orange hair and a vicious mace swinging from his hip, noticed Weiss first. His curiosity brought him over, wearing a smile that was more meant to intimidate or deride than appear welcoming. With nowhere else to go Weiss rose from her place on the bench, smoothed out her clothing, and returned the smile with one of her own.

"Well, what's this then? One of the barmaids out neglecting her work?" Why was she suddenly compelled to give the boy an inappropriate moniker? 'Jackass' seemed oddly fitting. The redhead chuckled, laughter subsiding when he caught a glimpse of her own mark. "A Hunter? Would you look at that boys!" he snickered and pointed to Weiss, "They're letting anyone be a Hunter these days!"

The steel boots the redhead wore prevented Weiss from stomping on his toes although she was still tempted to try. "I am indeed a Hunter," she confirmed stiffly, peeling the collar of her shirt to flash her mark.

A boy with a green mohawk, a ridiculous hairstyle in Weiss' opinion, narrowed his eyes, then belted a low whistle. "Oi, Cardin! I think that's…"

"The Schnee girl," another with swept-back silver hair observed. "Wow… She's tiny."

Weiss' irritation flourished as the group laughed at her expense, inhaling sharply through her nose. Cardin grinned after a moment and clasped a large hand on her shoulder, patting it. "Looks like you made it after all! There was a lot of talk about you, you know." He moved back with a teasing smirk. "Most thought you were too delicate to pass."

"Well, I am a Schnee, after all." Weiss tried not to show her displeasure when they laughed again. "Might I ask what you're doing here?"

"What, you our boss now or something?" The speaker, a boy with messy, sandy-blonde hair shifted the scabbard on his hip and smiled. "Look out, Russel, she's gonna chew you out!"

Russel snickered, cocking his head as he approached and leaned forward, hands on his hips. "That right? What're you going to do, huh? Kick our ankles?"

Weiss dropped her hand when Cardin slapped the boy for her, raising an eyebrow at the apparent leader's intervention. Nodding her thanks, she watched Russel slink back behind the redhead, cursing under his breath as he nursed his skull.

"We're out here on business, looking for someone if you need to know."

"Oh? Well then it appears our goals are similar," Weiss said, straining to remain civil with a small smile.

Cardin took stock of his surroundings, nodding absently. "Who are you looking for then…?" he asked, returning his eyes to her, brow arched inquisitively.

As oafish and brutish as the group seemed they did have eyes, and with luck enough brain to recall any passing young girls they might have seen. "I'm searching for my partner, actually. A young girl with a brilliant red cloak, silver eyes, and an unhealthy obsession with sugary treats." No sense in hiding her intentions when these four might be able to offer help. "I don't suppose you've ran into her on your travels?"

The four turned to one another and conversed for a moment, serious. Then to her disappointment all four shook their heads, genuinely appearing apologetic. "Nah, not seen anyone like her," Cardin answered. "She lost or something?"

"Something to that effect, yes," Weiss said. It was a long shot, but she'd hoped Ruby might have crossed their path.

That left her without any lead besides travel towards Holbrook and hope to get lucky. If Ruby had left in the dead of night as they suspected, then it only stood to reason that no one had seen her. Few traveled in the dark hours, when Grimm appeared in the countryside, unattended and roaming. Only Hunters and groups of well-armed, trained guards or soldiers might brave the dark and even then, to go out alone, even as a Hunter, was foolish.

"Might I ask who you're after?" Weiss pressed. "I might not be able to help, but perhaps I can offer something?" No harm in aiding a fellow Hunter.

Cardin toyed with the idea before shrugging. Taking his pack from his back he dropped it down on the ground, undid the clasps and began rifling through the horrendously unorganized mess. "Sure, I guess. We're after a bounty actually, looking for someone supposed to be in these parts."

"A bounty…?" Weiss frowned and crossed her arms. "I was unaware Hunters were allowed to do such a thing."

"Only when Magi are involved," Russel spoke up. "Too much for the regular tack to handle." He turned to his sandy-haired friend and nudged him with a grin. "Too much for Dove too. Balls still hurting?"

Dove scowled and shoved a laughing Russel back. "Shut up! She put your ass through a table too!"

"Honestly…" the silver-haired boy snorted. "How did you three get your asses handed to you by one girl?"

"Because, Sky, that one girl was a fucking demon." Cardin grumbled as he pulled his bags contents out, shaking his head and looking back at his friends. "Oi, any of you got the bill? I lost mine."

Before any of the trio could retrieve their bags, the inn door swung open with a resounding creak. Heads turned and Blake, barely a foot out the door, paused seeing the newcomers. She regarded them cautiously before moving down the front steps, giving them a wide berth as she moved her way towards Weiss. For her part Weiss didn't miss how all four locked their eyes on her and kept still, feeling Blake tense beside her when she stopped.

When no one spoke for an agonizingly long moment Weiss felt butterflies play havoc with her stomach, licking her dry lips and swiping her sweaty palms on her trousers. Cardin slowly rose to his feet and left his pack where it was, and beside her she heard Blake's clothing ruffle, the chains of her weapon jingling faintly.

"Would you look at that boys…" Cardin grinned and grabbed his mace from his hip. "What're the chances of this?"

As the other three drew their swords Blake had her weapon in hand, and Weiss hadn't missed how black mist had begun to pool around her feet. Rather than go for her own weapon she promptly moved between Blake and the others, holding her hands out. "Wait, wait! There's a misunderstanding here!"

"I don't think so, Schnee. Looks like we've caught our killer in the act." Weiss, unsure what Cardin was referring to, stared at Blake in shock noticing the blood on her hands. "Unless you're going to tell me that's just berry juice?"

Weiss stammered before gesturing to Blake's hands and demanding an explanation. The Meera merely glanced at her and sighed, freeing up one hand to hold her palm up. "I was helping Lupa prepare food, decided to come outside and see where you'd run off to."

"A likely story! I bet if we go inside we'll find someone dead!" Dove barked.

Blake snorted, rolling her eyes. "You won't but go on and check."

"We can check after we deal with you," Sky snapped. "You're a wanted woman!"

Groaning and quickly running out of patience Weiss threw her hands up. "You buffoons, wait! Blake, show them your mark!" The ravenette rolled her eyes and peeled back her scarf, tugging it down and flashing the Hunter's Mark for their eyes. "There!" Weiss shouted. "See? Whatever notions you might have are wrong, she's no longer a wanted killer."

"People don't just change, Schnee. And there's an awful lot of Lien on her head," Cardin said. "That mark could be fake for all we know. Hell…" he snorted and smiled viciously. "Yours could be fake too. Maybe you really didn't make it? Trying to fake your way to be a Hunter now, are you?"

Of all the asinine, ridiculous, idiotic things she'd heard in her life. Fake being a Hunter? Why not just attack a noble in broad daylight? The punishment would be about the same: the executioner's block.

Oh wait…

"Whatever. Either she's tricked you or you're elicit in her crimes!" Russel shouted accusingly.

"It's complicit, you oaf," Weiss said in exasperation.

"I don't think he knows the difference," Blake mumbled from behind.

Cardin twirled his mace, grinning as he and his group fanned out to surround them. Weiss grabbed for her rapier and cursed, remembering she'd left it upstairs in their room. Why would she have brought her weapon? How could she know they'd be set upon by clueless, overzealous bounty hunters?

"There's no bounty on you, Schnee, so I suggest you step away and let us do our jobs."

As if she would. Weiss huffed and pointed to Blake angrily. "She is _not_ a criminal, you clod! She was recently appointed as a Hunter by Ozpin himself! Cease this at once!"

"Or stand there and take your lumps," Cardin laughed, ignoring her entirely. "Makes no difference to us!"

They were idiots. Nora had her moments of insane stupidity, Ruby could be dense, but at least those two had common sense. These four were mindless. More fit to be town fools than Hunters. With all four drawing their weapons Weiss groaned and looked around desperately, heart rising to her throat. "Stop! We're all on the same side! Stop!"

Sky screamed and lunged at Blake first, halberd closing the distance in a heartbeat. The Meera turned and twisted her chains around the shaft, pulling him in close and wrenching the weapon free. His legs were swept, and he rolled aside to avoid his own weapon.

"Blake, stop! All of you, stop this!"

Dove and Russel closed in together, striking from either of Blake's sides. Daggers threw sparks as they clashed with the curved blade of Blake's kusarigama, metal on metal ringing out and screeching through the still waking forest. Dove's sword missed her back by a hair's breadth, swinging wide when she sidestepped, flipping head over heels as her chain caught his feet and yanked them from beneath him.

Weiss hastily began to carve an ice run to freeze everyone in place. The hairs on her neck stood on end and on instinct she ducked, stumbling as a mace screamed through the air. Turning on her heels and holding her arms out to catch herself she blanched, staring at Cardin in shock as he bounced his weapon in his palm.

"What are you doing?!"

As she jumped back and away from another swing it was rather obvious, wasn't it? Cardin smirked and stomped loudly towards her, trying to seem intimidating. "You're aiding a criminal, so we're bringing you in!"

A shame he only looked more idiotic than ever. And 'bringing her in'? How were they going to do that with her head caved in?! Blake's chains were deafening as her weapon swung around, catching and deflecting incoming blows. Without a blade of her own handy all Weiss could do was run away and avoid being bludgeoned. Not that a rapier would have done much against a mace to begin with.

A rune shattered as she was forced to abandon it in favor of dodging. Another broke when Cardin's mace whizzed past her side, smashing into the bench and shattering the back. Splintered wood flew up and Weiss reflexively shielded her face, hurrying away while Cardin wrenched his weapon free.

Again, she tried to appeal to reason and again her words fell on deaf ears. Blake kept the trio at bay easily enough, straining to keep her blows from being lethal. Not that the clowns were affording them the same courtesy. Weiss dove and rolled in a desperate bid to avoid another swing, scrambling as the mace slammed into the ground at her heels.

"Fight back!" Cardin taunted, laughing. "Come on! Do something!"

What did he think she was trying to do?! Weiss wove another ice rune and failed to get her spell off yet again, the mace nearly crushing her hand as she drew it back in haste. Close enough to strike her Cardin lowered his shoulder and drove it into her chest, lifting her off her feet and throwing her back. Weiss gasped as she hit the ground, air rushing from her lungs and tailbone aching from the impact. Towering over her prone position Cardin grinned, twirling the mace in hand.

"You know, I almost feel bad about this…" He should! He was making a horrible mistake! "I'll do you a favor and make it quick. I bet Ozpin will love to have you back for this."

"We. Are. Hunters!" Weiss shouted, desperation and anger ringing out. Cardin raised his mace again and took a step forward to bring it down…

Only to be swept away by a sudden deluge of water. Weiss shielded herself and slowly lowered her arms realizing Cardin was no longer standing before her. Blinking and staring at the now soaked soil she looked down at her hands. She hadn't done that, she certainly hadn't woven any runes…

Blake jumped away from the trio and, lined up as they were, another geyser swept them up in a collective heap, threw them into the air and tossed them several yards away. Bodies landed in wet puddles and they groaned, weapons discarded and clothing and skin now caked in mud. When Blake lowered her weapon and seemed to relax Weiss, with her heart thundering away and nerves shot, searched for their would-be savior.

"Uh… Oops…" Lupa grinned and itched her cheek nervously. Behind her Sebastian stared in disbelief, then buried his face in his hands and groaned loudly. "I… Might have overdone it…?"

Blake chuckled, shaking her head as she set her weapon back around her waist. "No, you didn't. Thanks for the help, Lupa."

Grinning proudly the Canis nodded, coming out to the front to join them. Off to her right Weiss heard Cardin groan and found him sprawled out at the base of a wide birch, pushing himself up with trembling limbs before collapsing again. Plate armor glistened, drenched, and his hair was matted and an absolute mess, bangs hanging down over his face. Feeling a lack of pity for the buffoon Weiss glanced at the hand offered to her, meeting Lupa's heterochromatic eyes.

"Um…" Hoisted to her feet Weiss returned an awkward smile, dusting herself off and clearing her throat. "Thank you for that?"

"No problem!" Rather proud of her handiwork Lupa dusted her hands off and smiled as she turned towards Blake, waving to the approaching woman. "I didn't get you, did I?"

"Nope, I'm fine."

Weiss felt her tunic and trousers, scowling at the wet clothing. "You got me though!" Maybe a petty complaint given her life might have just been saved, but it was still irritating!

Lupa cocked an eyebrow and studied Weiss, then shrugged and smiled innocently. "You needed a bath. I gave you one."

"I… I do not stink!" Weiss snapped. She leaned away from the Canis and swatted at her head, scowling when Lupa danced away.

"Do too. You need a bath."

"Th-then give Blake one as well! She must stink too!"

"I bathed this morning, actually," the Meera deflected, smirking. "While you were still asleep."

Well that was just perfect. Grumbling to herself Weiss wrung out what water she could before giving up and deciding to let the sun do its job. At least their little scuffle was over with, no thanks in small part to Lupa's intervention.

"You're a Magi…" Weiss mumbled, looking at Lupa in surprise.

"Yeah? So are you, and so is Blake," the Canis responded, blankly staring as she tilted her head. "What of it?"

"I'm just surprised is all. I hadn't expected to find a Magi here."

"And you wouldn't have if Lupa remembered to keep her magic to 'erself!" Sebastian hobbled out of the building, red in the face either from anger or exertion, Weiss wasn't sure. The short Toro frowned up at his helper, swat the girl on the arm, and shook his head before rubbing his forehead.

"I thought I told you not to use your spells, Lupa. This always happens when you do!"

"They attacked Blake though, Sebas… What else was I supposed to do?"

The innkeeper narrowed his eyes as he looked at the four young men strewn about his property. "They're Hunters…" His eyes widened, and he glared up at Lupa, swatting her arm again. "What did you do!?"

"Um, sir…?" Weiss smiled and eased Sebastian's hands down. It didn't take long to explain their encounter and the man relaxed when given the full story. Looking every bit as indignant as Weiss felt he dabbed his forehead with a cloth from his pocket.

"Ridiculous… Bounty hunters, and this early in the morning…" Sebastian took his turn to scowl at Blake now, pointing a stubby finger at her. "You need to stop making things so nerve-wracking!"

The Meera chuckled and raised her hands defensively. "I'm sorry. It was a misunderstanding, it won't happen again."

Caught between staring at the now unconscious, or damn near unconscious Hunters and the trio Weiss was at a loss. Blake had a bounty on her, hardly surprising given her earlier profession, and these clods had come to collect. It only stood to reason word hadn't gotten out yet, there was no way every Hunter in the kingdom would know of her recent appointment. Her stomach groaned as she considered the implications of that, nursing her temples to chase away the growing sense of irritation.

 _How many other Hunters will we encounter that try to bring her in? I'm going to lose my mind if we have to fight people who are supposed to be our allies…_

Blake had thankfully refrained from killing any of them or dealing any grievous wounds. She'd credit the Meera for her restraint if nothing else, though it was difficult to say the same of Lupa. If Cardin hadn't been wearing armor, then the impact against the tree could very well have broken his spine. The others no doubt had some awful bruises after being tossed.

"This is not how I planned to start my day…" Weiss grumbled. Seeing Blake heading into the inn once more she frowned and began to follow. "And where do you think you're going?"

The ravenette paused with her hand on the handle, arching an eyebrow in question. "You want to wait for them to wake up and do this again? I'm getting my things and we're leaving."

"What? But… We can't just leave them!"

"And what do you want us to do? Nurse them back to health? They tried to kill me. Kill you," Blake pointed out, opening the door and disappearing inside. "Stay if you want, I'm sure they'll understand when they wake," she called back sarcastically.

"And they'll take us running away any better?!" Weiss threw her hands up in defeat and whined, stomping her foot in place. Lupa stared at her and she turned at the Canis, pointing up in the taller girl's face sternly. "You two deal with them. Just… Tell them we have a job we're meant to be doing! Or that we fell into a river, I really don't care!"

No doubt it would come back to bite them later but Weiss' patience, and nerves, were shot after that debacle. Cardin and his lackeys could think whatever they wanted as far as she was concerned. Jogging into the building after Blake she hurried upstairs to their room, passing her partner on the way up. After retrieving her bag and rapier they excused themselves at the door, Blake bidding farewell while Weiss apologized for the commotion.

Sebastian could only grin and wave off her apologies, taking then to watching as Lupa unceremoniously began dragging the young men inside one by one. "No problem! The lads will need a place to rest after they come to, not to mention food and drink," the Toro chuckled, eyes twinkling. "I reckon I'll get some Lien out of them yet."

Still aghast at the brawl Weiss decided to let it go. If the innkeeper didn't care, then she'd not stress about it any longer. Excusing herself, and shouting at Blake who rifled through discarded bags, the pair cut their way back down the path and onto the main road once more, sun high overhead, long shadows accompanying them on their midday trek.

/+/+/+/+/+/

"You didn't…"

"Obviously I did. Where else do you think I got this?"

Weiss grimaced and set her head in her hands. The log she sat on creaked and she shifted her weight, sighing loudly. "Blake… You robbed them. We can't do that!"

"They tried to kill me," the Meera deflected. "The least they can do is give me some Lien as an apology."

"And the food…?"

"Saves us from having to hunt later, doesn't it?"

She could only stare as Blake sorted through a patchwork rucksack, tossing aside odds and ends. A broken compass, a soiled bundle of tinder, a shattered mirror that for the life of her Weiss couldn't imagine why the boys had to begin with. Leaning forward she picked up a sodden journal and flipped through the pages, tossing it aside after finding it either blank or devoid of anything of import.

Deeming Blake a lost cause Weiss ignored the Meera as she sorted through her filched goods, taking her boots off and nursing the sore soles of her feet. A wagon driven by a burly looking farmer toddled past them and the man glanced at them with fleeting interest before moving on his way. While Weiss enjoyed a small treat of fruit preserves and her water a handful of other travelers passed by, every one of which was on their way towards the city. Not many were brave enough to venture deep into the countryside apparently. That or there was no reason to: grasslands and sparse settlements were hardly tourist attractions.

Half an hour of rest had passed and Weiss, growing antsy from being idle, rose to her feet. After stretching herself out and checking her pack she slung it over one shoulder and pat the rapier on her hip. "Let's keep moving. I'd like to reach the next town before nightfall if at all possible."

Either Blake didn't hear her or ignored her. The Meera continued to stare down at the crumpled parchment in her hands, a look of surprise giving way to mild irritation, then amusement. Curious, Weiss leaned over and glanced down at the sheet.

"Someone you know…?"

Blake shrugged and offered the sheet over to Weiss. "You can say that. I wonder if those idiots tried getting after her too." Chuckling, she rose to her feet and shook out the stolen bag before discarding it in the weeds along the road.

Weiss offered a small 'hm', studying the wanted poster. A Dimuran woman, about their age she'd guess, stared back at her with a stern expression. Long billowing hair cascaded down her back and scales decorated her neck and cheeks. No one that she'd ever seen before and the moniker listed beneath the image didn't help either. Turning it over and finding the opposite side blank Weiss shrugged and stuffed it into her pocket, frowning as Blake gave her a quizzical look.

"Not all of us make it a habit of discarding trash wherever we please," Weiss snapped.

"Everyone does it," Blake answered flippantly.

"If everyone jumped off a bridge, would you do it?"

The Meera hummed before shaking her head. Weiss, holding her hands up as if to say 'See?', started walking along the bank of the road, keeping just off the tall grass sprouting up alongside well-trodden dirt.

"Though I guess if it was to escape or evade someone, or something, then I might," Blake mused.

Sighing, Weiss put her face in her hand before glaring back at Blake. "It was a rhetorical question."

"And I gave you a rhetorical answer." Blake smirked at Weiss' groan and chuckled, pleased with herself. "Relax, princess, we're almost there. Then you'll have your friend back."

"Oh, trust me, I can't wait."

"The feeling is mutual," Blake said curtly.

At least they weren't actively trying to kill each other anymore. If Blake's reputation was a shadow of what Weiss suspected, then there would be plenty of other people doing that for them.

 _Just for once, for once in my life, can't something be simple?_

Her boot made a wet squelch sound and Weiss froze in her tracks. Before she'd even lifted her foot, she knew what it was, and as Blake stifled laughter behind her palm Weiss growled and scraped her boot on a nearby tree, cursing more than she ever had in her life. Putrid muck streaked against brown bark, clumps of grass and other material mixed in.

"Filthy! Disgusting! Rotten, degenerate, no good…"

"Relax, princess," Blake chuckled, grinning as Weiss stomped her foot and wiped it in the grass. "I'd figured you're used to being shit on."

Weiss glared and almost encased Blake in ice. Instead she growled, turned sharply, and stormed down the road, ignoring Blake's laughter as it chased her along.

And to think it was only noon.

* * *

 **"Gambol, you've relegated CRDL to a running gag!"**

 **More or less.**

 **"But why?"**

 **Because they're butts and while I COULD make them better people in this... Meh. It's more fun to let characters slap them around.**

 **"Weiss stepped in poop! I guess she's having a really _crappy_ day!"**

 **You could say that, yes.**

 **Thank you all so much for reading and feel free to leave feedback if you have any! Have a nice day, tip your neighbors and love thy waitresses.**

 **Wait...**


	23. Chapter 23: A Rough Knight

**Just a wee notice this time around! For the week of the 4th I'm taking my mother to a lake house for her 60th birthday. As a result I'll likely not have any access to the internet, and certainly no access to my drafts, meaning there's very likely no new chapter coming until the FOLLOWING week. Apologies if this upsets anyone whatsoever but family comes first!**

 **Without further ado...**

* * *

"I am _not_ eating that."

"Why not? It's good."

Weiss grimaced, leaning away from the sizzling meat. "It's a rodent. It's likely diseased or, at the very least, filthy."

Undeterred by her paranoia Blake plucked one of the skewers from the fire. Fat and grease dripped from the seared squirrel as she turned it over, shrugging before taking a sizable chunk between her teeth and tearing. "Tastes fine to me."

"That… That…" Audibly gagging as she watched Blake chow down Weiss turned away, covering her mouth and shutting her eyes. When the sundering of ratty flesh ended she looked back, wrinkling her nose as Blake licked her fingers clean. "How can you eat that…?"

"With my mouth, mostly." Smirking at Weiss' irritation the Meera shrugged, going for a second helping. "You've never done this, have you? Had to live off the land?"

"I tend to come prepared for missions, which means supplies. To answer your question, no, I haven't. I'd much prefer preserved fruits or salted meats to…" Weiss stuck her tongue out and gestured to their meal. "That…"

"Enjoy berries and grass then, princess."

She'd enjoy it a sight better than the stringy mess Blake was sating herself with. Grabbing a wide, waxy leaf doubling as a bowl she turned a dark purple berry between her fingertips and eyed it hesitantly. Blake had eaten one earlier to assure her they were edible, but she still had her reservations, unsure if it was safe to devour then en masse. Her rumbling stomach bade her to get over her hesitation and she began to snack on the tart berries, mouth filling with a flavor she could only liken to sour grapes. While not the most appealing of meals she'd prefer it still to Blake's game.

Waxing moonlight offered what little illumination it could, and although it amounted to little more than a faint glow Weiss was grateful for it. Her vision extended only as far as their fire allowed, and a little further still thanks to the pale streaks raining down from the heavens above. Black, indecipherable shapes loomed just beyond light's reach, twisting and rising, looming overhead, a crowd of daunting, threatening figures. Logically she knew them to be trees. A childish, whimsical part of her imagined them as White Fang, or rogue Magi, or even simple bandits, gathering around and waiting for sleep to claim them before striking.

She hadn't realized how dearly she missed the comforts of a tent until they laid out in their sleeping rolls minutes later. The fire continued to burn away, set in the ground and surrounded by stones to hold back adventurous embers. The light and warmth was of little comfort and Weiss drew her blanket just a little higher while cursing herself for her infantile fears.

Ruby and herself had camped countless times, as had she and her other friends. Was it Blake's presence that made this instance different? Or was it something else that frayed her nerves?

Across the firepit she glanced at Blake, still vertical and sat up in her roll, prodding at the flames and feeding it on occasion. Though the Meera's hair was black as the encroaching shadows around them it seemed to glow in the fire's light, amber eyes twinkling, two gemstones like those in a priceless brooch. The color of them was unusual, as were the ears upon the other woman's head, swiveling at the faintest of sounds.

"What are you staring at?"

Heat crept up her cheeks and Weiss sat herself up, clearing her throat and choosing to stare into the fire instead. "I'm just thinking."

"About…?"

Surprised that Blake bothered to even ask she turned back to the Meera. "About plenty. Where Ruby might have gone, why she felt compelled to flee in the first place…" Weiss leaned forward, gesturing vaguely in Blake's direction. "Why you've had a sudden change of heart."

Embers crackled, and twigs snapped as fire broke them apart. Cinders rose up and an imperceptible cloud of smoke billowed into the dim sky, becoming invisible as black met black.

"Something important must have happened for her to leave," Blake answered after a moment of silently prodding the flames.

"And your defection from the Fang…?"

Blake didn't answer, choosing instead to feed the fire and the hissing flames speak for her; if the flames spoke it was in a tongue Weiss couldn't recognize. Frustrated by her companion's lack of transparency she ran her hand over the short, crisp grass beneath her, hands brushing along rough blades that tickled her palm.

"Why did you choose to become a Hunter?"

Nonplussed by the deflection Weiss frowned. Blake watched her silently, expectantly, forgoing the fire now in favor of watching her raptly. Releasing a frustrated sigh Weiss ran her fingers back through silky hair. "Simple: There is nothing else for me to be," she answered, listlessly staring up at the fragmented moon.

"Is that because you're a Schnee…?"

At first, she wanted to say yes. Except for her father and brother, two rare non-Magi among a family of them, everyone in the Schnee lineage had been a Hunter or Magi. Her grandfather had been famous the world over, his father had been pivotal in the Great Remnant War, and his father's father had been an important factor in deciding the Magi's War. Whether war heroes or accomplished Hunters her family had a history of accolades and storied feats. Disowned as she was then she still felt compelled to try and live up to their lofty examples.

Compelled, but not obligated. "It is because it is what I am best at," Weiss answered, sparing Blake a lengthy explanation. When the Meera nodded, seeming satisfied, she inclined her head towards her counterpart. "Isn't that a little rude, asking me a question and ignoring my own?"

"I never said you had to answer," Blake deflected coolly.

Technically correct though no less annoying. Balling her hands into fists and setting them in her lap Weiss flicked her head, blowing a stray bang from her vision before studying Blake carefully. "Fair is fair, however. Why did you decide to join the Church? Or better yet, how did you avoid execution?"

"I charmed them into sparing me."

"Hilarious, truly," Weiss grumbled with a roll of her eyes. "If you don't intend to answer then just say so and I'll leave it be."

Not that she wanted to. There was no telling what Blake's motivations were, whether she could be genuinely relied upon or not. If she could sleep without fearing a knife in her breast the moment she awoke. The ravenette laid down on her back and Weiss sighed, following her example and rubbing tiredly at her face. The moon, already pallid and sparse, slipped behind a veil of clouds which robbed their clearing of its meager light. Only the fire shone now and it's fading flames barely allowed Weiss to see past her own feet.

"I'm doing this because I want to." Blake's voice was soft, and Weiss had to strain her ears to hear her. A few seconds of silence passed between them and she thought the Meera might leave it at that, and Weiss lifted her head to cast an expectant gaze across the pit. Perhaps sensing her restlessness Blake chuckled to herself and continued. "I don't want to be a Hunter. I don't even want to be in the White Fang…"

"Then why…?" Weiss prodded.

"Because what else is there? I have no family to return to, nowhere else to call home. Not anymore." Blake rolled onto her side and plucked at the blades of grass, sighing and flicking them away. "I was just going through the paces, I guess. Doing whatever was asked of me, even if I didn't agree with it."

"The killings?" Weiss asked, fully upright now and watching for a reaction. When Blake nodded she felt her lips tighten, an indignant anger. "That's absurd! At best then you're content to be someone's tool. Do you have any idea how poor of a light that puts you in?"

Sitting up herself Blake frowned, then lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "When you don't have anything else you take what you can get. Even if it means doing things you don't like…" She wrinkled her nose and closed her eyes, frame shaking as she exhaled slowly. "Or being with people you hate. You… Delude yourself into thinking it's worth it. That it's normal…"

"Some of those nobles did deserve to die and I'm not going to apologize for them," she continued, meeting Weiss' shocked expression with a calm stare. "If you knew what they do behind closed doors… Sex-trafficking, rape, slave trading, warmongering. People like that… Remnant is better without them."

"You mean to tell me you're a vigilante then, is that it?"

"I'm a blade that needs someone to point me at the enemy, nothing more."

Weiss scoffed at the answer. "A mindless killing machine, then."

"Hardly. But killing is what I'm most suited for." Blake smiled wryly and tilted her head. "It's 'what I am best at'." Reaching into the fire pit and pulling a log free the dying flames hissed, furious at being deprived of its food source. Lingering embers crackled and fought to keep alive, sizzling out and joining the mounds of ash and soot at the bottom. "It's… How did you phrase it…? My 'calling'? Or what was it… Your 'truth'?"

Weiss furrowed her brow, eyes searching before she shook her head. "I never said such a thing…?"

"No, you didn't…" Blake smiled knowingly and laid down once more with a chuckle. "Page 72 in your journal did. You really need to lighten up on Ruby, by the way."

It took Weiss a moment to connect the dots and the moment she did a shrill, angry shout, pointing indignantly at Blake across the fire. "You had no right! Those are private thoughts I record in there!"

"Thoughts you leave out in the open."

"It was in my bag!" Weiss settled down briefly before getting to her feet. "You… You went through my bag, didn't you?!" Storming over to her satchel she tore it open and rifled through its contents. The journal was there, the leather strap binding it shut in place as always. Fingers trembling, she opened it and skimmed through the pages before clutching the book possessively to her chest. "Don't you have any respect for my privacy?"

Blake sighed and lifted herself into a sit, crossing her legs and draping her arms over her knees. "Sure, but I needed to know who I was working with."

"And it didn't occur to you to simply ask me?!"

"I didn't think you'd answer," the Meera replied, shrugging.

The nerve! Stuffing her journal beneath her sleeping roll Weiss planted her hands on her hips, looming over her companion and glaring from across the flames. "How am I supposed to trust you if you're going through my personal belongings? I already don't trust you to begin with," she pointed at Blake accusingly. "For all I know you could try stabbing me in my sleep!"

"Is that what you think of me…? That I'm a cold-blooded killer?"

"Of course not," Weiss said sarcastically. "You're a vigilante who only kills the wicked, right? You're the hero in all this."

Blake rose to her feet and Weiss thanked the fact her weapon was left by the wayside. Still though, night time, a shadow user, not to mention her lack of martial skills without a weapon… Weiss took a slight step back and hid it by beginning to pace about.

"I never claimed to be a hero…"

"Oh, right, you're just _misguided_ then."

Blake sighed, folding her arms as she watched Weiss pace back and forth. "All of this over me taking a peek at your journal?"

Weiss stopped and threw her hands up in defeat. "Hardly! When we met you had blown wide the gates of a town and were moments away from slaughtering innocents! From what I know about you've killed people before, and you were part of an organization that has committed crimes, and for what?"

"Equality," came Blake's reply. Weiss snorted and the Meera narrowed her eyes. "What?"

"Equality! Equality she says!" Weiss scoffed. "I've argued plenty for people to be treated better, stood up for people, and I did all of that without assassinating someone! This may come as a revelation to you, but you can fight for equality without becoming a murderer!

"I made mistakes. If I had known -"

"Mistakes? You murdered people, Blake! Whether they were reprehensible or not it doesn't change the fact that you killed people in cold blood! And why exactly did you do that? Do you have some manic hatred of nobility?" At least that she could understand, although Weiss had never been pushed to the point where she'd kill someone.

A twig snapped loudly in the flames, a puff of black smoke twisting and disappearing into the cloudy night. Weiss watched Blake's face for any kind of remorse, any indication she regretted her actions. Would regret absolve her of crimes? Hardly, but at least it would show the Meera had a conscience, something she'd yet to prove existed.

The ravenette pulled at her scarf, running fabric between her fingers before staring across at Weiss. "I was trying to make the Church pay for what they had done, and the best way I knew how was by killing people who supported it financially."

"And killing Hunters, and anyone else who sympathized with the Church I imagine," Weiss added dubiously.

"Only nobles, and only those who I was told were awful. I'm not excusing what I did, and truth be told I'd do it again if I had to. Those men and women were horrible people and Remnant is better for their passing."

"You don't get to decide that, Blake! I hate most of the nobility in the city. They're infuriating on the best of days, they've tried on numerous occasions to ruin me, and their incompetence in anything outside of their little bubbles is befuddling. But I don't kill them for it, nor should they die for that! We have systems in place!"

"And what happens when those systems are broken? Or when they're skewed?" Blake pressed, her voice coming in a growl as she stalked towards Weiss, kicking aside ash and burned wood. Weiss backed away and kept her eyes on Blake's, wondering if she could conjure a rune before Blake tried anything. "What's going to happen when you meet someone so horrible, so cruel and unaccountable that it makes you sick just thinking about them? Are you going to wait for some aloof lord or bishop to take action, or are you going to do something about it?"

Weiss felt bark dig into her back and her foot slipped against a root, reaching out and grabbing a low branch to catch herself. Blake slammed a hand beside her head and trapped her against the trunk, amber eyes locked on blue.

"I'll… I'll deal with them without killing them." Refusing to be cowed into submission Weiss pushed off the tree and forced Blake to step back. Her tongue was cotton in her mouth, heart threatening to burst from her ribs, pounding to the point of aching. "I'm not a murderer, Blake. I'm not like you. And just because you've decided to change sides on a whim doesn't make you a better person!"

"I'm doing what's right for me, I'm not going to apologize for it!" Blake shouted back, raising her voice so it carried over Weiss' and echoed in the empty clearing.

Weiss turned up her nose in disgust. "You're selfish. You don't deserve to call yourself a Hunter. Ozpin made a mistake giving you a second chance."

The second Blake bared her canines Weiss considered rushing for her weapon. Her hands shot up when Blake lunged, and she barely kept the Meera's hands from her throat. The same root caught her foot, Weiss caught Blake's forearm, and with a startled yelp the pair fell to the ground. Gasping for air as it rushed from her lungs Weiss winced, nails digging into Blake's shoulder while a hand grabbed her hair and pulled.

"Stop acting like you're so high and mighty! This is why I can't stand you Schnees!"

Weiss caught her knee in Blake's stomach, loosening the woman's grip enough to push her off. Though she was smaller in size her sudden pounce managed to pin Blake beneath her, delivering satisfying blows to Blake's chest and shoulders. "You're a remorseless killer! You're a monster!"

"You don't even know me!"

"I know enough!" Weiss grit her teeth and strained as Blake's heel dug into her chin, pushing her back. Clinging to the woman's shirt she gasped as a fist drove the air from her lungs, winding her for the second time in as many minutes. Kicked off and rolling away Weiss lifted a hand and wove a rune only to have it shattered as Blake lunged at her again.

In a mess of limbs and muddled voices they rolled about, scoring superficial blows, words harsher than any attack they could manage. Weiss had another rune shatter and Blake nearly conjured shadow, losing her focus as Weiss clawed at her neck and face in a desperate bid for self-preservation.

Weiss' head struck the ground and she hissed in pain, kicking out blindly and hearing Blake curse and drop to her side. She swung her arm out and felt her knuckles strike Blake's jaw, rolling away after being kicked in the side. Panting, sore, and trembling she crawled a short distance before standing, looking around for her weapon. Blake had risen and was doing the same, spotting hers as Weiss found her own. The two women shared a glance, neither making a move. If Blake assumed as Weiss did then whoever turned their back first would find themselves set upon by spells.

No weapons, no spells. The lone saving grace was Blake was evidently as lousy at unarmed combat as Weiss herself. _She's taller, stronger too…_ Her cheek throbbed from an earlier blow and Weiss worried her left eye might be swollen shut by morning. If the maniac staring her down her didn't kill her before then.

Her heart stopped for a second when a loud crowing laughter sounded from the trees. Weiss looked out into the darkness and strained her eyes to pick out the source of the sound. Hearing Blake mutter beneath her breath she inclined her head, frowning when another fit of laughter started.

In the pitch of the forest a blob, barely visible, flitted from tree to tree. A Grimm? Weiss had nearly readied a spell before the shadowy entity flew from the trees and into the clearing. A bold raven landed in between them, flapping its wings loudly and chortling, head snapping side to side.

"A raven…?" Weiss tilted her head and stared as the bird hopped about. Out at night? Since when were they nocturnal…?

The lone bird began to laugh again and the trees around them came alive. Leaves rustled, thunderous in the dead of night, and soon the sound was joined by the distinct tone of dozens of wings beating at once. Shooting out of the dark like arrows let loose by a bow more ravens flew into the clearing, circling around and raising their voices in a taunting chorus. The solitary raven took flight and joined its kin above, the unusual unkindness forming a blurry silhouette, their forms seeming to melt into one.

Then they left. Besides herself and baffled by the display Weiss watched as the ravens took off into the night, black frames little more than silhouettes against the overcast sky before disappearing entirely. She wasn't sure how long she spent staring after them, aware of the fact she was still staring only as the song of crickets drew her out of her daze.

Looking away from the empty night sky she was surprised to find the Meera watching her, neither advancing nor retreating towards her weapon. She'd had every chance to do so with that distraction, so why…

"Weiss? I'm… I'm sorry."

Okay, that time she had to have misheard. Weiss gawked at her companion and checked her ears for debris before frowning. "Excuse me? Did you just apologize…?"

"Unless 'I'm sorry' means something else to you, yes."

"And what, pray tell, are you apologizing for?" Her body ached but she wasn't quite through with the confrontation, not as adrenaline still coursed through her veins. "For the murders, trying to kill me, or attacking Holbrook? Or any other crime I'm unaware of?"

"I told you I'm not apologizing for those," Blake said. "But as for the rest… Yeah. If it's any consolation I didn't exactly want to attack Holbrook. That was Adam's idea." She smiled bitterly and chuckled. "Well, his and Yuma's, I think."

Not recognizing the second name Weiss brushed it aside for now, folding her arms only to drop them with a wince as her chest tightened. Wonderful, there'd be a bruise there later for certain.

"And… I guess I'm sorry for looking through your diary?"

"It's a journal!" Weiss snapped, cheeks pink. "I'm not so infantile as to keep a diary!"

Blake chuckled and nodded. "Right, right. To be fair though I needed to look through it. You haven't exactly been the most forthcoming."

"And you have?"

"And I wanted to know more about you. To see if everything I'd heard was true or not," Blake continued, ignoring Weiss' barb. "I hear plenty about how horrible the Schnees are, how they're holier-than-thou and believe Murans are the purest race, the only one that matters. I'm used to getting looks and having insults hurled at me but the things your family has done…"

"My family are bigots, but we are not killers, we don't assassinate people of other races on a whim," Weiss interjected.

"...Right."

Letting out a frustrated huff Weiss ran her hands over her face, wiping away blades of grass and clumps of dirt. A twig plucked from her hair was flicked into the corpse of the fire and she smoothed out her tunic, tidying her appearance as much as she could before focusing on Blake again. The Meera had gone silent and refused to meet her eyes now. She still was furious with the woman, but she couldn't ignore that, in some small way, she was making an effort to apologize. That was a lot more than she'd gotten so far.

"You asked why I want to be a Hunter? It's because while my family may not be murderers they are hardly saints. Some of us are better than others, mind you. My sister is about as open-minded as anyone," Weiss explained, smiling wistfully. "I want to prove that I'm better than my name, than what the Schnee name has become. Even if I'm no longer officially part of it."

Blake tilted her head and studied Weiss before frowning. "What do you mean…?"

"I'm a bastard child, born of my mother's infidelity. As soon as I was old enough to walk my father just… Cast me aside." Weiss waved her hand and closed her eyes, a bitter smile on her lips. "See? If you had simply asked I'd have been forthcoming about all of this. I'm hardly a closed book." She opened her eyes and laughed. "Unlike my journal, which you clearly had no issue in prying into."

"I did say sorry about that," Blake retorted, itching one of her ears. "And for what it's worth I'm sorry about your family."

Weiss could only shrug, neither wanting nor deserving Blake's pity. "I've moved on. Archbishop Ironwood became my guardian and I came here to Vale, made wonderful friends, and achieved my dream of becoming a Hunter. Life is difficult, sure, but my family life is hardly the reason for it anymore. I am curious though…" she trailed off for a moment before hesitantly approaching Blake, stopping when amber eyes locked onto her. "What about your family? Where are they?"

Blake's somber smile was an answer enough and Weiss lowered her head. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "That's… It must be difficult to lose them. I won't pry any further."

"No, it's fine. And I guess this is a good a way as any to answer your question." Blake padded over to her sleeping roll and dropped onto it with a grunt, nursing her ribs and smiling at Weiss. "You hit a lot harder than I'd expect you to, princess."

Weiss laughed lightly, making her way over to her own roll. "It's amazing the strength you can find when you're fighting for your life."

"Don't be so dramatic, I wasn't going to kill you," Blake shot back with a roll of her eyes. "Hurt you, sure, but not kill you."

"Oh? I'm sorry, I must have missed when you said that before you tried to throttle me."

Blake cringed, then relaxed seeing Weiss' teasing smile. Returning it with one of her own she began to comb through her thick black hair with her fingers, grumbling as her digits caught into numerous knots. "To be fair… You absolutely tried to weave a fire rune once or twice. That's not exactly going to bind me."

"You recognized the rune…? I'm impressed."

"Well, it's not hard when you use maybe five or six all the time."

Weiss flushed and coughed into her fist. "Y-You mentioned an explanation. Well? Mind enlightening me?"

Blake nodded, laying back and folding her hands beneath her head. For a lingering moment she stared skyward and said nothing. Content that an answer was coming Weiss didn't push, laying back herself and shifting uncomfortably atop her journal. There wasn't enough padding in the roll to make the ground comfortably let alone a bulky book. Rolling over and freeing it she stuck it beneath her pillow instead, laying back and stretching out her now aching limbs.

"My parents were killed when I was young, when the White Fang still fought with words instead of swords and spell. They were killed for wanting to stick to those ways, ways which I've shirked for a long time now, honestly." Blake laughed at herself, the sound bitter and biting. "The short of it is I was told that the Church was responsible for their deaths. They'd already done a lot to hurt us - Non-Murans that is, so it didn't come as much of a shock."

"So… You sought revenge for their deaths?" Weiss asked quietly.

"Mhm. And since attacking the capital was out of the question I did whatever I could to strike back. Once the idea of trying to cut off their funding came about I was more than keen to do it, and they were only too happy to give me a target. I spent a couple of years just blindly taking orders like that, thinking every noble I killed was making the world better, and in some sick way, making my parents proud."

Weiss opened her mouth to point out what an asinine thought that was but kept it to herself. Blake seemed to know she was wrong, had been wrong. Sure, she still refused to apologize for what were blatantly murders but… She was at least acknowledging it, somewhat. Still didn't make Weiss any less uneasy about sharing such proximity while they slept.

"Then Holbrook happened. Even before that I was disillusioned, I guess. A lot of my friends were too. The White Fang… It's changed. The killings were the start of it, and by the time I really started to notice or question things we were setting out to raze a town that didn't deserve it."

"Multiple towns as I recall," Weiss pointed out. "I fail to see how such large-scale destruction is meant to bring about equality."

"That's because it's not. The organization still pushes for it, sure, but they're looking for excuses to cause damage now too. Like I said, the organization changed. Adam changed." Blake's voice sounded pained and she chuckled hollowly. "At Holbrook, Ruby tried to show me kindness even when I fought to kill her, and then she vouched for me when I was taken to the capital. It reminded me that not every Muran is bad, that there are plenty of good people out there."

"Just as not every Meera, Canis, or whatever isn't some extremist," Weiss mused.

"Right. Ozpin showed me a kindness too, though I can't say his was completely for my own sake." Rather than elaborate she shook her head. "And while I was in the capital," Blake went on, pulling her scarf down and nursing a cut on her chin. "I saw my uncle, Tukson. He told me what had really happened with my parents, that the Church, while hardly innocent, wasn't to blame for their deaths."

Interest piqued Weiss pushed herself up and stared across at Blake intently. "Who was?"

"Adam. Well, him and Sienna. My parents didn't want to start killing off people, and they tried convincing those in power to avoid it. They almost succeeded too…" Blake closed her eyes and exhaled shakily. "But… Then the Church appeared, and Hunters killed my parents, wiped out a camp for good measure, and that was all the commanders and needed to put their plan through. Rather than be the catalyst for peace my parents became catalysts for war."

Weiss tried to offer condolences and found her voice refusing to pass her lips. Averting her eyes and rubbing at the seam of her trousers she nodded in silent understanding. She may be a bastard, but she still could, in theory, travel to Atlas and see her family again. Barring that she had Ironwood, not to mention her friends, and Ozpin and the other instructors. Blake had… Her friends, and Weiss feared now their lives had likely become forfeit with her capture. Did Blake assume the worst as well?

"So, maybe it's for petty revenge. I don't care honestly. All I've ever been good at is being someone's dagger, and if the Church wants me to do the same thing? Well, stick to what you're good at, right?"

Weiss shook her head. "Hunters are more than just a weapon to be pointed at one's enemy, Blake. We protect people from Grimm. We help to maintain order, and we fight so that others don't have to. Perhaps… We're not always the most altruistic, and the Church has surely made missteps over the years," she conceded, smiling as she gestured to the mark on her neck. "But we are so much more than just a weapon. And… I suppose since you're a Hunter now, so are you."

"I'm out for selfish reasons. I just want to kill Adam and get my friends back. That's hardly a heroic attitude, and I doubt it's one befitting a Hunter."

"Adam will have to be stopped, and… If I'm painfully honest? I don't doubt nothing short of taking killing him will make him stop. I don't like the idea of it but I acknowledge it could be inevitable. And…" Weiss traced a random pattern on her bedroll. "Well, maybe once you face him again, if you do, maybe you'll manage to stop him without taking his life? Because that won't bring your parents back, Blake."

"I know that. I know it's completely selfish but… I can't stop but wanting it. Gods know he's done enough to deserve it."

There was more to that comment than just her parents Weiss suspected but she chose not to pursue it. A yawn rumbled free and she covered her mouth to stifle it, tears welling in her eyes. With a shake of her head she laid back down and drew the blanket over herself.

"You know…" Weiss paused for the words. "Ruby saw something in you that was worth saving. She's a dolt, and hyperactive, and loud…"

"Obnoxious, impatient, and has an insatiable sweet tooth," Blake recited, laughing as Weiss shushed her.

"Yes. She is, for all her… Quirks, a relatively decent judge of character. I… I'm not above admitting that I may have been wrong about you. Your history is hardly free of blemishes but… You are, in some small way, trying to make amends. If you continue to do so then I think I can be convinced to tolerate you."

Blake smiled, shaking her head as she rolled onto her side and tucked an arm under her head. "Wow, high praise from the princess."

"It's Weiss. You could start by getting my name right at least."

"Right, Princess Weiss."

Letting out a loud huff Weiss scoffed, though a smile crept to her lips as she closed her eyes. "You're insufferable…"

A faint laugh rumbled from Blake's chest and she shrugged. "What can I say…? It's what I'm best at."

/+/+/+/+/+/

When Weiss awoke the following morning, she wasn't sure what to make of things. In a hazy, distant dream she recalled she and Blake had, for the first time ever, been civil with one another. At least she had written it off as a dream at first, ill-content and too skeptical to believe otherwise. Yet as camp was broken down and she was reintroduced to a score of scrapes and a bruise beneath her eye, a black blotch on otherwise flawless marble skin, the memory suddenly became far more vivid.

Not that there was any sign of their newfound camaraderie. Blake hadn't said a word as she gathered her own belongings beyond a simple 'Good morning', which Weiss supposed in of itself was still an improvement.

With the light of a new day just beginning to rise into the pale blue sky, tufts of gray swaths spread throughout like a painter's errant brush, they moved on from their camp and back to the roads. Vale's highway covered much of the kingdom and was relatively well kept despite its expansive reach. That didn't mean that every stretch was impeccable, however, and certainly not every length of road was as traversed as others. They had left at dawn and Weiss estimated at least three hours had passed before they saw their first fellow traveler, a farmer on a wagon with bales of hay in tow. A cordial nod was all the human interaction they'd have for that morning.

Which was a welcome thing if Weiss was honest. Besides trying to make sense of Blake's fickle mood and swinging personality she'd recalled something else from the night before: the ravens. One bird was curious enough but an entire unkindness? A blow to the head may have made her imagine it but she'd sworn the birds had laughed at them too. When she prodded Blake for confirmation the Meera shrugged.

"I don't remember. All I know is they were obnoxiously loud."

Two mysteries to solve then. Blake was every bit as helpful in explaining her behavior last night and Weiss felt a twinge of anger recalling the invasion of her privacy. On a whim she swung her satchel around and checked it for her journal just to be certain, satisfied when her fingers grazed the familiar pages.

With Holbrook drawing ever closer with each step Weiss contemplated breaking into a run, then hastily dismissed the idea. Blake was possibly faster and, comparisons aside, her feet already ached and felt ready to detach at the ankle. Running was out of the question, she'd have to suffer their middling, casual pace a bit longer then. It wouldn't be such a bad thing if the trees didn't pull away from the road after a time, suddenly shy and wary of its companion, the road.

The timing couldn't have been worse either. With the sun now high overhead and the earlier clouds having dissipated there was nothing to mitigate the orb's furious glare. Even in her breathable, lightweight attire Weiss felt herself cooking slowly. Blake wasn't much better and visibly perspired, removing her scarf and using it to wipe her face occasionally. _Why she thinks black clothing is a good idea…_ she mused, shaking her head, mystified.

Mount Glenn, which earlier in the day had been a faint speck, had finally begun to come into view. A towering blob of gray against a backdrop of blue Weiss pointed towards the peaks, recollecting how she and Ruby had saved the young Oscar from a group of bandits during their visit. Her companion was not impressed.

"And you let them live…?"

"Well we had _intended_ on having someone arrest them," Weiss rebuked. "But we were a little busy protecting the town and its residents from extremists."

Unapologetic as ever Blake merely shrugged at Weiss' pointed remark. "If you'd killed them instead of trapping them then it wouldn't have been a problem. They're probably causing more trouble elsewhere now."

"You act as though I meant for that to happen."

"They can't cause problems if they're dead." Blake paused for a moment before smirking at Weiss. "Well, unless they're ghosts."

Scoffing and waving a hand Weiss shook her head. "Please spare me the childish ideas. There is no such thing as ghosts!" The Meera grinned and continued on, leaving Weiss to stare at her back and follow. "Ghosts… As if."

Like the ebb and flow of the ocean trees came and went, occasionally providing patches of shade that Weiss savored as a delicacy. After nursing her waterskin all morning and with no means of refilling it she whined when, after shaking it, no water answered her call. Blake was without as well and they detoured briefly from their trek to find a stream to refill from. Once they'd quenched their thirst and taken a reprieve, much too fleeting for Weiss' liking, they were back on the road.

By noon the mountain had become a gargantuan, steadfast obstacle that, much to Weiss' chagrin, refused to move just to the left to block out the sun. With small settlements cropping up too there were fewer and fewer trees to provide shade, much of the land not claimed by nature tilled and settled instead.

Peeling her hair from the back of her neck and adjusting her hood Weiss called for Blake to stop. The Meera halted when she did and cast back a curious glance, tapping her foot and creating a small cloud of dust from the dry road.

"I think it's best if I go ahead of you. You didn't exactly make the best first impression with these people."

Blake shrugged and stepped aside, as unnecessary as it was, gesturing for Weiss to take point. She had to slow her pace to match Weiss' shorter gait and eventually gave up, opting to walk beside her rather than keep behind. With the land opening up and vaguely familiar landmarks - a wide open field to their left where the land vanished into valleys, and Mount Glenn to their right, Holbrook was swiftly approaching.

At least Weiss was certain it was, though something had struck her as odd. There were open fields around the town before, yes, but there had been thick forests and growth at the base of the mountain as well. Why then could she see the plain rockface? As Holbrook's walls came into view she stopped and stared, brow furrowed as she scanned the base of the mountain.

To one side the forest remained, thickets and trees creating an impenetrable, dense sea of green that concealed all manner of wildlife from would be predators in the mountain above. On their right and as they took the road leading to Holbrook's gates there was nothing. At first, she'd assumed the trees were gone due to restoration, and indeed the town's walls and gate were repaired, even better than they had been previously. As they crossed through the fields outside the town however Weiss couldn't see a single stump, or any underbrush. In fact, it was as if the entire stretch of forest had been wiped off the face of Remnant.

Even the fields, while repaired, seemed devoid of any plant life. Farmers toiled as they passed, and Weiss didn't miss the sour or outright contemptible looks they were given. _They're not glaring at me, they'd have no reason to._ Blake kept her eyes forward but surely, she realized it too by now. _She's not welcome here. Perhaps I should have made her wait…?_

Any such ideas were tarnished when an arrow landed at their feet. Weiss jumped back, and Blake cursed, a hand shooting for her weapon. "Wait!" Weiss snapped, holding out her hand before looking towards the walls. "Just wait…"

Six archers, with bows drawn and arrows ready, aimed at them with unwavering intent. Making a mental count Weiss frowned, lowering her hand as she studied the group. Many of Holbrook's guards, few as they were to begin with, had perished. From a distance it was impossible to make out faces but she was positive this was their entire contingency. Which was why when the gates opened and four more men in armor rode out she was at a loss.

The fact they were on horseback was the first sign that these men weren't the common cut of guard. Their chainmail was much too clean, plate mail, impeccably white with golden trim, was ornate and while sporting dents and scratches, far higher in quality than anyone in Holbrook would own. The green tabards that hung from their breast designated them as knights of Vale, and Weiss was certain she recognized them by their attire if not their faces.

"These are men from the capital…" she explained in a whisper, earning a silent nod from Blake. Why were they here? Why hadn't Ozpin mentioned a rendezvous with knights?

"Halt!" The foremost rider brought his horse to heel and remained mounted, staring down at them sternly. "Who are you, and what is your purpose here?"

Weiss lowered her hood and peeled back the collar of her tunic. "I am Weiss Schnee, Hunter of Vale," she explained as she brandished her Hunter's Mark. "And this…"

"Blake Belladonna, Hunter of Vale," Blake answered curtly. Her hand hovered by her weapon again and Weiss hissed at her, relaxing as Blake let her weapon rest, the knights removing their hands from their own.

Stern brown eyes set beneath a strong brow stared at Weiss, the man's tanned skin, taut as leather, sporting a number of scars, what little was visible anyways. "You're the Hunters we were promised then? Good, I was beginning to worry." He raised a hand and the archers lowered their weapons at last, raising an eyebrow when Blake and Weiss both audibly exhaled. "A precaution, I apologize if they frightened you."

"Not the warmest welcome I've received," Weiss admitted with a nervous smile. "But understandable." Weiss looked up at the man and frowned when realizing he was staring at Blake. The Meera didn't shrink either, returning his gaze and inclining her head questioningly. "Er… If you don't mind, sir, whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

The lead knight finally tore his eyes from Blake and nodded. "Of course, I forget myself. I am Sir Hazel Rainart, Master and Commander of Vale's Western Commandery. These…" Hazel gestured to the three knights at his back. "Are Sir Lucan, Sir Kay, and Sir Bedevere. They, along with the squires upon the walls, are men under my command."

Reassuring that these people weren't like to attack them then, though their presence raised plenty of other questions. Weiss glanced towards the walls again and watched as the archers began to mill about, seemingly forgetting her and Blake's presence already.

"Why are the royal family's knights in Holbrook?" No sense in dancing around the question. "With all due respect, Commander Rainart," Weiss continued. "I fail to see why you or your men are here. Has something happened…?"

It was obvious something had if these men had been ordered to the town. Had it something to do with the sudden deforestation? That seemed more like a lord's problem than that of royalty. Had the attacks on the towns really warranted this much attention? As if the Church sending Hunters wasn't action enough.

"Let us talk within the walls. It's rude of us to remain like this, and I should think you two are weary from your journey." Hazel arched a thick brow as he studied Weiss and Blake. "You traveled all this way from the capital without horses?" Both women nodded, and he shook his head. "I see. Lucan! See to it that there is space for these two in town. Tell Laurel of their arrival as well, he'll be glad to hear of it."

Sir Lucan nodded and spurred his horse into action, disappearing back through the gates in a gallop. "Now, if you two would please follow me, I'd be happy to explain everything once we're settled."

Given the choice between standing as they were or finally getting off her feet Weiss hardly needed prompting to follow. Passing into the threshold and through the gates she finally saw familiar faces among the guard, all of whom made no secret of their disdain for Blake. Oscar was among them, face obscured by an oversized helmet. He looked to Weiss for an explanation and she mouthed 'later', earning a nod of understanding. She'd be a bit busy for now, both trying to figure out what was going on and keeping the locals from trying to attack Blake.

 _Royal knights, a disappearing forest, and… Wait._

Where was Ruby?

/+/+/+/+/+/

Not in Holbrook as it turned out. In the barracks there was a distinct lack of excitable brunettes, no overeager young Hunter bounding up to her like a puppy, thrilled to see its master return home after a long journey away. It was distressing to say the least, and confusing, but Weiss would have to bide her time to ask after her partner. These men and the town itself were clearly embroiled in something, and Ozpin in a passing moment of forgetfulness, had apparently neglected to tell her or Blake they might be expected.

At least seeing a few familiar faces helped to settle her nerves somewhat. Oscar had come to join them but quickly had been ushered away by Laurel. Sirs Kay and Bedevere stood watch outside of the guard captain's quarters, a small space which had become distressingly cramped with only four people inside. She'd seen Riole at work on their way into the barracks and shared a wave with the bustling carpenter. No doubt the town's restoration had him working incessantly.

Weiss had thought Laurel to be a large man, though beside Hazel he looked insignificant, a full head shorter and half the man's size. The two spoke in a hushed conversation for a brief time and Weiss let herself glance about the space idly. A map had been laid out on Laurel's desk, flags and marks designating some unknown entities or locations. Several rolls of parchment littered what little open space remained, and a stack of crates stood beside the desk. The rest of the room was much as she remembered, and while she was glad to be free of the sun's harshness the two oil lanterns that illuminated the room were a poor substitute for sunlight.

Hazel cleared his throat and leaned forward, splaying his large gloved hands across the desk. "Before we discuss recent events I should like to address your concerns about your friend. I am sorry to say that we haven't had any other Hunters arrive, nor was I informed of anyone's approach besides your own." He raised a hand as Weiss was about to speak.

"However, I am full glad to tell you that a character matching your description was seen two towns over, in Lochs. That was three days ago, and while normally that might be cause for concern I think your friend is safe. Doubtless busy, but safe."

That was a relief to hear. Weiss placed a hand on her chest and settled against the back of her chair, closing her eyes with a smile. "Thank goodness… Though you mentioned she is busy?" Hazel nodded. "Might that have something to do with your news?"

"It does, or I think anyways." Hazel gestured to several points on his map. "We've seen a large increase in Grimm activity over recent days, culminating in larger battles than the area is used to seeing. It's why I've been dispatched to the region along with my men, many of whom are stationed in other towns nearby."

"These…" he pointed to points marked by flags. "Are the sites of the most intense skirmishes yet. While some towns only see perhaps a dozen Grimm I've received reports of nearly a hundred in these places."

"A hundred Grimm…?" Blake whispered, awestruck. "Why so many?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out. The attacks on our towns made for some increase in activity, sure." Laurel shook his head and rubbed at his shaved head before scowling. "But this is ridiculous. By now they should be dying off, instead the attacks are only getting worse. Bad enough that the royals thought to send in their knights."

"We are closer to begin with than any Hunters in the capital, and many of us are Magi," Hazel explained. "It was the natural course of action. And considering the quantity of Grimm appearing I'm beginning to wonder if I shouldn't summon more men."

Weiss stared at the map in disbelief as she tried to make sense of the information. Hundreds of Grimm? Even during the attack there had been two dozen at best, and that had been at the height of panic and fear from the villagers. What could generate so much negativity that such a massive number would appear? She couldn't fathom it and judging by the mystified expressions both men wore they weren't any closer to an answer either.

"Okay… So then, is our reason for being here to help curtail the Grimm?"

"Not exactly. As things stand my men can hold the settlements just fine, and I can summon more within a day or two if need be. And I doubt that two Hunters, as fledgling as you appear to be, will turn the tide of our battles." Hazel frowned. "No offense."

"None taken. I can't see either of us doing much against a force that size." Weiss leaned forward in her seat and glanced over the map. "What's our purpose, then?"

Laurel moved closer to the desk and reached across from Hazel, tapping a finger on one of the flags. "See this? The first big attack happened about three miles outside of Alabaster. And this…" he dragged his finger to the next flag. "Was just five miles from Galloway." He pointed out the others as well, each within startling distance of a settlement or city. Seven in all, the larger battles seemed to form a loose shape. Almost as if…

"It's almost circular…" Weiss observed with startling realization. "There's a pattern, like the rippling of a wave on a pond."

"Poetic," the Commander chuckled, and Blake snorted softly. "To phrase it as such, the stone as it were appears to have struck here." Hazel tapped a finger at a large, unmarked area circled in red. "It's only a guess and there very well could be nothing more to it than coincidence. Grimm don't coordinate or even think, so the likelihood of this being random and nothing more is high."

"Not high enough to completely disregard though?" Blake questioned.

"Aye. If someone is causing enough chaos to make so many Grimm spawn, then they need to be stopped. I don't know what someone could do to create attacks on such a scale," Hazel shook his head. "But if there is someone behind this we can't ignore it."

"I assume then you want us to investigate…?"

Hazel nodded to Weiss, standing tall and rubbing his trimmed jaw. "That's the right of it. While we can hold the towns, I can't afford to send men on a hunt in the forests, and few of us know the area well enough to try. I know you've been here before, Miss Schnee, and I understand that Miss Belladonna is… Familiar with the land."

Hazel stared again at Blake, and although it was fleeting she was certain she'd seen a look of disapproval from the knight. Blake took it in stride and looked back at the map when Hazel turned away, striding across the room to one of the sealed crates. With a single tug he ripped the lid off and hoisted the container up, setting it on the floor before Weiss and Blake.

"What is that…?" Weiss gasped.

"The remains of our forest," Laurel answered glumly.

Weiss almost had a mind to touch the contents, thinking better of it when a slab of wood _hissed_ at her. Tendrils of murky purple liquid wove in and out of the piece of bark, twisting and churning like a serpent wrapping around its prey. Exposed to the air as it was a black mist began to seep out of the pieces of lumber, rising to the lip of the crate before swiftly dissipating. A shell of light flashed, and runes engraved in the crate flared before disappearing once more.

"I have a man studying the wood and attempting to discover how it spread." Hazel grabbed the lid and placed it back on, slamming it down with his palm and setting the crate back where it belonged. "It's miasma, that much is apparent, but we don't know how it came to be in the wood, nor exactly the nature of it. We also know that it rots whatever it touches from the inside out, sapping its life until it withers and dies."

"Not the most pleasant way to kill something," Laurel snorted in disgust. "We thought that those White Fang bastards had done this…"

"No one in the Fang has this powerful of miasma magic," Blake interjected. "Not unless they were keeping it hidden from me."

"Which is why we believe there's someone else responsible for it."

"And that same person could perhaps be behind the recent spike in Grimm activity," Weiss concluded. A coincidence again, sure, but one far too flagrant to be just that.

Well this was certainly an unpleasant development. Weiss had thought her business with Holbrook had concluded with Adam's 'defeat', and perhaps foolishly, not expected to return besides bringing Ruby home. She was seriously beginning to grow weary of being wrong.

"We have time for deciding the particulars tomorrow. You've had quite the journey here I imagine, and no doubt would like to rest. Please," Hazel gestured to the door behind them as it swung open. "We've arranged for one of the residents to put you two up for the time being. I believe you've met them," he said to Weiss. "Take the day to rest and recover. Tomorrow we'll discuss our plans moving forward."

Oh thank the gods they weren't being asked to start immediately. Weiss stood gingerly on her aching legs and bowed, swatting Blake's elbow to prompt her to follow suit. Bedevere and Kay saluted them on their way out in a manner Weiss didn't recognize, nodding her head politely. Outside the barracks themselves Sir Lucan offered to escort them to their temporary quarters.

"I know the way," Weiss smiled and waved as the man left them for the gates. Once they were alone she let her smile vanished along with the knight, frowning as she began retracing the familiar route. "This is strange…"

"What's that? The fact there are royal knights wandering around a no-name town, or the fact we hadn't seen any Grimm the entire way here?" Blake asked.

"Both. Hunters aren't centralized in the capital, we're spread over the whole kingdom. Sure, hundreds of Grimm is unusual," Weiss observed as they began to walk. "But just a dozen seasoned Hunters can handle that many easily. And if the Grimm as widespread as the commander would have us believe then why hadn't we encountered any?"

"Well, we weren't exactly beacons of negativity. Aside from our little scuffle anyways."

"Certainly not enough to attract a pack of Grimm," Weiss acknowledged. "Which again begs the question, where are they? And why bring in the knights and not Hunters?"

Not that the royal knights _couldn't_ fight Grimm, it just wasn't their primary duty. The Church and, by extension, Hunters existed for the sole purpose of fending off the creatures of Grimm while the knights, while capable, typically acted more as an honor guard or as a primary defense against some of the larger bandit tribes or served as a vanguard in times of war.

Doubting Hazel would be forthcoming and assuming Laurel was just as clueless as they were Weiss didn't know where to look for answers. Nor did she expect to find any, not as they approached Riole and Lauren's home. With the former busy helping with rebuilding efforts and, as Weiss noticed on the way in, new projects the home was devoid of the usual cacophony that came with Riole's work. Gone were the noises of saws cutting into timber, hammers driving nails, and gone was the scent of lacquer and finishes used to seal Riole's many works.

"These people are wonderful, I promise," Weiss assured Blake, hand hovering over the door. Her partner nodded but kept her distance, standing in the middle of the walkway. Rolling her eyes at Blake's standoffish nature Weiss smiled and knocked once. From somewhere within the house she heard a child squeal, the pitter-patter of their small feet slapping against the floorboards. Riole and Lauren hadn't had a child, had they? Did they take one in?

Weiss took a step back hearing footsteps approach. She smiled and raised a hand in greeting when she expected Lauren to welcome them. When the door opened and a woman with brilliant blonde hair answered however she dropped her hand, doing a double take as she heard Blake groan behind her.

"Hey there!" The blonde Dimuran, undeterred by the looks of disbelief, grinned and waved to Weiss and Blake. Behind her the child came running up and squealed as she bolted into the woman's calf, wrapping her arms around it and laughing.

"I got yooooou!"

"Oh no, my leg!" Snickering and reaching down she plucked the child off her feet and balanced her in one arm easily, tossing her hair and extending her free hand towards Weiss. "Heh, sorry. Can I help you guys?"

That poster in Cardin's bag. The wanted poster. The features were a bit off, her expressions were clearly exaggerated, but there was no mistaking it.

"Uh… You okay?" the blonde asked, smiling as she cocked her head. "You look like you've seen a ghost! And I'm pretty sure I'm still alive!" She laughed then turned to the child. "Hey Cassie, pinch my cheek, will ya?"

Weiss watched as the child and the Dimuran, the criminal known as Yang Xiao Long, laughed and proceeded to tickle one another. Looking back Blake was just as dumbstruck and she shared a blank stare with her companion before turning back to the strange scene.

Ruby had better apologize to the heavens when Weiss finally found her.

* * *

 **I'd like to address something quickly if I may, and I hope this doesn't come across as instigating, because it's not meant to be!**

 **Characterization might not be my strong suit but I try to make my characters believable, even if at times they come across as irrational or silly, because frankly sometimes people are just that. That said, Blake's behavior has been... Well it's garnered some feedback, both via reviews and DMs. The scene with her and Weiss wasn't a knee jerk reaction trying to remedy anything - it was slated to happen in another chapter, but I figured it fit well enough here.**

 **So yeah, get THAT disclaimer out of the way.**

 **And sorry for the cliffhanger as well! I could have added more, but the bit with Yang and the girls will just come at the start of the next chapter. It'll be fun ;)**

 **For those of you who celebrate enjoy the 4th! For everyone else have a wonderful week!**


	24. Chapter 24: A Little Birdy

**Hey look, a chapter! Took a little longer than I wanted to get out but busy life is busy.**

* * *

While the village of Holbrook bustled with activity behind them Weiss, Blake, and Yang stood in silence. The Dimuran grinned and teased at her young charge, leaning away while little fingers poked and prodded at her face. Unsure of what to do with herself Weiss glanced between the blonde and Blake, raising an eyebrow at the complicated expression her comrade wore. Recognition and disdain. There was a story behind that.

Cassie giggled, then huffed and pouted as she was set on her feet. A gentle thwack to her rump sent the toddler running back into the house, rounding a corner and disappearing into one of the inner rooms.

"There…" Yang dusted her hands and smirked. "That's better. She's a real handful, ya know? I mean most kids are. They just wanna play all day and wake up at ungodly hours." She shuddered, shaking her head before grinning and placing her hands on her hips. "Good to see you again by the way, kitten! Still robbing people?"

"Hardly." Blake wrinkled her nose. "Still living with racists I see."

"Hey! The people here are awesome! For the most part…" Yang conceded, making a face before grinning once more. "And who is this little snowflake…? I don't think I've met _you_ before." Leaning forward and taking one of Weiss' hands she made a show of kissing the back of it, laughing as Weiss yanked her hand back and wiped it on her tunic. "Ouch, feisty, Ice Queen!"

"Do _not_ call me that. And I have a better question for you." Checking for Cassie, Weiss made a show of peeling back her cloak and revealing the rapier on her hip. "What is a wanted criminal doing here in Holbrook? With a child no less?"

"Well for starters she ain't mine…" Yang chuckled. "And criminal? Watcha talking about? I'm an innocent nobody!"

"'Yang Xiao Long, considered extremely dangerous. Wanted for destruction of Church property as well as several accounts of aggravated assault against clergy.'" Weiss folded her arms and narrowed her eyes. "Unless you're strikingly similar to the woman on the poster I saw, that would be you."

"Yang? Uh… Nah, I'm Yin! Yang's my twin."

"And I'm an Ursa…" Blake muttered with a roll of her eyes.

"Nah, you're way prettier, kitten." Blake bristled and bared her teeth. Yang smirked and curled a finger at the ravenette, winking and cocking her head. "Kitty got claws…? You going to get me back for Alabaster? I'm right here, kitty."

Blake, poised to take Yang's invitation, dropped her weapon when Cassie came rushing back to the door, accompanied by a stern looking woman. The young girl giggled as she tried to clamber up Yang's leg, then whined, stubby legs kicking as the apron-clad woman snatched her up. Weiss mouthed 'thank you' and left it at that, confusing the woman but earning a silent nod.

"You must be the two Laurel mentioned. I'm Trina, and sorry for my little bundle here." Cassie wriggled and tried to break free, protesting the injustices of being caught. Trina held her daughter against her shoulder and bounced her in place. "Come on in. I'm just about done making lunch and you two must be starving. Yang, mind giving me a hand putting the food out?"

"Sure thing!" Yang wiggled her fingers and puckered her lips before jogging off, leaving Weiss staring after her fleeing form.

"Er… Ma'am, I don't want to alarm you…" Weiss began.

"Please, Trina works. 'Ma'am' makes me sound so old!"

"Right. Trina, you're aware of who you're housing, correct…?"

The fact Weiss hadn't seen a poster for Yang before recently was surprising. Vale typically had wanted notices up around the city in various places - places she hardly frequented, but prominent enough she'd have given them a passing glance. Surely these people knew they had a rogue Magi in their midst? If they were harboring a criminal willingly, or if the town was in on it…

"Yang? Oh sure, but she's explained everything!"

Weiss smiled even as her mind tripped over itself trying to make heads of what she'd heard. "Let me see if I understand you... She _explained_ herself? And that somehow absolves someone of their crimes?"

Trina nodded, taking a second to shush the fussy child on her arm. "She explained herself to the entire town and left it up to us to judge her. Since we only have the word of mouth to go on, and the fact she's actually helped us in the past." Yang grinned while Weiss' mind continued to reel. "Besides, she's done nothing but lend a hand in rebuilding since she arrived. She's even great with the children."

"You're letting a criminal watch your young…?" Blake asked, brow raising in surprise.

"Everyone has made mistakes," Trina said with a shake of her finger. "Few try to make things right. The way we see it Yang is more than making up for whatever missteps she's made. Now, please, if we're done questioning my other guests could we go inside? I want to get Cassie fed before she goes down for a n-a-p."

"But I don't want a nap!" Cassie protested fitfully.

Trina smiled at Yang, laughing as they exchanged hushed words between them. Privy to her impending doom Cassie writhed on her mother's shoulder, loudly protesting the idea of naps as the trio vanished into the house. Weiss stood still, frozen in place and gawking after what she'd just seen. The town was willingly housing a criminal? A rogue Magi at that. Didn't they know how absurd that was?

 _Technically speaking you're a criminal too._ Weiss growled at her traitorous thoughts, huffing and stomping into the building, then easing up as her right leg throbbed in protest. Blake lingered at the threshold before following her lead.

The first room, a small den, was austere yet welcoming. Two benches with knit pillows and cushions on dark wooden frames sitting to either side of a fireplace. Between them a low cut table held a vase of flowers, the rings of a tree still prominently on display through the glossy finish. Two shelves adorned the far wall, one full of various odds and ends, the other housing a humble display of books. Blake lingered at the latter and ran a finger along several volumes, drawn away when Weiss called to her.

Light sifted through open windows, green painted shutters held open by small brass latches. A narrow hallway led to a pair of doors, both sealed, and opened up on the right to a staircase leading up. Weiss glanced briefly up the steps and went left towards the intoxicating aroma of a hot, freshly cooked meal. She nearly wept when she saw the table full of food awaiting them.

Yang had a mouthful of chicken and vegetables by the time Weiss sat beside her. She leaned away from the gregarious blonde, then thanked Trina for her plate and calmly tucked a napkin into her collar, going through the agonizing task of cutting up her meat. Juicy and still sizzling chicken melted in her mouth, lemon and mint mingling. Weiss couldn't help but sigh at the bountiful meal, thankful to have real food and not rely on berries or rodents for another day.

What she was not thankful for were the stares being thrown across the table. Blake and Yang spent more time looking at one another than their meals, the former glaring in silence while the latter smiled in return. Trina knew something was wrong by her expression but kept silent, preoccupied with keeping Cassie from feeding their dog rather than herself.

Weiss decided to let the two women stew and endeavored to finish her meal as quickly as possible while not looking like a starved animal desperate for food. Once her clay dish was clean save for lingering juices she wiped herself with her napkin, reclining in her thatch chair with a contented sigh.

"That was lovely, Trina. Thank you."

Trina smiled and nodded before returning to washing dishes. "It's my pleasure! Once I heard we had Hunters coming I had to make something special for the occasion. I'm sorry that it won't be a more regular thing though."

"Don't worry about it, Trina! Your cooking is always awesome!" Yang said. "Seriously, she could make grass taste good!"

Call Weiss a skeptic but she doubted that. The meal was good however, much better than she'd expected. _Better than anything Monty and his wife can make,_ she thought guiltily, licking her lips and staring jealously at Luna as she gnawed on the remains of the chicken carcass. _That's likely the last proper meal I'll have before this business is concluded too. I should have savored it more…_

Hinges squeaked as a door opened and a man's voice called into the house. "I'm home! Where's my little girl?"

Cassie squealed and slid from her chair. "Daddy!" she cried, rushing out to greet her father. Precious. All the more reason Weiss still wasn't thrilled with the idea of someone like Yang being anywhere near her. How was it these people could be so nonchalant about it?

"By the way, Ice Queen…"

"I told you not to call me that," Weiss reprimanded. "That nickname is reserved for my friends, thank you very much."

"Wait, we're not friends?" Yang gasped, placing a hand on her chest and feigning a hurt look.

"Just call her princess, it's what I do," Blake chimed in.

"You aren't helping!" Weiss pointed at Blake before narrowing her eyes in Yang's direction. "And no, we are not. I wouldn't even go so far as to say we're acquaintances."

"Harsh! Even after I was so nice and greeted you two," Yang lamented with a shrug. "I do gotta get your name then, otherwise I'll have no choice but to keep calling ya that."

Fair enough. Before Weiss could give her name however Cassie's chittering laughter filled the room again, giggles interrupted by rapid, stringed together slurring words that reminded Weiss of Ruby's blathering. Beside her Yang cooed, lilac eyes twinkling in adoration.

"Sorry I'm late, they needed a hand moving some lumber," the man explained, tickling Cassie's chest and laughing as she snatched the offending digit. "Did I miss lunch? I could go for… Some…"

"You…"

The man's eyes locked on Blake's and the Meera stared back, remaining seated yet rigid. Weiss felt her pulse in her chest, her heartbeat in her ears, the sounds of breathing the only noise in the kitchen. Having Cassie was likely the only thing that kept the man from lunging for Blake for he took a step towards her before stopping and looking at his daughter.

"Why is she here…?"

"Devin, honey, I can explain."

Devin tore his eyes away from Blake long enough to look at Trina incredulously. "Explain what, Trina?! She's the reason we had to leave our home!

"Devin, that town was never going to be our home for long. You know how those people were…"

"It was still our home! We nearly died on our way here because of the things _she_ did, because of the White Fang." Devin scowled at Blake who remained seated. "You have no right being here."

"Daddy…?" Cassie whimpered, tugging on Devin's tunic.

Weiss pushed her chair back and stood, clearing her throat loudly to grab the disgruntled man's attention. He looked surprised to see her, perhaps not even realizing she'd been in the room to begin with. Smiling, she held up her hands and moved herself around the table.

"Please, allow me to explain, sir. I promise that you or your family are in no immediate danger." Not from Blake at least. When Devin nodded Weiss eased her hood back and peeled down her collar to flash the mark on her neck. "My name is Weiss Schnee, I'm a Hunter with the Church of Vale," she explained gently. "And my… Associate here, Blake Belladonna, has recently joined our ranks. While I don't know the circumstances surrounding your meeting I can promise you that she poses no threat."

"Speak for yourself…" Blake muttered. "I've been getting looks since we arrived."

"Well, you did attack this town not long ago," Weiss chided. "And from the sounds of it you hardly won yourself any friends elsewhere either."

"I was just trying to get our supplies."

"You were robbing us!" Devin yelled. Blake shrugged, looking away and frowning, choosing to ignore rather than argue. On his arm Cassie began to cry, burying herself against her father as soft sobs turned into wails. A small body began to wriggle and kick and Devin, looking worried, desperately tried to console his daughter.

Cassie's tears were not so easily assuaged, and Trina abandoned her post at the sink to take her girl and leave. Hands empty and looking unsure of what to do with himself Devin spared one last look their way before rushing after his family, the sound of a child's cries becoming muffled once a door shut behind them.

For a long, awkward moment none of them spoke. Then Blake stood and scowled, pushing her chair in aggressively and drawing up her scarf, masking all but her angry amber orbs. "I'm going out, don't follow me."

Weiss had every intention of following but could only let out a frustrated groan as shadows wrapped around Blake and ferried her away to gods knew where. Staring at the lingering black smoke she ran a hand through her hair, then over her face before lifting both uselessly. What was she supposed to do now? Letting Blake wander about was hardly ideal but it wasn't like she could chase her. Surely she wouldn't wander off, right? She had to have some idea of what abandoning her post would mean as a Hunter.

She should go search. If she was lucky Blake would be somewhere in town still, perhaps even outside. Weiss grabbed her weapon from beside the chair and latched it back in place on her hip, drawing up her hood and heading for the door.

"Weiss Schnee, huh?"

Yang was watching her from her seat, chin in the palm of her hand. For the first time in Weiss' memory the blonde wasn't smiling but rather watched her intently, regarding her in an unsettling way. Feeling like prey cornered by a hunter she frowned, hiding her discomfort as she crossed her arms.

"That is correct, is there a problem?" she asked tersely. "Don't tell me you have issue with my family. I am not like them."

A smile returned to Yang's face, albeit a halfhearted one. She chuckled and held her hands up. "Easy, princess. I've got no problem with you. In fact," her smile widened into a grin. "You're exactly who I was hoping to meet."

Weiss raised an eyebrow in question as her arms fall to her sides. Why was that exactly? And why in the name of all that was good couldn't she just get a simple 'Nice to meet you' for once in her life?

Yang didn't elaborate, and when it became apparent that she had no intention to Weiss left her sitting where she was, easing out of her seat. Glaring sunlight made her shield her eyes as she threw open the door, scanning the immediate vicinity for any sign of Blake. _Of course she's not here. Why would anything be simple?_

Storming away from the house she began her hunt for her aggravating partner, grumbling under her breath the whole way.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Weiss would like to think she knew Blake's mannerisms by now, or if nothing else, had a general feel for someone who called shadows their friend. Her first instinct had been to search in places where shadows lay, stolen away from view and tucked off in some forgotten part of town. Holbrook, small as it was, hardly had the number of alleys and empty, forgotten paths the city did, although Weiss did find it to be more condensed than before. It was somewhat impressive really how much they fit into such cramped quarters.

Behind the homes lining the walls she hadn't found any trace of Blake. Unless the Meera kept herself cloaked in shadow there was no trace of the ravenette. It was an aggravating thought; Blake could hide in darkness indefinitely and no amount of searching on her part would reveal the woman before she herself was ready for it.

The interior walls held no trace of her companion either. Holbrook's walls, comprised of towering, lichen-covered timbers with rusted iron braces were solid and offered no easy passage through. The only things Weiss found along the walls were vines sprouting from the earth, clawing their way up Holbrook's walls as though Edea's fingers attempted to break down man's creation and reclaim her stolen land. Cobwebs spanned from the wall to the backs of homes and more than once Weiss sputtered as she wiped webbing from her face, cursing herself at somehow missing the glittering threads.

It wasn't until she reached the gates where packed earth and yellowing grass met at the base of twin watchtowers that she found Blake. A pair of guards had just descended a tower, grumbling about a moody woman interrupting their game of dice. They were only too happy to reveal Blake as the culprit and wished Weiss luck, throwing in their own desires for Blake to be smacked for good measure.

Weiss chose to stay her hand. After climbing the tower in silence on steps hardly wide enough for one she pushed open a trapdoor, hinges creaking loudly behind her and making her wince.

Blake was there, thank the gods, seeming to pay no mind to Weiss as she climbed through the opening. Once Weiss stood in the center of the canopied opening the Meera turned to glance at her briefly, face pinched in a disconcerted, pensive expression before looking out across the fields again.

"Couldn't leave me well alone, could you…?"

"At best you'll have gone off to sulk and return in an awful mood," Weiss began. Blake sat on the low wall enclosing the top of the tower, legs dangling over the edge. Weiss opted to remain firmly planted and leaned against the same wall, folding her arms atop it. "At worst you'd have run away and abandoned your post. Frankly, I don't want to deal with either scenario."

"Hm."

 _What a verbose reply…_ Resting her chin on her forearm Weiss watched a collection of farmers mill about below. Several worked to till the land, backbreaking posture making her ache just by watching them toil. Another followed close behind with a large burlap back, sprinkling seeds out, and a woman behind him with a watering can. They were only halfway through the small field and there were at least three others nearby, each manned by a number of laborers.

Guards as well. Weiss counted four of Hazel's men stood out among the fields, weapons drawn, and although their postures were relaxed, and they spoke idly she was certain they could spring to action at a moment's notice. Now and again one of the laborers would look their way, mutter something to their friend beside them, and return to work.

"Do you suppose they'll have me killed after this…?"

It took Weiss a second to reply mostly because she hadn't thought she'd heard right. Blake's face remained flat save for the slightest downward curl of her lips, eyes still locked on the fields. Giving the weighty question ample thought Weiss shrugged, standing and running her fingertips along the smooth edge of the wall.

"Do you deserve it…?"

Answering a question with another felt cheap. Blake sighed, leaning forward and folding her arms across her legs, slouching.

"Maybe? It's easy, you know, doing the things I did. When you don't know who you're attacking or just have an idea of what they've done." Blake paused for a moment, running a hand through her black hair and relieving an itch at her ear. "You stop seeing them as people and more as their crime, or just something in the way of a meal."

"In other words, they're dehumanized," Weiss said. "And is this sudden epiphany supposed to make you a better person?"

Blake shook her head, leaning forward and gripping the wall to keep her balance. "I never said that. I've just never had to meet someone I… Dealt with before." She smiled wryly. "Usually I'm halfway across the kingdom by then or they're dead."

"Yes, well, it shouldn't come as any surprise that your actions have real consequences. Or do you mean to tell me you never considered that before?"

"Considered it, sure. Maybe I thought that they had more than they needed, that my stealing was noble. Or the people I killed deserved it enough that their families didn't matter. I might no regret some of it still," Blake frowned. "But I don't like feeling guilty. Its different when you have to see things like this. For the first time someone's hatred of me was justified. I don't like that either."

It seemed too little too late for Weiss, like the crimes themselves were fine, the guilt and regret an afterthought. Blake considering that though had to be worth something, right? At least she was acknowledging those things. Not that acknowledging them absolved her of anything either.

Weiss had no rebuttal and Blake seemed content to leave matters at that. Looking out at the slowly turning sky, the distant treetops and fields turning golden yellow and fiery red with the setting sun, Weiss wondered just how many people Blake had effected the way she had Devin and his family.

"Perhap We should go and meet with the Commander and Laurel again?" Weiss suggested, smiling slightly. "Personally, I'm not fond of the idea of waiting until tomorrow."

"Pass. I'm done playing nice with people for the day," Blake said. "Besides…" she smirked at Weiss, eyes flickering down before finding Weiss' own. "You're favoring your left leg, you have been since we got here. Sore much?"

Weiss glanced down at herself and blushed. She'd tried to conceal it but trekking as far as they had in so little time had left her all manner of stiff. At least her back wasn't locking up, something that riding a horse surely would have caused.

"I see your point…" Weiss conceded. Blake chuckled at her expense and her flush darkened, hands coming to rest on her hips as she frowned. "You had best return soon. If I find that you've run off…"

"Relax, princess. I'm already walking a fine line as it is. Think I'm going to give the Church even more reason to kill me?"

Weiss pried the trap door back open and peered into the dim space as sunlight flooded the tower, swirling wisps of dust kicking free. With her foot on the first step she paused, looking back at Blake. The Meera was already back at her aimless staring, ears flat against her head. Testing how the words sounded in her head first Weiss smiled.

"For what it's worth… If you think you've done something wrong, often the first step in rectifying that is to apologize." She shook her head and started down the stairs. "That's your prerogative however, I'm not going to force you nor hold your hand."

"Wouldn't expect you to," Blake called after her. "Zorander keep you, Weiss."

Blessings of the shadows, huh? Hardly a god she looked to for safekeeping but the sentiment was touching nonetheless. The stairs creaked as Weiss took them down, pausing at the base of the watchtower to crane her neck.

Blake knew her name after all.

/+/+/+/+/+/

By the time Blake returned home the dreary cloud coverage that had come and gone earlier in the day was in full effect, the lukewarm glow of the moon showering Holbrook with broken, interspersed rays. With eight people in all crammed into Riole and Lauren's home it was inevitable that they should share rooms with someone. Much to Weiss' dismay that 'someone' turned out to be both Yang and Blake.

It went about as well as one might expect. With one bed and two cots between them Weiss played the part of mediator, separating Yang and Blake, one to either wall and herself smack in the middle of the room. Quiet jabs were passed between the two until finally at the ends of her patience Weiss snapped, setting both women in a gaze that threatened to encase them in ice. Her promise to utilize magic didn't hurt either.

The cot was marginally more comfortable than the ground she'd slept on the night before, the taut fabric feeling more like a table than a place meant for rest. Sleep eventually claimed Weiss however, albeit not for long.

Creaking floorboards caused Weiss to stir. At first, she ignored it and curled the pillow under her head to block out the sound. When the footsteps persisted, she cracked one eye and gazed hazily into the dark room. Bleak as it was she could still make out the shape of someone moving around, and one look towards the lone bed in the room told her it was Yang. Keeping silent she waited for the Dimuran to return to bed. Instead, after a few moments of padding about and searching for something in her bag, Yang left the room as silently as she could.

Weiss let her go but strained her ears to keep track of Yang. Over Blake's rhythmic breathing and the gentle scratching of a tree branch against the house she listened to the blonde's slowly fading footfalls, the groan of steps as she moved to the first floor, and the faint but telling opening of the front door.

In her mind she counted, letting minutes pass before deciding to give pursuit. Swinging her legs out of the cot Weiss redressed herself hastily, throwing on her tunic over her undershirt and fixing her cloak back around her shoulders. Peering back at her partner and seeing Blake still fast asleep she slipped on her boots and tiptoed her way out of the home.

Bitter, crisp night air lapped at her face, the arrhythmic songs of a swarm of crickets stirring the still night air. Hidden in the shadow of the home Weiss searched for Yang and found her heading towards the gates. No other resident would be up at this hour and the only other souls who stirred were the guard, their backs trained on the interior of the town. And why wouldn't they be? It wasn't as if they had a wanted criminal in their midst.

Had it been anyone else Weiss would have left them well alone. Yang wasn't just 'anyone else' however, and she would be sooner caught engorging herself on sweets with Ruby and Nora than willfully ignore such blatantly suspicious behavior.

Weiss moved slowly, far slower than she'd have liked. To her knowledge Dimurans lacked the heightened hearing of other races, even of a half-breed like herself, but she wanted to be certain. By the time Yang reached the gates Weiss had scarcely made it halfway through the town. Peering around the corner of Holbrook's general store she watched Yang glance around lifting the lumber that sealed the gate, setting it down and slipping out of the town.

 _No you don't!_ Weiss hurried herself to the gates and paused, pressing flush against the heavy door and inching her way to the edge. Once certain Yang hadn't heard her she peered through the crack, contorting herself to see Yang moving along the wall towards the forest. _Where are you off to, Xiao Long?_

Neither guard patrolling the walls noticed anything amiss and so it fell to Weiss to handle matters alone. As she slinked along the wall under the faltering moonlight she wished she'd had the foresight to take her rapier with her. Who in their right mind followed a criminal at night without a weapon in hand? She did evidently.

A small animal unseen to Weiss skittered away through the grass in her wake. Moths flocked and clung to the outer walls of Holbrook, white and gray wings fluttering silently. As Yang disappeared into the shrouded growth Weiss took a deep breath and released it in a cloud of fog, looking around for anything that might make a makeshift weapon. A limp, rotting branch wouldn't do her much good and with a resigned huff she wiped her hand on her trousers before hurrying after Yang.

In daylight she imagined going through the forest would have been a nightmare. At night it was ten times worse, invisible roots doing their utmost to trip her, concealed limbs and brambles catching her clothes, thorns biting into flesh and cloth. Weiss shook them free and pressed on. Enough moonlight found its way through the occasional breaks in coverage and showed she was still behind Yang, thankfully.

For what felt like an age but couldn't have been longer than a few minutes they trekked through the growth, Yang managing far better thanks to a torch fashioned from her magic. Weiss had considered following her example but resigned herself to sightless dawdling when she realized lighting a flame would give herself away in an instant. As luck would have it Yang wouldn't travel much further.

Beneath a lofty spruce whose trunk was several times wider than Weiss' arm span Yang finally came to a rest. Grateful for the shadows serving as her shield Weiss crouched low and braced herself against a moss-encrusted rock.

Yang was looking for someone, that was the first thing Weiss realized. When the Dimuran finally turned her back to Weiss and gestured to the darkness she also realized how impossibly quiet Yang and her partner were speaking. What were they planning? Were they intending to attack Holbrook? Compelled to know, and even more compelled to put an end to it, Weiss crept forward. She ignored the prickle of thorns on her hands as she brushed them aside, froze each time a leaf or twig crunched underfoot. Yang never erred from her conversation, but she took it slowly all the same.

On the precipice of where moonlight cleaved shadow in two Weiss paused again, kneeling and straining her ears. Yang's voice was audible now, her partner's slightly less so. If she strained just enough however with an ear cupped around her ear she could just make out their discussion.

"... Going back! You can forget it!" Yang hissed.

The voice that responded was high pitched and screechy, like a fork dragging across a platter.

"No choice! Orders! Orders!"

"Yeah? Well I don't take orders from _her_ , so you can tell her that!"

Her? Who was 'her'? Weiss tried to spot whoever Yang was conversing with and couldn't make out so much as a silhouette in the dark forest. On her hands and knees, she crept forward, moonlight catching her white hair, the glow quickly hidden by her dark green cloak.

Yang scoffed, walking away from the tree before doubling back. She cracked her neck, shoulders squared and muscles in her arms taut. "How about I just fry your ass? Can't go running back if you're cooked, can ya?"

Weiss winced at the piercing laughter and eased back onto her heels, covering her ears until the sound subsided.

"Send more! Send more! Stupid girl send more!"

"Yeah, I figured she would…" Yang grumbled, then nearly outside of Weiss' hearing added. "Bitch…"

Whatever this exchange was Yang clearly wanted no part of it. That didn't absolve her of guilt, and if anything, slinking away in the dead of night only made her look worse. Weiss pushed herself up and prepared to confront the blonde only to suddenly freeze when something grabbed her wrist. An unbidden yelp, hastily suppressed by a hand over her mouth, turned into a scream and she pulled against the hands holding her, almost biting down on the hand until she spotted a pair of familiar amber eyes staring at her.

"Shut. Up." Blake hissed and slowly released her hold. Weiss nodded slowly, deciding to leave Blake's verbal thrashing for later. Yang and her unseen conspirator were demanding her attention.

Alarmingly they seemed to have attracted Yang's attention as well. Weiss held her breath when the blonde looked straight at them, frowning and tilting her head. She didn't dare move so much as a finger for fear of giving herself away. Clouds moved and robbed the forest of its final vestiges of light, leaving them entirely in shadow. When Yang began to move away from the tree she tried to spot Blake but found the Meera outside her peripherals.

"Followed? Followed?" the voice called, a loud scratching noise following. "Stupid girl! Stupid girl!"

"I wasn't followed!" Yang snapped, throwing a glare over her shoulder.

Their eyes met and Weiss' heart stopped. She stared at the other woman and leaned back on reflex as a hand reached out towards her, attempting to weave a rune to defend herself. Yang's fingers reached Weiss' temple and she froze in place, closing her eyes and… Felt nothing.

When she looked again Yang was staring at her hand confused, narrowing her eyes and peering back into the forest. Right past them, Weiss realized, and just about anywhere besides where she and Blake were really. After a tense few moments Yang shrugged and returned to her post by the tree. Once she was far enough away the moonlight returned and Weiss felt the air return, not having realized she'd been removed from the cold night's embrace.

Wait…

Blake frowned and shook her head, eyes flickering to Yang before staring pointedly at Weiss. The Dimuran took one last glance back and rolled her shoulders before chuckling nervously.

"Look… How about this: You go back and tell her to sod off, and I'll keep doing my own thing. Sound good? Good."

Good to Yang but not whoever she was speaking with. The same unpleasant laughter rang out and the blonde growled angrily. "Have her! Have her! Obey!" the voice taunted, speech broken by warbling laughter. "Obey!"

"Have who…?" Yang asked.

"Her! The one you want! Her! Her!"

Weiss silently urged Yang to press again for answers if only to satiate her growing curiosity. Who was this voice referring to? Just who was Yang involved with? This was becoming more and more infuriating with each passing moment. Couldn't they just get an answer already?

She jumped when Yang's fist burrowed itself into the spruce, bark splitting and cracking under the blow. Even in the poor lighting Weiss could see smoke pouring from the wounded plant and winced.

"If you're talking about who I think you're talkin' about…"

"Little Rose! Your Rose!"

"Give her back, dammit!" Yang roared, reaching into the darkness. "I told you to leave Ruby out of this!"

Wait. Rose? _Ruby Rose?_ Blake couldn't stop Weiss fast enough as she jumped to her feet and stormed out of the brush. Yang cursed loudly and glared into the tree line before turning back to face Weiss. Her mouth opened to speak, and a shout came out when a slab of ice formed around her, pinning her against the tree. Weiss stood before her in a heartbeat, a fire rune cracking at her palm, apoplectic with rage as she glared at the Dimuran.

"Where is she?" Yang opened and closed her mouth, stunned by her sudden capture. "Where is Ruby Rose?!"

"Weiss…"

She shrugged off Blake's hand and glared at the Meera before returning to Yang. "You have ten seconds, Xiao Long. Where is my partner…?"

"Your… Partner…?"

"Yes, now where is she?! I am in no mood for games! Tell me where you're holding her!"

Yang blinked before scowling, veins in her neck pronounced as she strained beneath the ice. "I don't have her, you idiot! I'm trying to figure out the same thing!" She grit her teeth and steam began to spill off Yang in clouds, ice turning to water in an instant. "I was about to get answers until you stormed in here!"

Weiss backed off when ice shattered, shards flying and narrowly missing her face. Yang shrugged off leftover pieces and grumbled as she brushed herself off. Overhead that same chittering laughter rang out and all three women looked towards the source. Weiss' eyes widened following a small black shape against the dim night sky, though it was Blake who spoke first.

"A raven…?"

The avian cackled as it landed on a nearby branch, feet clattering against hardened bark. Beady eyes stared at them intently, head twitching side to side, wings flapping. "Bring them! Bring Schnee! Rose safe, bring Schnee!"

Yang looked as lost as Weiss felt. It spoke? And why on Remnant did it know her name? HOW did it know her name? With Yang too stunned to speak Weiss took the initiative, storming over to the tree and staring up at the bird.

"Who are you? Who do you speak for?" she rectified. Unless they were dealing with a shapeshifter she doubted the bird was anything but that.

"Bring Schnee, get Rose!" the raven repeated cheerily. Its wings flapped, and it hopped in place. "Yang return! Yang return!"

"Yang? What is this?! What's going on?" Weiss gestured to the obnoxious creature above while glaring at Yang. "Explain at once!"

"I…" Caught between the odd display and Weiss' demands Yang looked around before frowning. "None of your business, 'kay princess? Head on back, I'll be in town in a few minutes."

"I think not! You had best explain yourself before I report you to the Commander."

"Gonna tattle on me?" Yang laughed. "Go ahead, but he's not gonna –"

The raven's sudden pitched cry cut Weiss off. Wings beating furiously it began to circle them, flying erratically before rising higher into the sky, well above the treetops where it called out to them.

"Grimm! Grimm! Fight or die! Fight or die!"

Weiss and the others stared after the bird at first, thinking nothing of it. Then the low, constant rumble of dozens of feet reached their ears, swiftly accompanied by trees and other fauna being crushed or pushed aside. A lone howl rose from within the darkness, several others joining it, and Weiss began to hastily weave a rune.

"Where did they come from?!" Blake demanded, as if any of them knew.

Yang sneered and cracked her knuckles, pivoting to face the approaching mass. "Shit… Hell if I know! Just get ready!"

Of all the terrible timing. "I expect an answer after this!" Weiss shouted over the growing noise, face pale from the glow of her spell.

"Focus on survivin' first, princess! Live through this and I'll tell ya whatever you wanna know!" Yang turned to them and sneered. "Try not getting in my way, alright ladies?"

A Beowolf sailed through the air and vanished in a burst of flame, its body barely begun to vanish when four more Grimm took its place. Furious calls of the damned beasts filled the air and what little moonlight made it through the forest revealed a small horde of Grimm all converging on the single spot.

Weiss inhaled sharply and unleashed a volley of ice, her shouts joining in with the others. Grimm were shredded, cut down like wheat stalks to a scythe, and spells set the forest ablaze in a horrifyingly beautiful display.

It would be a long, long night.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Weiss collapsed with a strained sigh, leaves crunching loudly beneath her. Wet as the ground was she could feel herself sink into mud. She didn't care. When she turned her head and saw a leaf stuck in her bangs she halfheartedly swats at it before giving up, deigning to become host to whatever debris or critters the forest had to offer.

"Are… Are they all dead…?" Blake panted and collapsed nearby, chain laid across her knees. At least she'd had the foresight to bring her weapon along.

A muffled reply came from further away, and with considerable effort Weiss lifted her head. Yang gave a thumbs up, her other arm beneath her head, face down as she sprawled out on the ground. Halfway in a deep scar her arm and the very tip of her head poked out.

Gods, everything just hurt. Mentally kicking herself for forgetting her weapon - Weiss couldn't lift her leg enough to actually do it, her head lolled back, and she stared up at the vast sky. Now that they'd cleared away trees in the immediate vicinity she could see, and what a lovely night it was. Aside from the horde of Grimm and the throbbing discomfort that seemed to permeate her entire being. Everything from her legs to her eyelashes was sore.

Sore was good though, sore was alive. Her arms trembled, and her hands struggled to find purchase in the soiled ground. Muck crept up through her fingers and she cursed when her grip slipped, falling back with a dull thud. "I… Hate… Grimm…"

"You… You're not alone, princess," Yang laughed, or tried to, releasing several wheezy rasps before devolving into a coughing fit. Her face glistened with sweat as she pushed herself up, getting as far as a squat before her legs wobbled and she fell onto her hind end. Still better than Weiss had managed. "So… Heh… Anyone keep score?"

"You're insane…" grumbled Blake.

"If ya didn't… I win by default…"

Yang could have her victory, Weiss just wanted a bed and fresh change of clothes. Scratch that, she'd settle for a bed. Digging the heels of her hands into the ground once more she filled her lungs and kicked her legs. Graceful as a miller too deep into his cups Weiss swung herself into a sitting position, huffing as her hair, heavy with sweat, slapped her in her face. Lifting a hand to wipe it back she reconsidered seeing mud caked onto every inch and used her forearm instead.

"We should… Check the town…" Gods she needed a drink. Weiss licked her lips and looked around, taking a moment both to catch her breath and survey the damage done.

Well, they wouldn't have much issue making it back through the woods now. Between Yang's errant flames igniting swathes of trees and brush, and Weiss' frantic efforts to extinguish said flames mid combat, the surrounding forest was an absolute mess. Trees not turned to ash stood as charred skeletons, bark brittle and crumbling. A cold wind swept through the clearing and a smaller tree cried out before snapping at the knee and collapsing.

Fearing she'd follow suit Weiss elected to remain seated a while longer. Shaking her trembling hands and wiping them off on her trousers she gawked as Yang rose to her feet, swayed but remained upright, and began to stretch herself out. Blake tried to do the same but ended up slumped against the remains of an oak, chest heaving.

"I doubt… Holbrook's in trouble…" Yang grunted as she pressed into her back, popping it audibly. "Pretty sure we got… Every Grimm… For miles around. Least they're dead."

"Shut up… You'll jinx it."

For a moment Weiss feared Yang had done just that. Leaves from a fallen tree rustled and their eyes all snapped to the noise. Did she have enough to make another rune? Sure. Did she want to cast more and make herself bedridden for a week? Weiss looked around herself for anything she could use to fend off a Grimm; how many hunters had bludgeoned a Grimm to death with a stone? She was about to be the first.

The small black shape that hopped its way out of broken limbs was decidedly not a Grimm, although Weiss was no less happy to see it. Twitching and hopping about in place the mouthy raven from before studied the three of them before laughing, flapping its wings as though to clap at their expense.

"Is it… Mocking us…?" Blake asked.

"Little shit…" Yang stumbled forward and lunged for the raven. More like collapsed really, falling forward and reaching for the annoying creature, feathers crinkling as it slipped through her outstretched hands. Landing with a grunt she pushed herself to her hands and knees, scowling as the raven circled overhead.

"Bring Schnee! Bring Schnee!" the raven sang. "Get Rose, Bring Schnee!"

Maybe one more rune just to roast that infernal creature. Weiss dropped her hand into her lap when the raven took off, disappearing into the night, its laughter continuing long after it vanished from view.

Was that the same bird from before? How many ravens had she seen that made routine efforts to taunt people? _Obnoxious flying rat…_ Weiss grit her teeth and pushed herself up again. Her legs wobbled and knees clacked together, swaying while she held her arms out for balance. Only once she was convinced she wasn't going to topple over immediately did she slouch down, arms dropping to her sides.

Yang continued to stare after the raven, looking away only once Weiss called to her. Coated in mud as they all were, not to mention the superficial wounds, bruises, and onset of early spellcast sickness, it wasn't entirely inaccurate to say they looked like death. Or maybe it was just the pale moonlight which made them appear sickly.

"You…" Weiss stumbled towards Yang. Her boot caught a divot and she pinwheeled her arms to keep upright, glaring while the blonde snickered at the display. "You have explaining to do! I suggest you talk…"

"Yeah? Or what, Ice Queen? Gonna make me?" Yang grinned threateningly and cracked her knuckles, then winced and shook her hands out and blew on the back of one.

"Hardly. But you know Ruby somehow, _my partner,"_ she emphasized. Weiss wiped sweat on her sleeve and drew a deep, greedy breath before shaking her head. "Where is she? If you've done anything…"

Spent as they were chances are it wouldn't have been much of a fight. Weiss would have tried for all it was worth, and she'd readily resort to clawing and kicking if she needed to. Yang couldn't have had much more energy than she did and, if push came to shove, she liked to think Blake would side with her. If Yang worried about a possible fight she hid it well, snorting and waving a hand dismissively.

"Done what? I would never hurt Ruby," the Dimuran answered. On unsteady legs she began to stumble across the clearing, pausing at one point to lean over and fix the purple cloth binding her boots closed.

"And why is that…?" Weiss pressed.

Yang's chuckling turned into a coughing fit and she grimaced while nursing at her chest. Weiss almost elected to sit again when another bout of nausea hit, the cold night winds doing woefully little to help.

"Why? Cuz I'd have to be a pretty shit person to hurt my little sister."

"... Come again?"

"What, need me to spell it out for you?" She really didn't. Yang fixed her dirtied top before tilting her head, pursing her lips. "Let me see… R-u-b-y i-s m-y…"

"I heard you full well the first time, thank you very much!" Weiss snapped. "You cannot be her sister! As far as I'm aware her sister died, and even barring that you two look nothing alike!"

Yang shrugged. "True, but I look a lot like our dad, don't I?" She paused and tapped the scales on her cheek. "Well, ya know, aside from these. I get these little gems from my mom. About the only thing she gave me…" she added beneath her breath.

Weiss narrowed her eyes as she studied Yang. There was some resemblance, she supposed, although it wasn't as if she'd had a lot of time to examine Taiyang either. Still, to suggest she was Ruby's sister? Sure, Ruby had never named her sister - Weiss had never pressed for that information out of respect, but how could her dolt of a partner and this insufferable rogue be related? Impossible.

"Let's… Let's say I believe you. Where is Ruby then?" Yang shrugged, and Weiss felt herself deflate just a bit. "What do you mean you don't know?"

"I don't know. Kinda got interrupted earlier by a certain snowflake," Yang pointed out.

"W-Well… Excuse me for wondering where a wanted woman was stealing away in the middle of the night!"

"Hey!" Yang paused before placing a hand on her chest and smiling coyly. "Are you saying you want me? This is so sudden!"

"What? I… What?" Weiss' face flushed, and she pointed angrily at Yang. "Don't change the subject!"

"Uh, guys…?"

Yang grinned and tossed her hair. "Aw, what's wrong, Ice Queen? Getting flustered?"

"Hardly! I'm just astonished by how full of yourself you are!"

"Full of myself? What are you…"

"Guys!"

Weiss and Yang both turned to Blake, simultaneously shouting "What?"

Hazel stood behind the Meera and half a dozen men behind him, all either looking away awkwardly or watching the display. The Commander barely contained his amusement rubbing his bearded face before resting his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Should we come back…?" he asked.

"No! No, it's quite alright!" Weiss answered hastily. "We're… Finished here," she added, finally taking a moment to count the small contingency that had arrived.

"I see. Full glad are we to find you three alive as well. When the Grimm began to flee into the forest we were confused at first, but when we saw the lights we had an idea of what was happening." Hazel bowed his head. "We'd have come to help sooner were the town not set upon as well. My apologies."

"The town?" Yang pushed past Weiss and staggered forward. "Is Holbrook alright? Is everyone inside -"

"Unharmed. The guards and my men did an admirable job of keeping the Grimm from ever reaching the wall. However," Hazel looked between the run-down women before settling his gaze on Weiss. "I'm afraid your evening may not be over quite yet. Can you still manage a few spells?"

Weiss nodded even as every fiber of her being protested it. "I believe so, sir."

"Good. I had mentioned before I had one of my men looking into the sudden decay of the forest and we've come across something peculiar. You're a rune user, correct?" Weiss nodded again. "Excellent. Then if it's all the same we'll escort you back to town now. We can take but a moment to rest, though I'm afraid anymore and we may be inviting more Grimm to our doorstep."

She'd ask for answers if she wasn't certain to receive them once they returned to town. Instead Weiss gestured for the men to proceed, declining a guard's offer to help her walk. Blake and Yang turned them down as well and the men formed a loose guard around them. In case of Grimm, Hazel assured them, to which all three were grateful for.

By the time they had made it back inside the walls Weiss' legs were numb, as was the rest of her. After making certain neither of them had any need to stay both Yang and Blake excused themselves and headed for the comfort of their beds. Weiss watched after them longingly, deliberating excusing herself. In the end she pushed away her wistful longing and trudged after Hazel, off towards the barracks.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Gods preserve her.

Another hour had passed before Weiss had a chance to return to her lodgings for the evening, and by the time she'd arrived both Blake and Yang had already changed and were fast asleep. After virtually crawling up the stairs she peeled off the outermost layer before deciding it wasn't worth the effort, collapsing into her cot and burying her face in her pillow. Any other time she'd have forced herself to bathe and scrubbed herself down until every pore on her body was spotless. Tonight though? Dirt be damned, she was going to sleep.

Awakened the following morning by voices downstairs and the incessant drum of a hammer on wood Weiss pried herself from both her slumber and the cot, groaning as her muscles tensed, conspiring with gravity and trying to pull her back to sleep. She fought it and eventually her stubbornness won out even if she really, really wanted to give in.

After the night she'd had Edos finally saw fit to grant her mercy, leaving the washroom both available and ready for her use. Wasting no time Weiss cleansed herself of the grime that stuck to her skin in a thin film, washing away dirt, sweat, and whatever other unpleasantness she'd picked up in their battle. Once clean enough she wrung her hair out and dried herself off, taking one of the long gowns left out - a frilly, dandelion yellow garment. Longer than she needed it hung off her shoulders and dragged behind her as she walked. Still better than putting on her dirty clothing again.

Downstairs she could begin to make out some coherent conversations. Over Cassie's laughter and the excitable barking of a dog Weiss heard Yang and Hazel speaking; they had started without her, how annoying. Benches had been pushed aside and the table from the kitchen brought in, maps and other papers strewn out. Yang leaned over it and spoke animatedly with the Commander, the two of them gesturing constantly to the display.

Weiss found Blake on one of the benches and clamped a hand over her mouth, trembling with laughter. Cassie stood in the Meera's lap and giggled maniacally while her tiny hands made playthings of Blake's ears. Every twitch drew a squeal from the child and she'd grab hold of one only to chase after the other seconds later. The family dog, Luna, laid across Blake's feet, tail thumping loudly against her shin. The ravenette took one look at Weiss and mouthed the words 'Help me.' Weiss shook her head and smirked, waving before venturing towards the table.

"Ah, and here's sleeping beauty herself!"

"Hush you," Weiss snapped at Yang. Brushing her still damp hair back she glanced at the map curiously, finding it to be the same one Laurel and Hazel had shared before. "There are new marks," she observed.

"Aye, each of them showing the latest Grimm activity." Hazel tapped three points on the map, one of which Weiss couldn't help but notice was Holbrook. "Seems we weren't the only ones that had some trouble last night. I've gotten reports from men that small hordes appeared nearby as well."

The Commander leaned back and ran his hand through short cropped hair, then rubbed at his beard before gesturing to one of his men. "I believe what we discussed has something to do with it, Weiss. Last night all but confirmed it."

"Eh? What'd you guys talk about?" Yang pressed, head swiveling as she looked about. "Well? Don't leave a girl in the dark!"

"I'd like to know as well," Blake chimed in, then added. "And I'd like someone to take this child."

Blake could suffer a bit longer. Weiss, given the floor by Hazel, cleared her dry throat and began to try and tie her hair back. "When we returned last night the Commander and Sir Quinn, that is to say, his scholarly companion, shared with me some findings. That rotted bark found outside of town, the sort that had eaten away at the forest in a matter of days? There were runes involved."

"Runes huh…?" Yang drummed her fingers on the table. "'Kay… So what's that got to do with anything? Other than someone obviously trying to poison trees like an asshole, that is."

"Yang!" Trina shouted from the kitchen. "No cursing around Cassie!"

"Sorry, T!"

"Aside from that small fact," Weiss rolled her eyes. "The other sites which were attacked also showed the same kind of magics. As far as anyone has been able to tell it's a kind of miasma, though neither myself nor Sir Quinn were able to ascertain what kind."

"Neither were any of my other men. While the existence of the miasma and the Grimm attacks could be purely coincidence I'm not one to accept that as an explanation." Hazel frowned and waved one of his squires over from the door. A scraggly, sandy blonde boy rushed over with rolled parchment and handed it to Weiss. "There seems to be a connection. Somehow that miasma is related to the Grimm's appearance."

"That doesn't make any sense thought," Blake said. Weiss wondered how the Meera had gotten away until she saw Cassie and her dog run out of the house in a fit of giggles and barks. "Unless the miasma is somehow causing negativity."

"The loss of crops and reports of illness might be enough to do just that. A single village experiencing a sudden outbreak might cause one or two Grimm to appear, or a small pack," Hazel explained. "But this, and on such a widespread scale? This many Grimm? It seems too convenient, too purposeful."

Weiss laid the parchment out on the table, revealing the few runes scrawled onto the thick paper by way of charcoal. "What we surmised last night then was someone is causing all of this, or rather, a group most likely. To cover so much area and make runes linger for so long would be impossible for a single Magi. Some group of… Of wretches is attempting to kill countless innocents, either by Grimm or sickness."

"Which brings us back to my original request for you three," Hazel said. "Find those responsible and put an end to this. I'll be dispatching troops to locate the blighted areas and cleanse them; you three need to focus on locating the criminals behind this and bring them to justice. Alive or dead, I hardly care at this point." The Commander inhaled sharply and slammed a fist on the table, and Weiss winced as she saw the wood splinter and crack. "His Majesty has demanded we settle this swiftly. I don't feel that I need to stress why."

Yang whistled as she stepped away from the table. "Orders from the crown, huh…? Looks like we're making it big!"

"I should mention this as well. Both Miss Xiao Long and Miss Belladonna are to be given pardons from the crown for completion of this task." Weiss did a double take and stared at Hazel in disbelief. The Commander simply nodded, addressing the equally surprised Meera and Dimuran with a slight smile. "It is His Majesty's wish for your aid. We have not spoken with the Archbishop, but as far as the royal family is concerned your crimes, whatever they were before, can be waved in favor of saving potentially thousands."

"Huh…" was all Blake had to say. Yang hooted and clapped her hands loudly, loud enough that even Hazel covered one of his ears while Blake and Weiss both snapped at Yang.

Fine. Far be it from Weiss to argue with the royal family's decrees, however absurd or ill-advised they might be. Besides, she mused with a slight smile, there was something to be said for working for the crown, however indirectly though they may be.

"When do you want us to leave…?" Blake asked after taking another failed swat at Yang.

"This afternoon. We'll have horses ready and supplies for you by then." Weiss stole a glance out one of the windows. Early morning was just beginning to give way to the afternoon, meaning they had perhaps an hour at most, two tops. "We need to act swiftly. If they catch wind of what we're doing they may try to flee, or worse yet, launch another series of attacks."

"We'll be ready," Weiss assured Hazel. "We only need time to eat and prepare."

"Speak for yourself, princess," Yang teased while patting her stomach. "Blakey and I already ate while you were asleep!"

"Okay, _I_ need to eat," she rectified. "And you and I need to talk before we leave," Weiss added with a pointed stare at Yang.

Could this mess become any more complicated? She'd set out to find Ruby, now instead they were off to stop a widespread attack on Vale itself. _Not that it's just us, I'm certain the Church has mobilized more Hunters as well. Still, would it kill these dastards to pick a better time for this?_

Yang asked about further plans and she and Hazel broke into another conversation. Blake had excused herself at some point - not that anyone had heard her do so and vanished to gods know where. Unlike the day before Weiss let her go off and instead retreated to the kitchen to sate her growling stomach.

Off to find the madmen poisoning villages.

Weiss paused in the kitchen and turned around, doubling back. She grabbed Yang's arm and stared up at the blonde, pointing outside and frowning. "When you two are finished speaking, go and find a raven. Figure out where we need to go." Yang nodded, and Hazel's silent question was left unanswered as Weiss hurried herself off towards a much needed meal.

She wished she could watch Yang run around town speaking to every bird she came across. Not enough to pass up a hot meal though, and as Weiss sat at the table and accepted a plate of eggs and meats she smiled to herself. For a change she'd get to relax while someone else did all the work.

"Um… Weiss?" Trina gestured to her own chest before smiling apologetically and returning to her cooking. Weiss glanced down and dropped her fork, fingers fumbling with the drawstrings to her borrowed gown.

 _Why me?!_

* * *

 **Speaking of busy, busy chapter is busy. Lots going on and some stuff kind of teased at. Blake kind of showing regret (or at least acknowledging stuff), and Yang's little admission. Admittedly they seem like an afterthought in this chapter but don't worry, they'll get more attention in the coming entries, among other things.**

 **And apologies for blue-balling people on action. There's a lot of that to come soon too, and goodness knows this chapter is long enough as is without pages of fighting.**

 **Love ya'll, love each other, feedback is appreciated, and until next time!**


	25. Chapter 25: Forlorn Hope

**Busy work is busy. Managed to get this dang chapter together though a few days after I'd hoped to have it finished. Enjoy!**

* * *

"And that, I believe, should cover everything…"

"Scouts have been able to ascertain where the criminals may be hiding. It's a small village in the epicenter of recent outbreaks." Hazel lifted a smaller version of the map sprawled across the table. A singular village, plain and bare in its depiction with nothing save its name and a thin outline, claimed the center of the sheet. "Your objective will be to reach this town, seek out the culprits, and bring an end to them by any means necessary."

"Sir, if I may?" Weiss' seat creaked as she shifted in it. "You're claiming that there are dozens, if not hundreds of Grimm prowling the area, correct?" The Commander nodded. "Yet you're sending only the three of us? With all due respect…"

"This is bullshit." A little less eloquently than Weiss would have put it but nonetheless accurate. Yang snorted, standing from her chair and crossing her arms. "How the hell are the three of us supposed to get through all that? Why not have some of your soldiers carve a path?"

Hazel sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose before gesturing again to the map. "Because the Grimm, as numerous as they are, are spread across a large area. As it stands, I've devoted nearly the entirety of my troops in this region of the kingdom to securing a perimeter and prevent them from spreading further."

"Hunters then," Blake interjected. "Contact the capital and ask the Archbishop for support."

"The Archbishop has already dispatched Hunters to assist in containing Grimm. We cannot divert more," the Commander explained with a shake of his head. "Moving as many troops as we are is already making people concerned. If citizens begin to fret, then Grimm are liable to appear elsewhere. As matters stand, we're struggling to maintain what we have; more incursions could break what little control of the situation we have."

Weiss hated the reasoning, but she could understand it. Moving large numbers of troops could only mean one of two things: Grimm or war. With the latter nigh impossible thanks to the Church that only left Grimm, and panic would add fuel to the fire already threatening to burn out of control. Knowing they would be expected to do this with only the three of them was no less absurd. While Yang muttered a string of curses Weiss rose to her feet.

"Commander Rainart, you can't spare even a single soldier? You're asking an impossibly large task of us. Even a more veteran Hunter would struggle to accomplish this task." Two technically fledgling Hunters? Impossible didn't even begin to describe it.

Hazel rolled up his parchment and set it beneath a paperweight. After sharing a look with Laurel, he bowed his head. "The point is you girls aren't expected to make it back," the captain of Holbrook's guard said.

"I… You're expecting us to fail…?"

"We acknowledge the risk of the mission and the likelihood that it may possible fail. Not only will you need to find a means to either bypass or slay a large number of Grimm but the enemy is also unknown. We can't provide their number; never mind what kind of magic you might expect to encounter."

"In other words, it's a suicide mission?" Yang laughed bitterly. Her chair toppled when kicked and Weiss flinched away, watching as the blonde began pacing. "Great, juuuuust great. I knew something was up when you guys didn't kill me on the spot! I shoulda known!"

"You can't do this to us," Blake growled, rising too from her seat, hands clenched at her sides. "We're not some fodder you can just throw at the enemy!"

"No? Miss Belladonna, you alone are wanted for the killing of two nobles, not to mention nearly a dozen counts of armed robbery, and those are the ones we know of. Half of those crimes would be enough to put you in a cell for life. You _should_ be executed, but by Ozpin's intervention you were spared." Blake grit her teeth before slumping back into her chair.

"And you," Hazel went on, pointedly staring at Yang. She ceased her pacing and they stared at one another, Yang bristling through a strained smile. "That you've been designated as rogue is reason enough to condemn you to this mission. I know not the particulars of your crimes, but the fact remains you're every bit as guilty as Miss Belladonna."

Weiss felt her lips tremble, a nervous tremor making her entire body shake. Gripping her wrist behind her back she stood as straight as she could manage. "I…" Her voice was inaudible, and she swallowed, taking a breath to both compose herself and consider her words. "What then have I done exactly to deserve this…?"

She wanted to scream and declare injustice, to express her indignation by shouting and decrying those in power, for what little good it might do.

"Nothing, as far as I'm aware." Hazel's admission made the pit in Weiss' stomach expand, threatening to swallow her up in the empty abyss. "But we need someone to oversee the mission and you were already in Miss Belladonna's company. As much as it pains me to say it, you're involved simply by association."

"Wrong place at the wrong time," Laurel jeered, spitting onto the cold stone floor before scowling at Hazel. "The lass has done nothing to deserve this. Why not pull some weight, Commander? Get your head out of your arse and get her off the mission."

"Would that I could. We need to act swiftly to ensure the criminals don't have a chance to flee, or worse yet, induce another breakout."

"Pah!" Laurel ran a hand over his shaved skull before looking apologetically at Weiss. "I can send a man or two with you if you'd like. Not that we'll be much help, but we owe you for before."

And send two men to their deaths? The three of them were Magi, trained one way or another, and already the mission was a death sentence. What good would two men without spells at their disposal do? Weiss shook her head and managed a weak smile as she looked at Laurel. "I appreciate the offer but no, I think I'll have to decline. We'll manage."

Beside her Yang began to chuckle, hands running through her hair. The Dimuran glanced at Weiss and winked, and if Weiss wasn't mistaken, which she could have been given the poor lighting of the barracks, there were flecks of red in normally lilac eyes. Blake expunged her inhibitions in a loud sigh and rolled her neck before frowning.

"When we survive this, we'll be excused of our crimes…?" the Meera asked.

"If you survive this, yes, you'll be granted clemency by the crown." Hazel crossed an arm over his chest and bowed at the waist. "Miss Schnee, I do apologize that you've ended up in this situation…"

"Don't." Weiss smiled at the confused Commander. "It's hardly the first time I've had to deal with being treated unfairly, and it most certainly won't be the last. I haven't let it stop me before." She staggered forward when a hand clapped her back, shooting Yang an angry glare, then shying away at the blonde's dangerous smile.

"Don't sweat it, big guy. Tougher things than this have tried to kill me." Yang smiled and winked at Blake. "Hotter, too." The Meera let out a soft snort and Hazel raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two women before shaking his head.

Weiss couldn't say she shared in Yang's… Motivation? Whatever her deal with Blake was she had her own agenda.

Ruby. And the safety of the kingdom she supposed. If they should fail it wasn't as though the Church had no other options. Ozpin wouldn't be so foolhardy as to put the safety of the entire kingdom on their shoulders. Mission success was secondary then, Ruby's rescue her primary goal. Weiss would try, yes, but she wouldn't die for a suicide mission.

Laurel shook his head as he rose, fetching his sword from the wall and buckling it to his hip. "I'd best go make my rounds. Can't afford to get complacent after last night." He passed Weiss with one last somber glance before disappearing out of the stone building.

Hazel's large frame rose and fell with a heavy sigh, plate scraping against chain as he gathered his weapon, a large greatsword whose blade narrowed and fanned out at several points, black steel scored by scars and bearing telltale signs of heavy use.

"Horses have already been arranged, as have supplies. I would suggest heading south from town towards Morris Pass. The soldiers there can put you up and provide information should you need it. From there," he waved broadly towards the map before them. "Follow the roads south until you reach Plockton. That's where we expect the criminals to be."

As asinine as all of this was Weiss nodded, taking in stride what rightfully should have sent her into a fitful frenzy. Hazel left them with a well wishes before leaving them alone in the barracks. Boots scraped against the floor and a few lingering guards scurried out after the Commander, leaving Weiss, Blake, and Yang alone.

Weiss' fingers grazed the cold metal of her rapier, tracing the unfamiliar, winding basket guard and narrow blade. What she wouldn't give to have her own weapon for this. Or her partner for that matter. What Ruby's presence alone wouldn't do for her spirits right now.

"Welp," Yang raised her arms and cracked her shoulders and back with audible pops. "You girls ready to go to hell? If you think it's hot out now…"

"I'd like to avoid hell if at all possible," Blake mused, smiling grimly as she headed for the doors.

Weiss rolled her eyes and refused to return Yang's thumbs up. She'd resigned herself to the mission but that didn't mean she'd pretend to be eager for it.

No, saying she was resigned wasn't right. Leaving wasn't an option unless she wanted to risk being labeled rogue. The alternative to success was obviously not an option, and if this ludicrous mission would somehow bring her closer to finding Ruby? She'd gladly venture into hell for that.

Despite their mission not being announced the villagers, sensing their imminent departure, came out to bid them farewell. Weiss could leave a bit higher seeing the faces of those she'd helped save, a genuine smile even making its way to her face. Some called to Yang as well; no one called to wish Blake luck. If the Meera was phased by it she didn't show any emotion one way or another.

Their steeds were exactly what Weiss might expect from the Commandery. Horses bred and tailored for carrying men clad in expensive armor each towered over Weiss by her height and a half. Muscles strained beneath clean white pelts, armor strapped to vital points, two bags, one on either side, hanging beneath the saddles. With the help of a squire Weiss climbed her mount and let her fleeting sense of vertigo pass before gripping the reins. Sir Kay led them to the gates, making final checks that their bags were secure and saddles in place.

"Gods be with you," his muffled voice called, striking the same salute Hazel had given them earlier. "We'll be praying for your success."

"Not that you're expecting it," Blake muttered under her breath. Weiss hissed at her partner then smiled at the knight, nodding graciously. Her heels dug into her horse's side once, then again, and with a startled gasp her mount broke into a steady gait, hooves striking the caked ground like a butcher's mallet on a cutting board, loud and hollow.

Nothing about what they were setting out to do was easy, or even fair, but then that was life wasn't it? If she'd given up the first time some hardship befell her, she'd have quit in her first week as an initiate. Weiss hadn't given in then and she had no intention of doing so now.

Rallying her mount into a gallop Weiss lowered herself, squinting as wind blew her hair and hood back into a billowing mess, clothes clinging to her slender frame. Even as her heart threatened to drop from her chest at the daunting mission laid out for them, she smiled, determined to smile in the face of death itself if need be.

Ruby was depending on her. Vale, though not solely her responsibility, could do with a little more help. Behind her Yang hollered and brought her steed up beside Weiss', grinning even as her messy mane flew back into her face and left her sputtering. Blake joined them, nodding silently and fixing her scarf as it slid down.

Three against an army of Grimm?

 _Nora is going to be so upset when she learns what she missed._

/+/+/+/+/+/

How was it that anyone traveled in Vale without being harassed? Bandits were absent during their journey but only by virtue of Grimm being virtually _everywhere._

Along the main road? Check. Skulking in the forests? Check. Roaming in the fields and terrifying wildlife? They were there too.

Whether through repeated exposure or sheer willpower their steeds never faltered nor panicked in the face of so many fell beasts. Weiss wondered how she could get such a trusty steed for herself, one which made carrying her modest weight and supplies as effortless as Jaune lifting his sword and shield.

Not only were their horses powerful and steadfast but also swift. When Grimm came too close, their menacing red eyes fixated on the trio, the horses broke into full speed gallops. In the moments where no immediate threats presented themselves the beasts of burden slowed, the loud clang of their armor plating reduced to a light shake of plate slapping against toned flesh.

Scenery became a blur. Forests became nothing more than incoherent blobs of greenery. Fields of flowers turned into splattered arrays of color, like a harried painter rushing to finish their employer's latest request, their brush striking wide, errant strokes against a canvas.

Surprisingly the journey had been made in a single day. Weiss wasn't certain how much time had elapsed before they began to approach Morris Pass, although by the time they neared their destination the sun had just begun to set.

A sign post in the road diverted their route; turn left and they would travel to Vindemia, and turn right and they'd find Morris Pass. Keeping to Hazel's directions they veered right. Before long the road itself seemed to sink into the ground as the land to the sides rose up, funneling them down the well-beaten path. At first grassy knolls closed them in, gentle slopes that could be navigated should they encounter Grimm along the way. Then the grass vanished, striped away either by weather or the soil simply being incapable of sustaining growth. The ground inclined sharply and soon became a sheer rock wall. Trees once stood alongside them now loomed, a few stubborn ones growing out of the cliff face itself, roots clinging as a desperate child to its mother's bosom.

Weiss couldn't help but morbidly imagine one toppling down on top of them.

Thankfully the horses didn't share her misgivings and forged ahead.

A fallen tree blocked half of the road and their mounts slowed, Yang's considering vaulting over it until she stubbornly drove it around instead. "My ass is already falling off," she growled, lifting herself from the saddle.

The sentiment was mutual. Weiss grimaced feeling her raw skin slapping against leather as the horse trotted along. For all their speed they'd sacrificed comfort instead. Her feet which had ached from walking so much now no longer did so; the rest of her body felt like she'd laid beneath a smith's hammer.

Luckily their ride was at its end. With the sun just beginning to disappear behind the horizon, the sky long since turning a subdued fiery red, the walls of Fort Morris rose up to greet them.

Compared to the measly defenses of Holbrook the fort's walls were more akin to a castle's. Layers upon layers of brick pressed into mortar formed an impenetrable defense against man and Grimm alike. Ramparts concealed several armed troops prowling along the walls' highest points, and when Weiss craned her neck, she counted four archers among the two towers, longbows nearly invisible against the backdrop of a dusk sky.

When voices from above called for them to halt they did. Their horses, finally showing fatigue as if knowing their journey had come to an end, panted and snorted, stomping their hooves in protest for being made to wait. Weiss leaned forward and stroked the mane of her mare, smiling when it turned its head and seemed to nod in acknowledgement.

What Weiss thought was a moat between them and the fort was nothing more than a pit. A pit filled with spikes, she realized after venturing closer, and ones surprisingly clean of blood and free of corpses. For Grimm then, she surmised.

Gears and chains ground loudly and with a shuddering sigh the great gate of the fort slowly began to lower. Clouds of dust kicked up as it fell and a tall, bulky man flanked by half a dozen others revealed themselves. While they bore Vale's colors none wore the pearlescent armor of the Commandery, and though their attire was better than a common guard's it was only just.

 _Regular soldiers then, though ones with an important task._ Weiss finally slid from her horse and dropped from her perch with a grunt. Her knees immediately screamed at the unceremonious fall and she straightened her back, masking her discomfort through a forced smile. Patting the side of her mount she walked forward, extending a hand for the foremost man.

"You must be Captain Hammond." Weiss lifted her gaze to meet the man's, steely blue eyes lacking mirth or warmth.

Captain Hammond nodded, removing his barbute helm and tucking it under one arm. Gaunt cheeks and thin lips, he took Weiss' hand in a firmer grip than necessary and shook it. She winced, drawing her hand away and hiding it behind her back as she rolled her wrist gingerly.

"Aye, and who would you three be?"

Weiss revealed her Hunter's Mark and motioned for Blake to do the same. "She's with us," she explained of Yang. "We're traveling south for Plockton and would like to request housing in your fortress for the evening."

Hammond frowned, or at least Weiss thought he did. The man was about as expressive as a wooden plank. "Under whose authority are you here? Who has sent you?"

Technically? The Church, though from Hazel's own admission that didn't appear to be the case anymore. "The crown," Weiss decided, emboldened at the surprised look from those behind the captain. "We're traveling under orders from His Majesty himself."

In a sense. Hazel had relayed the orders, Ozpin had sent her and Blake to reinforce Holbrook, and by sheer happenstance the three of them had become the King's vanguard.

A vanguard of three, Weiss reminded herself. More like a forlorn hope than any preeminent force.

Skeptical as Hammond might be, and Weiss could hardly fault the man for feeling so, her and Blake's marks were good enough. That didn't mean the man was pleased about it. Sneering and slapping his helmet he turned and barked at his men, sending two off to find sleeping arrangements and another to alert the quartermaster. Then, with all the hospitality of a bear intruded upon during hibernation, he turned to them and snorted.

"Send more people to my fort, sure. We're strapped for resources as it is, and he sends more…" Hammond shook his head. "Ezra will help stable your horses. Remain with her until you're taken to your quarters. And no rummaging about the fort. People are nervous enough as it is."

Before Weiss could ask why that was the captain turned and stormed off, taking all but one soldier with him. With little more than chain and leather the soldier moved to greet them, saluting and shifting their spear from one shoulder to the next.

"Forgive the captain's rudeness," the soldier, apparently a woman, spoke. Face obscured by a full helm her voice was muffled and Weiss couldn't imagine it was comfortable in the waning summer heat. "If you'll follow me please…"

"Finally, someone with decency."

Weiss suppressed a smile at Yang's quip and took her horse's reins. Sensing its respite was at hand the animal went along willingly, hardly needing to be led inside the walls. No sooner did they pass through the opening did the gate rise with a resounding screech, unoiled chains wailing. An iron portcullis dropped soon thereafter.

Having visited but a handful of fortresses, so few she didn't need a single hand to count them all, Weiss was hardly an expert on their layouts, yet what they saw inside she was positive was abnormal. Thatch and wood homes lined the canyon walls and more still spread into the middle of the pass. People free from armor milled about. Many turned to look at the newcomers before turning away in disinterest. Those who continued to watch were mostly soldiers, wondering from where and why armed women were suddenly arriving in their home.

The stables, if they could be called that, were as ramshackle as could be. Posts clearly stripped from another building and driven into the ground, supporting stacked sheets of wood to form a roof. While the troughs themselves were of proper design the old, moss coated barrels certainly were not. Weiss heard one horse lapping at its contents and realized they were filled with water, the troughs themselves holding hay for the animals.

"How long do you plan to stay…?" Ezra asked once their horses had been stationed. Stablehands, or unfortunate soldiers with little else to do, helped remove saddlebags and carried their supplies off.

"No more than one evening, perhaps through tomorrow morning if need be." Gods know her body could use a small break from the strain of riding.

"I see…" The woman sounded disappointed by that. "Well, we should have no problem housing you until then."

"Funny, the way your boss made it seem it's like we're nothin' but a burden," Yang pointed out.

"Please excuse Captain Hammond. He's just under a lot of stress right now. We all are."

"The Grimm…?" Weiss asked.

Ezra nodded. "They've been a lot busier than usual, showing up at our gates almost daily. We've done everything we can to keep them from the fort but its getting tiresome." She sighed and leaned against the wall of an adjacent home. "Men get tired, Grimm don't. If this keeps up…"

That would explain the sullen looks then. Weiss glanced around the fort and frowned at the expressions many wore; downtrodden, apprehensive, faces cast in shadow, bodies shuffling about because of need rather than purpose. The sun was setting, yes, but that wasn't the only reason for the hollow vigor inside the fort.

"There are a lot of civilians here," Weiss noted after a while.

More than soldiers even. Residents in roughspun tunics and sometimes not even that shambled about as corpses, faces gaunt and pale. Children who should be running about playing sat huddled in groups, aimlessly drawing in the dirt or speaking in hushed voices. Besides the braying of a nearby mule or the whinny of a horse the only other sounds in the entire fortress was a smith's forge hard at work, orders being shouted amongst the enlisted, and the halfhearted sounds of construction as another abode was erected.

It was normal for a fortress to house people, to have a few homes for its stewards or servants. None of these people were dressed for the part, they weren't the usual residents then.

"They're refugees…" Blake said.

"Nearby towns aren't as safe as they were, not with all the Grimm about. We're not even the worst of them." Ezra pushed herself from her post and walked towards the center of the fort. Weiss followed, looking around at the somber residents wistfully. "These are just the folks who made it to us with their lives. Other towns were either wiped out or their residents went to other forts for shelter."

"I hadn't realized the situation was so dire."

"Worst part? We can't send word to warn other villages. Most messengers never reach anyone, and some arrive only to find graveyards." Ezra let out a long sigh. "On top of that if word gets out that Grimm are wiping out villages it'll cause panic. Panic means more Grimm," she lamented. "From what I understand the Commandery was called in to try and contain things. Not that it does those of us behind the lines much good."

Weiss paused to watch a mother and her child, the latter wailing as the woman tried to comfort them. No more than a few moons of age the young girl looked far thinner than would be healthy, and the mother was little better than that. Dressed in rags as so many others were, hair dirty and matted, they resembled more the beggars of Vale than a once proud resident of any settlement.

Sensing eyes on them the woman lifted her head and found Weiss staring. Pools of brown etched beneath a creased brow, a face pallid and full of worry, she reached out with a trembling hand towards Weiss. "Please… Food for my baby. I d-don't need any, but she's… She's hungry…"

Weiss moved towards the woman only to stop when a hand gripped her shoulder. "Meals will be given out soon. Please wait until then," Ezra explained.

"Can't you see she's starving?!" the woman cried. "She can't wait! Give her my rations too if you must, just feed her now! Please!"

"You know the rules. Wait a little longer and I promise you'll get food."

"I bet it's the damned Church's fault, innit?!" A man hobbled towards them on one leg, leaning heavily on a makeshift crutch. "Bastards cut off our supplies here too!"

"Who're these lot then?" another shouted. "More refugees?"

"No! Look at 'er neck! She's got the Mark! Bitch is one of them!"

Other voices joined in as disgruntled residents emerged from their homes. Weiss backed away, joining Yang and Blake behind Ezra. What was going on? As more and more people emerged, they began to shout, hurling insults and anger not towards the stewards of the fort, the soldiers, but Weiss and her companions.

"Hells take you! We don't want you here!"

"Send 'em to Kalom! Kill them and be done with it!"

From somewhere in the growing crowd a stone flew and struck Ezra in the helm. Protected as she was the woman hardly flinched, although the rock striking steel rung loudly throughout. Another joined it and Weiss lifted an arm to shield herself, hearing Blake wince and Yang shout a curse. The civilians' voices grew, their clamor rising. Somewhere in it all Weiss could just make out the sounds of the child's cries rising with the fervent dissent.

Then the ground split. A wall of rock erupted from the earth and divided furious dissenters, Ezra, and the rest of them.

"Enough! That is enough!" Captain Hammond stormed towards them, hand outstretched and face red with rage. Several soldiers flanked him, weapons not quite drawn but ready to do so. Frightened, the villagers' voices quickly died out, shuffling away from the rock as the soldiers moved to corral them.

"I understand your anger, I do! But you must relax! You're going to bring Grimm raining down on our heads!" Hammond wiped his hand through the air and the rock reduced to sand. "Return to your homes and wait for mealtime. The cooks are hard at work as we speak preparing food. Until then I ask you remain calm. Allow us to deal with our guests."

The residents seemed no less pleased though did as they were told. Several voices rose in subdued anger only to trail off as people turned to leave. The hobbling, one-legged man spat in Weiss's direction and joined the retreating numbers before soldiers could grab hold of him. Without the voices of the many to drown her out any longer the young girl's cries rose up once more, pained, desperate wails that tugged at Weiss' heart.

"Lieutenant, what are you doing?" Hammond narrowed his eyes at Ezra, shoulders tense, his squared chin raised as he glared down at her. "I specifically ordered you to remain by the stables until you were relieved."

"I… I understand sir, I was merely…"

"Disobeying orders. Now is not the time for insubordination, lieutenant." Hammond shook his head. "Take a few men and scout the perimeter of the fort. Make two rounds and report back to me when you're finished."

"But sir…"

"Move, lieutenant!"

Ezra remained for a moment before saluting and marching off. Some of the soldiers followed while a few remained behind, shuffling their feet awkwardly behind their superior. Weiss watched the last of the crowd disperse. Part of her didn't want to know what had incensed them so. Why they were so indignant for her presence. A louder, more exasperated part demanded answers.

"Sir…" Weiss frowned. "What did we do wrong? We've only just arrived."

The captain frowned, running a hand through his pale blonde hair before shaking his head. "You lot? Nothing, but your masters have abandoned us and left everyone in these walls for dead. If not for our efforts these people would be fodder to the Grimm. They're only alive because of my men."

"Barely," Blake countered. "They look to be on the verge of starvation."

"I thought a soldier's job was to protect people?" Yang snapped. "It looks like you're just terrifying them."

"Tall words for a woman who belongs in a cell." Hammond turned and folded his hands behind his back, leaning forward to speak to Weiss. He still remained a full head taller, lip curling back in contempt as he spoke. "Mind your words, ladies. You are here because the lady of the fort welcomes all, so long as they can provide for their fellows."

"How generous. Perhaps we should thank this lady for keeping these people on the verge of death."

"And what would you have us do differently?" Weiss didn't answer. "Grimm roam the forests nearby and have cut off all supply routes. Whatever supplies we've had are quickly dwindling. Crops have perished, and before long so too will each and every soul inside these walls."

"You don't seem to be doing much to help," Blake said bitingly, crossing her arms. "Why not hunt? Scavenge the forest for food?"

There were no enemy forces nearby, no bandits and certainly no foreign soldiers. There were Grimm, yes, but again she, Blake, and Yang had all managed to arrive just fine. Where then was this supposed siege they had mentioned before? Why not venture beyond the walls?

"You traveled here, did you not? Then you've seen the Grimm everywhere. We have few Magi among us, and fewer still who have fought Grimm before. If we send Magi outside to protect our gatherers then we have that many less protecting the walls. We haven't the forces to divide, nor do we have any way of reaching out for aid. We're trapped." Hammond held a finger in Weiss' face and flashed his teeth at her. "Do _not_ presume think you know what to do here. I'm responsible for these lives, do you believe I'm willingly letting everyone die a slow death?"

Weiss bat the hand from her face and glared right back as the captain scowled. "These people are suffering and Grimm are to blame for it. As Hunters I believe this is our concern, sir." Then, in a more measured voice she placed a hand to her chest. "Let us help you!"

Hammond turned and waved off his men, waiting until they stood several paces away before leaning down again to speak. Close as they were he kept his voice so low that Weiss strained to hear him.

"You will do no such thing. I have not asked for your presence, nor will I be made to grovel for your aid." Weiss wasn't asking him to! These people needed help and this 'siege', whatever it was, clearly was pushing everyone in the fort to their limits, soldiers included. "You Hunters are the reason we're in this mess to begin with…"

Weiss asked for an explanation and received none, instead left to stare at Hammond's retreating figure. "Sir!" she called after him, gritting her teeth when she continued to go ignored. "Gods dammit…"

What did he mean? How were Hunters responsible for any of this? Feeling anger swelling she almost stormed after the captain again until a hand gently grabbed her arm. Yang held her back, smiling sadly and nodding towards one of the many buildings nearby.

"Come on, princess, let's go take a breather, yeah?"

What she'd like to do was ream the self-proclaimed "captain" for being a miserable excuse for a leader. Therapeutic as it might have been to yell at the man however it wouldn't help anyone. Still… That didn't mean there wasn't anything else she could do for these people.

"Sure, but only for a bit." Weiss smiled knowingly at Yang and Blake. "Tell me, how good are you at hunting?"

/+/+/+/+/+/

As it turned out Hammond and Ezra hadn't been lying.

Not only was game around the fort scarce but Grimm were more prevalent than wildlife. Only minor variants, Creeps, Diggers, and small packs of Ravagers wandered near the fort itself. Small enough to be of little consequence to Hunters but plentiful enough for a non-Magi to struggle with.

For three young women trained and battle tested? The creatures proved to be nothing more than a nuisance. More bothersome was it that all they had to show for two hours of hunting were a few rabbits and squirrels, a handful of small birds, and much to Weiss' chagrin, a snake. Hardly a banquet, although certainly more than the refugees had in days. With their meager hall they returned to the fort just as the sun was retiring for the day and the Lord of the Night, Zorander, made his presence felt, covering Remnant in a veil of darkness.

Wary were the faces of refugees upon their return. Many eyed the fresh kills with longing but didn't move so much as an inch to approach or ask for food. When the cooks were presented with more to prepare, they accepted it with hurried thanks, rushing to get it ready along with the rest of the meal.

Half a dozen large cauldrons simmered over open flames, containers cast of clay and blackened and burned through heavy use. Men and women stood on stools and slaved over the pots, churning the contents with heavy wooden spoons. As workers began to portion out helpings Weiss stole a look inside one and grimaced at the contents. It looked like mud, smelled as flavorful as dirt, and was thick enough to be used as mortar to repair the fort's walls. Brown seared chunks of meat, bits of carrot and various herbs gave some color, but Weiss doubted it would taste any better.

 _It looks like gruel they'd serve prisoners,_ she lamented, watching as trays of food were rushed outside. Already a clamor had begun, and residents gathered in loose lines, demanding food as the workers handed out bowl after bowl expeditiously.

"Are you having any…?"

Weiss smiled politely at the elderly man offering a bowl to her, his arms shaking. She really wanted to say no and dig into her supplies. Those were for traveling however and as unappealing as the slop looked perhaps it wasn't so bad.

"I'd love some…" she lied. Without any utensil to eat with she looked around for something to use. Blake sat along the wall and used one of her daggers to skewer bits while Yang slurped from the bowl directly. Reluctant, Weiss found herself a seat on crates and picked out pieces with her fingers. Everything tasted… Earthy and judging by the crunching she was certain none of the vegetables had been washed.

Somehow, she gathered the resolve to eat the mess. One taste of the broth and she gagged, opting instead to pluck whatever scraps she could easily fish out. Unsure of what to do with her lightly eaten dish she offered it up to one of the cooks, grimacing as they drank from the bowl, uncaring.

Yang burped and set aside her bowl, patting her stomach and leaning back against the wall. "Not bad… I've definitely had worse."

Weiss rolled her eyes, wiping her brow and grumbling about the heat. In the enclosed kitchens with fires still burning the entire building had become an oven. Tugging on her shirt she decided she'd lingered long enough, fanning herself off as she stepped outside, sighing at the instantaneous relief she felt.

"That was gross…" Blake picked at her teeth and frowned, flicking bits away and licking at her lips. The Meera shivered and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand before sighing. "Wish they had some kind of fish…"

"Aw, does kitty want a snack?" Yang cooed.

"No. Right now 'kitty' wants to claw someone's eyes out."

"Oh, feisty! Someone want belly rubs?"

"Yang, please…" Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose before holding a hand up. "Not now. Let's just see if there's anything more we can help with before turning in."

"Why bother?" Blake asked. "These people seem to hate us. We've already done enough haven't we?"

"Why? Because they harbor resentment towards the Church, and we're going to correct that. Whatever experience they have isn't indicative of Hunters everywhere and I refuse to let them believe we're all ingrates." Or whatever the Hunters before them had done. Weiss had thought to ask but had gotten nowhere with her questioning; refugees refused to speak to her, soldiers didn't know anything about the Hunters, and people like Hammond or Ezra either were too busy or impossible to find.

Regardless Weiss wasn't going to allow the name of the Church to be sullied. There were some bad Hunters, sure, as there were a few rotten apples in any bunch. Pulling at her tunic once more she made sure her hair was tidy before putting on a smile and marching out into the courtyard. She assumed it was the courtyard if only by the broken statue that stood in the middle, the figure broken off at the knees and the plaque at their feet scratched out and faded.

 _Evidently, they weren't overly fond of the previous lord._ But then what of the current lady? What did people think of her? With nothing to go on Weiss was frustratingly oblivious to the fort's patron.

"Let's split up and try to learn what we can of the lady of this place. Maybe if we can appeal to her we can find a way to show these people not all Hunters are bad."

"Sure, why not?" Yang yawned, stretching her arms overhead before rolling her shoulders. "Got nothin' else to do tonight."

"This is a waste of time…" muttered Blake.

Hopefully not. Weiss bid her companions farewell and went off in search of anyone who might need her help. Everyone did one way or another, but she suspected trying to worm her way into every conversation would do more harm than good. She'd play it safe then. Perhaps with a bit of food in their stomachs people would be more agreeable now.

As Ruby would say, "nope!"

Weiss decided to play it safe and speak to a group of children first. Children didn't hold grudges, children didn't possess hatred - normally, and worst-case scenario, children weren't liable to try and attack her. Probably. What children could do however was give her the cold shoulder, and when she became frustrated and tried speaking firmly one of them feigned tears. One furious mother and a few angry men later and she scurried away, deeming that effort a failure.

Subsequent attempts to befriend residents went just about as well. An old man cut Weiss off every time she attempted to speak before swinging blindly with his cane to chase her off. The mother and the baby from before, less fitful thanks to a warm meal, did at least acknowledge Weiss before asking her to leave. Offering to help a woman light fires with magic was met with scorn, and in trying to aid in erecting another shelter Weiss was chased off with insults and threats.

Food didn't help. Not only did her questions go unanswered but, as Weiss hurried back to the courtyard, she narrowly avoided a disgruntled woman hurling shoes after her.

Blake and Yang were already waiting by the time Weiss arrived. Yang laid across the base of the statue, sprawled out with an arm draped over her face. A light snore came from the blonde and she jumped when Blake pushed her leg, the Meera rolling her eyes.

"I take it you had as much success as I did?"

"Well, I didn't get death threats this time," Blake mused, smiling. "I'd consider that an improvement."

Yang belted out a loud yawn and rocked to a sitting position, rubbing her face and shaking her blonde man loose. "Same. These people aren't exactly the talkin' type, Weissy." She pouted and began to pluck blades of grass from her hair.

"And I assume neither of you were able to find out anything about the lady here?" Both girls shook their head and Weiss' shoulders slumped, sighing in defeat. "Wonderful. How are we supposed to convince these people if they won't even speak to us?"

Bringing a few morsels back wasn't enough even if Weiss had hoped it would be. Evidently more than a small gesture like that would be needed here. What could they offer? Wipe out Grimm? Bring more supplies in from elsewhere? They'd brought enough for themselves; rations made for three would hardly feed a fort filled with nearly a hundred hungry souls.

Frustrated, Weiss kicked the dirt, hands on her hips as she looked around. Torches burned in front of shacks and along the stone pathways, and small fires burned away, obscured by the huddled forms of refugees desperate for warmth and comfort.

They needed homes. They needed food. They needed peace of mind. The first two were out of their ability while the latter might be possible, if only they knew what to do besides aimlessly kill Grimm.

"She's coming! She's coming!" A young man shouted as he ran through the courtyard, jumping every few steps and waving his arms excitedly. "Hurry up everyone! She's going to speak?"

"'She?'" Blake asked aloud. Around them residents began to murmur excitedly and those who were able ran after the lively man. Everyone else hurried at their own pace.

Weiss tried to ask what the commotion was about and once again went ignored. Rather than wallow she decided to follow the crowd, gathering alongside residents and soldiers alike before the keep.

Three stories tall and built alongside the western cliffs the keep was simple in its design, the lowest floor built in a horseshoe while the middle and topmost floors rose up from the center of the first. With little light to illuminate it the keep was a gray monstrosity threatening to swallow up the haphazard huts before it. Wooden shutters sealed off most of the windows and balconies, one on the middle level and one at the top, extended out over the entryway. Up on the very top Weiss noticed Captain Hammond standing along the railing, speaking to someone just out of view within the building.

As the crowd seemed to be reaching a fever pitch Hammond at last turned to address them. At once all the voices died off and people hushed one another, the air itself vibrating with enthusiasm. Weiss couldn't help but be caught up in it and watched with bated breath for the woman to emerge.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for the wait, but our lady has at last found a way to help us all!" Voices rose again as cries of joy and elation erupted around them. Some wept and a few even danced, throwing their hands up and shouting out to whatever gods they prayed to.

Hammond raised his hands and waited. When everyone settled once more, he cleared his throat and saluted, closing his fist over the center of his breastplate. Weiss looked around in puzzlement. Their lady was this revered?

"It gives me great pleasure to announce that, starting tomorrow, our lady and her followers will begin work to secure us a new home, one where none need to worry about food or shelter ever again! But please…" Hammond moved to the side and gestured to the sealed door behind him. "Don't take my word for it! Hear it from our lady herself!"

The balcony doors had scarcely opened when people began to scream and cheer. Weiss winced, covering her ears and shutting one eye at the deafening noise. Blake pressed her ears flat to her skull and clamped her hands over them, visibly straining not to slap the nearest person for being too loud.

Ezra emerged first, marching to the edge of the balcony and standing across from Hammond. If the noise was obnoxious before it became absolutely maddening when a third figure emerged.

Weiss expected something incredible. The princess absconded from the castle to help her people, or a storied Huntress returned to save the lost and frightened. The woman that emerged was neither glamorous nor someone Weiss recognized. The scarce moonlight didn't do her many favors, though as more torches were lit and light reached the uppermost levels, she could finally make vague details out.

Long black hair fell down the woman's back, fanning out in wild tresses. Her pale skin, what little was visible, turned a slight orange against torchlight, and red shin guards and bracers glowed. She was shorter than Hammond yet carried herself as though she were twice his size, and upon reaching the edge of the balcony leaned down against the railing and cast a casual gaze out over those gathered.

"Everyone! Settle down!" Hammond's voice boomed over the crowd's cheers. People did as they were asked and a hushed silence quickly settled in. "Please, my lady, if you'd share a few words…"

"Gladly." The woman pushed herself from the railing and gestured to the man beside her. "It's as Hammond said. I've come up with a plan to save you lot," she declared. "And the last pieces of that plan just happened to arrive today!"

Pieces? Blake looked just as confused as Weiss felt and Yang… Yang was livid. Shaking the blonde's shoulder, she hissed when Yang slapped her hand away, then flinched when the Dimuran stared at her, eyes blood red. Weiss swallowed nervously and looked up again. Her blood chilled and she reflexively grabbed for her rapier, finding little comfort as her fingers wrapped around the grip. The woman was staring at them. At _her._

"I promised you salvation for your loyalty. You have given me what I asked and I in turn will give you what you seek!" The crowd cheered again, their reverent cries silenced as the woman held up a hand. "With our latest arrivals now with us we can begin. Would Yang Xiao Long, Blake Belladonna, and Weiss Schnee kindly step forward?"

Confused murmurs rippled through the crowd, then people began to realize who the woman was addressing. Shocked expressions regarded Weiss and her companions as the crowd parted, people stepping back to open a path between them and the door to the keep. It was obvious the woman wanted them to enter but Weiss didn't move, nor did Yang or Blake.

"I said… Would you three kindly step forward?" When no one moved the woman sighed, hands on the railing as she shook her head. "Very well…"

Several people screamed as the woman vaulted over the railing, clamoring and rushing to catch her. A gust of wind erupted suddenly and knocked people back, and the dark-haired woman's descent slowed, feet touching the ground soundlessly. Tossing her hair, she sauntered towards the girls, smiling as Yang began to shake.

"Relax, Yang. Wouldn't want to lose your composure in front of all these people, would you?"

"Where is she, Raven?! Where's Ruby?!" Yang shouted.

"Hey, don't speak to our leader like that!"

"Who do you think you are?!"

"Show some respect you brat!"

Raven held up a hand until the dissenters went silent. Yang continued to tremble, and Weiss felt a heat pouring off the blonde. Not unlike Raven's eyes, Yang's were blood red.

"Yang, stand down," Weiss cautioned, reaching out only to draw her hand back, Yang's skin too hot to touch. "Yang!"

Thank gods the Dimuran finally settled, straining as she took a deep, shuddering breaths. The distorted air around her ceased shimmering and her hair lost its peculiar glow, eyes returning to their usual lilac. She stepped closer to Raven and Weiss was struck by how eerily similar the two women were.

"Now then, if you're done throwing a fit I'll gladly explain everything to you three inside. Before that however perhaps I should introduce myself to your little friends." Raven grinned and spread her arms. "I am Raven Branwen, leader of the Branwen tribe, lady of Fort Morris, and as of tonight," she said, pointing at Weiss. "Your new keeper, girl."

"Quit fuckin' around and show us Ruby already," Yang growled and stormed towards the older woman. Above them Hammond called for guards, but Raven waved him off, smirking at the blonde.

"Is that any way to speak to your mother? Honestly." Raven sighed, holding her hands up as she shook her head. "But come, we've got a lot to talk about, so why don't we get on with things?" She stepped aside and gestured to the doors as they parted, a pair of soldiers holding them open. "After you, ladies."

Yang's response was to growl at her mother and stomp past her, pushing aside the soldier holding the door open. Blake kept her head down and hurried inside after, leaving Weiss to linger. She hadn't stopped staring at Raven and the woman realized it, raising an eyebrow, hand on her hip.

"Going to move you or are you going to stare all night?"

"Whatever you think you're doing, it won't work. I'm gathering my partner and we are leaving."

Raven chuckled, stepping closer and slinging an arm around Weiss' shoulders. Weiss winced as her shoulders were squeezed, then went cold when Raven eased her sword out, flashing red steel that matched her dangerous gaze.

"Let's see how tonight goes first, hm? Now move," she pushed Weiss forward and followed right along, leaving one hand resting on her sword, the other on Weiss' back. "And relax. We're friends, Schnee. Or at least we will be."

Somehow Weiss sincerely doubted that.

* * *

 **And now we can get into the fun stuff. Best (worst) mom arrives, we've kind of found Ruby, and... Did Hazel sell them out?**

 **Fun fact of the day! A 'forlorn hope' refers to a group of soldiers that, typically of their own volition, undertake a mission they know to have a very high mortality rate. In other words they go off on a suicide mission. While Weiss and company were hardly willing I figured it was a neat little term to use regardless. And they did** _kind of_ **agree after being strong-armed into it, so it works?**

 **Creative liberties, ho!**


	26. Chapter 26: Cold Comforts

**Funny story about this chapter. Last night I spent maybe three hours going over it, editing, removing lines I wasn't thrilled with or editing others. What I ultimately came up with felt a lot better than what I'd had and I was thrilled.**

 **Then I realized I was editing chapter 25, not chapter 26.**

 **So! I think I'm going to take a fair bit more time editing in the future as a result. Also going to revisit numbers because evidently I've forgotten how to count.**

* * *

If nobility was known for one thing it was their excessive wealth. That and their innate ability to hold preposterous grudges against a young woman, although Weiss felt like she was unique in that regard.

The homes of the aristocracy were, she assumed, furnished with nothing but the best. Plus, carpets, paintings that served no purpose but to brandish wealth. Everything was likely gilded, impeccably clean, and there would be servants every few feet waiting to help you breathe if you so needed it.

In short, extravagant and unnecessary.

By contrast Raven's 'home' more closely resembled storehouse than a resplendent display of fortune. The foyer was cramped and stuffed with containers, some full, most turned over and stacked haphazardly throughout. Tapestries and banners had been torn down in favor of repurposing them for clothing or bedding. Marbled floors once clean to the point you could eat off them now bore scores of scuff marks and chips. And that was only the entryway.

Many other rooms had either been stripped bare or repurposed into housing or storage. A kitchen's contents had been hauled away - outside, Weiss realized, and a dining room devoid of chairs or tables served as quarters complete with over a dozen sleeping rolls and cots.

At one point they passed by a library that had once been filled to the brim with over a hundred volumes of fine literature, now stripped nearly bare. Blake asked where the books had all gone and Raven casually responded they had been used as tinder. Weiss wasn't sure she'd ever seen the Meera so close to passing out.

A double-wide set of doors at the end of the hall must have served as the former owner's study. Gilded doorknobs against a dark stained door with twisting flowers engraved on the surface stood before them. A pair of paintings depicting figures none of them recognized flanked the doorway, wall mounted candle holders in the shape of growing vines, empty and littered with cobwebs, lined the walls.

They stopped short of the gaudy door and instead were ushered into a smaller side room.

"Sit down and wait, I'll be back," Raven ordered brusquely.

"How about instead you show us where Ruby is?" Yang snapped.

"Where do you think I'm going? Sit down and behave for five minutes." The blonde grumbled and trudged into the room, sinking down on a worn couch that buckled in the middle but didn't break. Raven rolled her eyes, gesturing for Weiss and Blake to enter. "Ruby is asleep still. Don't worry, I'll drag her downstairs if I must." Yang growled and the older Dimuran laughed curtly. "It was a joke, relax."

Not wanting to be anywhere near Yang right now Weiss settled for sitting on a locked chest. Out of curiosity, she rasped her knuckles against it, the echoing response telling her it was empty. Crossing one leg over the other, hands in her lap - she didn't want to touch anything given how dusty it all looked, she watched Blake drop onto the floor along the wall.

"There are chairs," Weiss pointed out.

"Considering how the couch looked? I'll pass."

Still agitated Yang managed a strained smile and pat the cushion beside her. Weiss didn't miss the way the blonde's nose wriggled or the plume of dust that came out of the fabric. "Come on Blake, it's fine! See?"

One bounce and the couch groaned and creaked. The second made the wood snap and with a yelp Yang landed hard on the floor. The legs of the couch fanned out beneath it, one breaking off entirely and rolling across the floor. Weiss bit her lip and tried hard not to laugh while Blake shook her head.

"Nice going."

Yang snapped one of the remaining legs off and bounced it in the palm of her hand. How was I supposed to know it was gonna break?"

"Maybe because it buckled when you sat on it?" Weiss offered, smiling as Yang stuck her tongue out.

"Maybe if you weren't so top heavy it wouldn't have broken." Blake ducked beneath the thrown piece, reaching for a discarded book, then upon seeing the title, setting it in her lap and opening it up instead.

Weiss bounced her foot while looking around the room, once more surprised by the spartan decor. A table pushed along the far wall had stacks of smaller containers, piles of dishes and random odds and ends cluttered on the surface. Three windows along the frontmost wall let light pour in, inches of grime creeping in from the corners, the panes themselves flecked with all manner of uncleanliness.

Just how long had the keep been abandoned for? It couldn't have been long, not if soldiers were still stationed here. Raven was here now yet didn't appear to use the room for anything besides storing whatever waste she found.

 _Perhaps they never used this room to begin with._ Dragging her finger along the top of the chest Weiss grimaced, looking around and wiping her finger clean on a discarded drape. Another example of excessive wealth. How many more rooms were like this? How much of the keep was going unused, and why hadn't Raven allowed those outside to seek shelter here instead?

Weiss had scrawled half a dozen meaningless runes into the dust out of boredom by the time Raven finally returned. Standing, she craned her neck and peered past the woman at the doorway. "Where's Ruby…?" she asked, frowning as she moved towards the door.

"Getting changed. Brat wanted to run down here in nothing but her undergarments," Raven snorted. "Probably would have if -"

Somewhere outside the room a loud crash rang out followed by men shouting at someone. Another crash accompanied by the clatter of metal and the frantic shout of a woman. The three girls watched the doorway expectantly as Raven stepped out of its way. Then, when a red blur appeared at the door, she held out an arm, catching the speedy girl in mid-stride.

"Oof!" Ruby's legs swung up and she kicked fitfully, taking a gasping breath and clutching onto Raven's arm. Swinging from the limb she giggled, dropped back to her feet and fixing her tunic. "Told you I'd be right down!"

"And I told you to wait for Vernal!"

The brunette smiled nervously and pressed her fingers together. "Yeah, well she's slow and I was excited and…" Ruby finally looked into the room, hands lowering and silver eyes widening. "And…"

Weiss felt tears welling as she slid from her seat, swallowing and waving to Ruby. The brunette missed her gesture however, gaze fixated on Yang who finally stood up from the broken couch. Dropping her hand awkwardly to her side she held her arm, forcing a smile to remain put as Ruby slowly shuffled into the room.

As if getting cold feet and reconsidering halfway Ruby stopped just a few steps in. Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly, and no sound came out, hands fumbling with the clasp of her cloak. After a moment she looked around the room, looking at Weiss but not quite registering she was there. Lost both for words and a means to express her shock Ruby whimpered, face scrunching up. Then, like a child separated from their parent she reached for Yang, a choked sob escaping.

Yang rushed forward and pulled Ruby into a hug Weiss was certain could break a spine. Ruby flung her arms around the taller girl, burying her face immediately as sobs came free, trembling as she clutched at her sister.

Weiss wiped a few tears from her cheek, cleared her throat and looked away, deciding a dark stain on the wall was far more intriguing than the display before her. Being here to witness this felt like she was intruding on something special, something she had no business seeing. Her heart clenched painfully, and she grabbed at her chest, closing her eyes and releasing a shuddering sigh.

How was Winter faring right now? Was she well? Happy? How long had it been since they'd shared a hug like this?

Too long. Far, far too long.

"What the fuck!" Boots stomped loudly and the same men from before uttered hasty apologies. The same angry voice shouted for them to clean, footfalls growing louder as their owner came closer.

Raven peered into the hall and grinned, leaning against the door frame. "Nice job keeping her there, Vernal. Glad to know you can handle a child."

"She tricked me!" A young woman about Weiss' age stormed into view. A vein bulged visibly in her temple and her face was red, either from anger or embarrassment. Probably both. Weiss had never seen blue flames before but when the woman looked into the room, she swore her blue eyes could set anything in her view alight.

"Tricked you?"

"She asked me to find her a new pair of underwear! I checked the other rooms and when I came back, she'd left!" Vernal seethed, pointing at Ruby's back. "Red! Do that shit again and I'll kick your ass, hear me?"

Raven slapped the back of Vernal's head and Weiss winced watching the foul-mouthed girl stumble from the blow. "That's my niece you're threatening. Want to say that again?" She didn't, and after regaining a sense of balance Vernal hung her head and crossed her arms petulantly.

Yang pulled Ruby along and sat in one of the nearby chairs. When it became obvious her sister wasn't going anywhere, she lifted the brunette, setting Ruby in her lap and wrapping her arms around the smaller girl.

"Why do you have her…?" Yang's eyes for once weren't red from anger, cheeks wet as she looked at Raven expectantly.

"Why? Because I saved her. You're welcome, by the way."

"Saved her…?" Weiss finished wiping her own face dry, placing her hands on her hips. "Forgive me if I sound skeptical, but I hardly believe that for a second."

"Why, because I'm a bandit?" Raven grinned, putting a hand to her chest before pointing to Weiss."Or is it because you're upset you couldn't be her hero, Schnee?"

"How about 'cuz you don't exactly have a history of taking care of family for starters?"

"Oh you…" Raven sauntered into the room, stopping when Yang bared her teeth. "Fine, don't believe me. Why don't you ask your precious little sister then?" She motioned towards Ruby and smirked. "Go on, tell them."

Ruby nodded and slowly pulled herself from Yang's shoulder, uttering a soft apology for the damp spot on her shirt. "It's t-true…" When a trio of baffled expressions silently prodded for more she sat up and rubbed her face fitfully. "I found a vill… Village under attack and tried to h-help. There were a lot of Grimm. Too many. I saved as many as I could…"

"And almost died for it." When Yang paled and started to look over Ruby, Raven sighed. "I had our healers mend her wounds already, relax. I was hardly going to let her bleed out on the spot. She's fine now."

"Fine?! She almost died!" Yang shouted. Ruby jumped and the blonde hugged her sister again, keeping her close. "And let me guess, you were going to let it happen too, weren't you?" she snarled, clutching Ruby tightly to her chest. "Until you realized you needed her to get me here."

Weiss galled, then stared as Raven began to laugh. How could she laugh about that? Ruby had… Ruby had…

"I wasn't going to let her die, Yang. I'm not that cold. And besides…" Raven pointed to Weiss, cocking her head with a snide grin. "It's not you I was after. Though I can't say having you here is a bad thing." She looked at the taciturn Meera and smirked. "Nor you. This will work out nicely actually."

"What will work?" Blake asked.

Raven took one look at Vernal before shaking her head. "In due time, girl. There's something else I need to attend to. You four enjoy..." she swept a hand before shaking her head. "Whatever this is. We'll speak in the morning.

She grabbed the back of Vernal's frayed vest, pulling the young woman into the hall with her. "Feel free to explore if you want," she called back, voice echoing through the keep. "It's a dump though!"

She left them? Just like that? Giving it a few seconds, Weiss jumped to her feet and hurried to the door, astonished when Raven was nowhere in sight. Baffled by their sudden stroke of fortune she hurried back to the chest, collecting her rapier and clipping it to her waist. "We should leave now, before she comes back."

"N-No! We can't!" Ruby protested.

"Why not? She's not someone you want to get involved with, Ruby," Yang chastised gently, running a hand through black and red locks. "Come on, let's get goin'."

Ruby shook her head and moved Yang's hand from her hair. "Yang, please… We can't leave, not yet!"

Blake pushed herself to her feet and frowned at Ruby. "And why not? We came here for you, we've got you, so let's go."

For a long few moments Ruby simply stared at Blake, then as though realizing she was here too, looked at Weiss in surprise. The wheels in her head visibly turned as she tried to make heads of the group, she found herself in, gaping like a fish until Yang gently flicked her forehead. Ruby rubbed the spot before smiling somberly. "Because… Because we can't just leave these people."

"Ruby, it's not that I don't sympathize with their plight," Weiss began.

"But they're not our problem," Yang interrupted. "You must have seen how they treat Raven. Let her deal with them, we've got other stuff to worry about."

Ruby shook her head, shaking her fists before sliding free from Yang's lap. "You don't understand! I'm the reason they're here right now! I have to help them get home!"

Weiss stared at Ruby and tried to tease out the meaning behind her words. "You… They're from the village you saved? Is that it?" Ruby nodded quickly. "Ruby… They're alive, and while they might not be in the… Best of states." That was putting starvation lightly. "That they have their lives is good enough."

"It's not though!" All three girls flinched when Ruby shouted. Realizing how loud she'd been Ruby tugged at her cloak nervously. "It's not," she repeated, softer this time. "I'm the reason they can't go home. I have to go back and fix things."

"How is it your fault? If anything, it's Raven's for not helping you," Blake said.

"S-Still… I could have done more. Even without Raven's help…"

If Yang hadn't been hugging Ruby, then Weiss might have. Watching the sisters share an embrace she shifted her weight between her feet before smiling. "You did all that could be asked of you, Ruby. No one can fault you for that. None of us do."

Yang and Blake nodded in agreement. Lifting her head from Yang's shoulder Ruby managed a ghost of a smile. "Th-thanks…"

"We're just happy you're okay, Rubes," Yang mumbled, pulling her sister close and burying her face in Ruby's hair. Ruby whined in protest but laid her head against Yang's shoulder, hiding her face once more and grabbing handfuls of Yang's top.

No one person could hope to save everyone. Even a force like the Church, widespread as they were, wasn't infallible. People died, and while Weiss was loath to call it the natural order of things, she was reluctant to be so dismissive. People shouldn't die when Hunters were involved. Their sole purpose was to prevent exactly that.

In a spurt of idealism that was normally reserved for Ruby Weiss smiled, approaching the sister's and laying a hand gently on her partner's back. "We can help them. We'll reclaim their town and help these people get home."

Blake inclined her head towards Weiss, ears swiveling. "We can?"

Weiss nodded, smiling when Ruby looked up at her. Seeing the tear-stained, hopeful face of her partner reaffirmed her idea. "Our mission isn't going to go anywhere, and you heard the commander before. The Grimm aren't likely to spread."

"Assuming the people behind this don't try spreading miasma further," the broody Meera warned.

"Which we won't allow to happen. But we can't ignore the cries of these people, can we?" Weiss smiled, nodding when Ruby returned it. Moving towards the windows she peered out and watched a handful of misplaced villager shamble about. "What's a day or two difference? Besides, they hardly expect us to succeed, remember? They've likely got a contingency plan in place already."

Yang eased her hold on Ruby and smiled sad while nodding along. "I like what you're thinking, Weissy. If they're so worried about it then they can deal with it. We've got our own mission to worry about." She scratched the scales on her cheek and smiled apologetically at Ruby. "That was kinda mean what I said, huh? Sorry."

Ruby balled her hands into fists and began hopping in place. "You guys mean it? Really? We can help them?!"

"I believe I just said as much, didn't I? Unless Blake has any objections?" Blake looked between the expectant faces and groaned.

"I don't imagine I'll get out of this otherwise. And besides…" The Meera smiled earnestly at Ruby. "I do still owe you for your help."

"Huh…? What'd I do?"

Ruby whined when all Blake did was shake her head, tugging at Yang's shirt for an explanation. Yang had none and Weiss shrugged, just as lost as the Dimuran. Not that it mattered much. If Blake was willing to cooperate a little longer and help them secure a village then their odds went up quite a bit. Ruby on her own might have failed but the four of them together?

As unlikely a partnership as it was Weiss could see them pulling off a miracle.

Yang slung an arm around Ruby's shoulder, holding the other open. "Come on, group hug girls! I guess we're a team now huh?" Blake didn't move an inch. Weiss considered it before smiling, holding up a hand and shaking her head. Yang puffed her cheeks before shrugging, hugging a protesting Ruby tighter. "Fine, more for me!"

"We shouldn't get too ahead of ourselves. We still don't know what Raven has planned for us," Blake cautioned. "She doesn't seem like the type of woman to just let someone walk once they owe her. And we do owe her."

"You're not wrong there," Yang grumbled, running a hand through her hair with a scowl. "She's nothin' if not a colossal pain in the ass."

"Yang!" Ruby put a finger in Yang's face and almost giggled when her sister went cross-eyed. "No swearing!"

"Even so we can still make plans. Assuming the village is nearby, or better yet, on the way to our original goal, maybe it won't be much of a detour." Weiss gestured to Ruby and smiled. "Well then? Where is this village of yours? Does it have a name?"

Would these people even want to return home? The way they had clamored for Raven before made it almost seemed like they revered her. Like parishioners fervently hanging onto every word of a priest they'd eaten up everything the woman had said. The similarity to the Church hadn't been missed by Weiss, although to the woman's credit she hadn't reveled in it.

Ruby peeled herself out of Yang's hold, fixing her freshly tousled hair and sticking her tongue out before smiling brightly. "Mhm! It's about…" she paused, tapping her chin with a finger. "Maybe a day or two south… Ish? I forget exactly, kind of wasn't the most… Awake when I got here, heh…"

"Don't remind us," Yang said. "And what's the town's name, or did you forget that too?"

"Nuh uh, I know it! It's got a funny name, and it had a statue of a boar in the center, so it was super memorable!" Ruby giggled, jittery at the prospect of saving the town now. That or Raven had unwittingly given her sugar earlier, a grievous error on her part then.

"Well…?" Blake urged. "What's its name?"

"Plockton!"

Weiss stared before burying her face in her hands, dragging them across before exhaling slowly.

Only Ruby would stumble into a warzone and not realize it.

 _Well…_ Weiss mused, smiling as Ruby questioned why Yang was gawking at her. _At least we won't have to change our course._

How lucky for them.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Weiss didn't consider herself a selfish person. She'd often give away large portions of her meals when out with friends, both by virtue of having a small appetite and losing said appetite watching others shovel food in their mouths.

Judgmental? Maybe, but not selfish. Nor was she selfish by paying a little extra for goods she needed or making a point to help her friends with whatever tasks they needed, however menial.

It was her job, yes, but being a Hunter was about the least selfish job she could imagine.

Risk your life for complete strangers? And, more often than not, receive no recognition from the people you saved?

That seemed pretty selfless to her.

For those reasons Weiss felt guilty when Ruby wandered off with Yang for the bulk of the evening. Logically she understood why; Yang and Ruby hadn't seen each other in years and as far as Ruby had been aware Yang was dead. Recalling the conversation, she'd, ahem, _overheard_ in the cathedral she realized now Ruby must have been referring to Yang. Why? Weiss didn't know but it was clear that the younger girl hadn't given up on her sibling.

A sorry sentiment if not for the fact that the two girls were reunited after all this time.

Weiss sighed, her breath fogging the thick panes of her room. Outside she watched as soldiers patrolled the fort, torches in hand, their flickering lights reflecting off their armor and faces, distance rendering the latter indecipherable.

After the fanfare of their reunion and subsequently being left alone by Raven the girls had opted to retire for the evening. With a meeker member of Raven's ranks serving as an attendant they were each shown to their own rooms with Ruby and Yang opting to bunk together. The third floor proved to be the cleanest and, after removing bedding and using said bedding to dust off every surface she could reach, Weiss dared to claim the space she was in inhabitable.

Sleep should have claimed her easily. A long day preceded by a night of fending off Grimm would be enough to drain anyone of their vigor. When Weiss laid in bed, the hard, unflinching straw mattress beneath a thick linen refusing to budge, she tossed and turned to find comfort. Even when she managed a position, she could sleep in her mind refused to rest, thoughts cyclically churning.

What were they expected to do now? Could they leave without abiding by Raven's demands? She knew nothing of the woman, or her tribe save for passing whispers. They were bandits and, evidently, Raven was the mother of Yang. Weiss scoffed at the notion, slamming her palm in frustration as she glared up at the dark ceiling.

How was it that Yang managed to have a mother in her life?

Evidently, she was selfish and jealous too.

Then there was the small matter of what they'd do once they did leave Morris Keep. Plockton was in desperate need of help and any thoughts she'd had of abandoning the mission - not that there had been any to begin with, were promptly snuffed out upon seeing its residents, despondent and on the verge of death.

It was a blessing and a curse to see firsthand what was happening. In Holbrook she'd known the residents however fleetingly before the town was attacked by the White Fang. The personal touch had encouraged her to fight despite her nervousness. It also was a dour reminder of how many people's lives relied on her success.

Now, with an entire town huddling in an abandoned keep and at risk of starving? Weiss felt as though she'd been brought before an executioner and their blood-speckled axe hung overhead, ready to come down in an instant.

She detested failure before but now Weiss refused to fail. Just as her mind refused to let her sleep.

After an hour of tossing and turning, getting out of bed and roaming only to return she deemed rest a lost cause, swung her legs out of bed, strapped on her boots and left the cramped quarters to wander the keep in hopes of tiring herself out.

As dark as it was, for a few torches if any adorned the halls, navigating the keep was a perilous undertaking. It didn't help that she was unfamiliar with its layout either. Keeping a hand against the cool stone walls she meandered through hallway after hallway, turning around whenever she found a dead end, sealed door or stairwell. The lack of anyone else wandering the keep allowed for her delicate footsteps to echo, the slightest sounds reverberating off the corridors.

What few windows there were allowed miniscule rays of moonlight inside. Filth and grime diluted the moonlight further and in some places, Weiss walked in complete pitch, hand groping blindly before her to make sure she didn't walk into anything. Once her foot caught a small table and she stumbled, then her foot snagged the carpet and she nearly tripped if not for a nearby curtain, she grabbed for dear life.

Blake could probably see just fine in these conditions. For the first time in perhaps forever Weiss was envious of Meera and their night vision.

Her mind continued to taunt her and Weiss, frustrated, began retracing her route back towards her room. Perhaps she could study her map, try and formulate a plan for Plockton. She could check her supplies, then double check, and inspect her weapon for any imperfections. Preparation was the key to success, after all!

On her way back Weiss slowed, then stopped and frowned. A large swathe of corridor bathed in unfiltered moonlight, the gray carpet bursting with color when all else was shrouded in shadow. When had that happened? Approaching it she paused again finding a pair of doors wide open, cold, crisp wind drifting inside with a breeze and making her draw her tunic tight.

"Ruby…?"

The brunette turned from her place along the railing and smiled, then turned again and rubbed at her face. Weiss walked out on the balcony and glanced around realizing it was the selfsame spot Raven had emerged from before. From here they could look out over the entire fort, level with the tops of the walls. Stopping short of the railing herself Weiss peered over the edge, down at the makeshift homes crowding the already limited courtyard.

"Couldn't sleep either?"

Weiss shook her head and smiled slightly. "No. I guess I'm too…" Nervous? Apprehensive? Dreading what was to come? "Excited about all that's happened today."

Ruby giggled and turned back again, flashing an easy smile as she nodded. "Yeah, it's been super busy! I was just hanging out and then you guys showed up!" The brunette gaped before covering her mouth. "Weiss, oh my gosh! I hardly spoke to you earlier, I'm so sorry!"

"Ruby, please, it's perfectly fine," Weiss lied, waving a hand and returning Ruby's relieved smile. "You saw your sister for the first time in ages. I can hardly fault you for spending time with her."

Concerns assuaged Ruby nodded, preying herself from the railing. Watching her bounce on the balls of her feet reminded Weiss of the endless fount of energy that was Ruby Rose. How wasn't she exhausted after such an emotional reunion? How hadn't it drained her of every last drop of energy?

Weiss certainly felt fatigued by it all, although nowhere near enough to sleep still.

Rolling her tongue when she realized a silence fell over them Weiss rubbed her hands together, unsure of what to talk about. For the first time since meeting the brunette Ruby didn't jump at the first thing that came to mind either. While not a miserable silence she did feel like they should speak about something. Ruby's journey, their mission - which they had already discussed ad nauseum earlier, or even something as frivolous as the weather.

One thought came to the foreground and Weiss was tempted to throw it away like a rotten apple, yet clung to it instead, rotting flesh and all.

"Ruby…" she began, biting her lip and looking elsewhere, anywhere but the aforementioned girl. "How… How are you doing?"

"Huh? I'm awesome, Weiss! I got my sister back, my best friend in the whole wide world is here, and… Well, Blake might be a friend now!"

Weiss couldn't help but roll her eyes at the comment. "She tried to kill us, Ruby."

"But she didn't! And she traveled with you, so…"

That made them friends? What a wonderfully simplistic way to look at things. Weiss found herself wishing she could view matters in a similar light, wondering if it was really so easy to forgive and forget. Even if Ruby held any animosity, she didn't show it, greeting Blake with the same joviality she might one of their closer friends.

Weiss had suffered Blake's company because of necessity and managed an air of civility with the woman. Ruby seemed genuinely happy for her presence.

Deciding to move from that topic Weiss finally allowed her eyes to drift back to Ruby, to the smiling, giddy girl who had settled down save for the constant tap of her left foot. Her head was cocked slightly and her eyes, polished like the finest cutlery, enthralling as the fullest moon, rich like a molten pool of silver, shone with unbridled enthusiasm.

At least they normally would. Weiss had spent enough time around her partner to know when her happiness was genuine. Ruby's smile, wide as it was, didn't quite reach her eyes, the corners of which always crinkled when the girl was happy. Her lips were pressed too thin, shoulders too rigid, and Weiss realized her partner's hands groped nervously at the sides of her trousers, fumbling for something to occupy themselves.

"Ruby… Are you positive you're alright?"

"Mhm! We're all together now, everything's peachy!" Ruby replied quickly. A bit too quickly for Weiss' liking.

"I see. I'm just concerned, I suppose. You went through a lot after all." Weiss took a step closer and smiled uncertainly. "You're okay with returning to Plockton so soon? After everything that happened?"

An almost invisible flicker of doubt crossed Ruby's face before she redoubled her effort, her smile turning into a full-blown grin as she nodded. "Ready as can be! We've got people to help and Grimm butts to kick!" She pumped her fists before beginning to shadowbox, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "They won't get me this time!"

At any other time, Weiss might have rolled her eyes or made a remark about Ruby's behavior. Instead she stepped closer again and reached out, seeking her partner's hand with her own, clasping both around Ruby's. Even with having been outside for longer than herself Weiss found Ruby's hand warmer, her own soft fingers clasping around calloused ones. Ruby stopped bouncing and glanced at their hands before flashing Weiss a smile.

"Weiss…?"

"It's okay to be nervous, Ruby. Or afraid, or… Not wanting to go back," Weiss urged, keeping her voice just above a whisper. She shook her head, squeezing Ruby's hand before looking back and burying herself in Ruby's pools of silver. "You… You nearly died, Ruby. Raven said as much."

"Well… I got pretty banged up, yeah, but I'm okay now!" As if to prove her point Ruby jumped in place, posing with her free arm and grinning. "See? A-okay!"

Weiss giggled at the showy display. Well, Ruby wasn't wanting for energy, that much was certain. Not that she'd ever known her partner to be worn down save for the most intensive training days.

"Ruby, we're partners, right?" Ruby nodded and Weiss smiled, the gesture fading as she squeezed the brunette's hand again. "And we're… Besties," she used Ruby's own term with care. "If something was bothering you then you'd tell me, right?"

"Of course! You're only, like, my super best friend in all of Remnant! We go together like two peas in a pod, or two cakes on a plate, or -"

"I'm not certain the second one means anything," Weiss quipped playfully.

"You know what I mean!" Ruby flashed an easy smile. "I'd tell you if something was wrong!"

Then why wasn't she? Ruby's foot began to tap again and her smile, as easily as it came, was as false as a nobleman's courtesies, put upon because it was expected, not because it was heartfelt. Feeling her partner's hand trembling in her own Weiss squeezed it gently, releasing a sigh that fogged up the air between them.

Why was Ruby so determined to lie to her?

"I'm nervous," Weiss conceded, wondering if her own admission might coax something out of Ruby. "I'm afraid, I suppose. What if we can't beat the Grimm? What if the town is already lost? Where will these people go? We can't stay here and protect them forever either."

For the first time since coming outside Ruby's smile wavered, falling completely as she cast a forlorn look out over the balcony's edge. "I know, but… We have to try something!"

As well they would. They were Hunters, duty bound to deal with all matters concerning Grimm. It was a fool's errand to try and reclaim a town in the midst of one of the largest Grimm incursions Vale had ever seen. Even madder still was it to expect to do so with such a paltry force.

Yet Ruby maintained an air of positivity or feigned one. Weiss wasn't sure what hurt more, knowing that Ruby had nearly died or that she was putting on a show to try and convince them she was okay. No one would be okay after nearly dying. Weiss knew firsthand what staring death in the face was like. To resign yourself to whatever lay beyond, to wait for Kalom, the god of death, to take you into His embrace.

Not wanting to press matters and upset Ruby, Weiss reached out and placed a hand on her friend's arm. "If you need anything, no matter what hour or where I am, don't hesitate, okay?" She smiled warmly. "Even if I call you a dolt you can talk to me."

"I know!" Ruby said, grinning. "That's why you're my bestie!"

Right. A 'bestie' that couldn't coax out whatever troubles her friend was enduring. Ruby shouldn't suffer in silence, no one should, and feeling incapable of changing that made Weiss feel utterly useless.

"Maybe we'll make rounds tomorrow? I think these people would be happy to see you alive and well after all you've done for them."

If she hadn't known Ruby's smile was a sham before then she did now, watching Ruby's lips twitch as her eyes shimmered. Worried she'd said something wrong Weiss took up her friend's hand in her own.

"Ruby? What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing! That sounds like a good idea!"

Unconvinced she cupped her hands around Ruby's, rubbing the back of it as she frowned. "Ruby… Do you not want to see them?"

The brunette shook her head hastily then gave the most strained smile Weiss had ever seen from her. "N-No, I do! I just… M-Maybe we should take it easy tomorrow? I mean you guys j-just got here!"

They had just arrived, and no doubt Raven would be putting them to task the first chance she got. Still, wouldn't Ruby like to see the people she'd saved? Surely their gratitude would help lift her spirits.

"I could go with you if you'd like? Yang too." Then again, they hadn't seem overly keen to see Hunters arriving. Weiss' hands gripped Ruby's a bit tighter and she frowned. "Ruby? Are these people angry with you?"

"What? No! They were super happy when I showed up!" Ruby answered hastily. A bit too hastily. Another false grin was given, and she shook her head. "Well not _happy_ because, well, you know, but they haven't been mean to me once! I even know a lot of their names!"

That was surprising. Also distressing. Ruby knew the name of the survivors which meant she likely knew at least a few names of those who hadn't made it as well.

 _Those she couldn't save._ Weiss stared into Ruby's eyes until they flickered away, downcast. Ruby nibbled on her lip and her free hand toyed with the clasp of her cloak, tracking the silver rose and tapping her foot rapidly. _She feels responsible, doesn't she? Oh Ruby…_

Maybe she was misreading the signals or looking where there were none. Either way Weiss dropped Ruby's hand and pulled her friend into a hug. It was nowhere near as firm as Yang's and Weiss had to get on her toes to be the same height. Ruby squeaked in surprise at the gesture before raising her trembling hands and placing them on the small of Weiss' back.

"You're a hero, Ruby," she whispered softly, patting her partner's back. "Everyone here is alive thanks to you. You… You did what a lot of people couldn't do." What a lot of people were refusing to do.

Hearing a soft whimper, she redoubled her hug, swaying slowly in place and closing her eyes.

"I'm not a hero, Weiss."

Frowning at the blatantly incorrect answer she shook her head. "Don't be absurd. You protected an entire village by yourself and all of these people are alive thanks to you."

When no answer came Weiss kept silent and continued to sway, her hand rubbing a loose circle on Ruby's back. For several minutes they stood together until Ruby finally held Weiss' sides and eased her back. Concern etched on her features Weiss managed a small smile, grabbing her partner's hands and holding them.

"Please don't think you failed, Ruby. You didn't."

The brunette smiled and nodded slowly. "I know… I just…" She shook her head, easing her hands free before running one through her own hair. "I'll be inside in a bit, 'kay? I just want a bit of fresh air."

Hesitant to leave Ruby on her own Weiss stepped back, smiling as she rubbed her chilled hands together. "If you need anything, anything at all, don't hesitate to come find me, okay?"

"R-Right. Goodnight Weiss."

It felt awful to leave Ruby standing out here on her own, when she was clearly distressed and in need of help. Weiss didn't know how to offer it though and didn't want to press only to make matters worse. Were the situations reversed she was certain Ruby would refuse to budge until everything came spilling out, then somehow make everything seem alright. Compared to that Weiss' efforts felt insignificant.

"We'll save everyone, Ruby," she urged gently, and this time it was Weiss who forced a smile she wasn't feeling. For Ruby's sake. "Hunters are heroes, remember? And more than that, I believe in you. With you here we can do this."

If Weiss hadn't felt like a failure before she did now. Ruby's face crumpled and her hands clasped over her mouth, eyes squeezing shut before staring desperately at her. Concerned she slowly approached, pausing when Ruby stepped back and shook her head. Perplexed by the reaction Weiss reached out, gawking and retracting her hand when Ruby bat it away.

"Don't! Just… Don't!" Ruby shouted, cringing hearing her own voice ring out so loudly.

Weiss flinched at the unexpected shout. What had she said? Why was Ruby acting so poorly all of a sudden? Taking another step forward she froze when Ruby whined, hugging herself and shaking her head. "Ruby…?"

"I'm not a hero," she tearfully argued, voice breaking. Pale cheeks began to glisten and she shook her head fitfully, bangs and tears flinging about. "You sh-shouldn't believe in me! I'll… I'll only let you down!"

"Ruby, what are you talking about?" Her own voice became desperate and Weiss tried to approach again, reaching out as Ruby darted away from her, pressing against the railing and trembling. "Ruby, please! I can't help if I don't know what's wrong!"

Her partner tried to speak yet each time her mouth opened little more than a pitiful whine or pained groan came out. Feeling as useful as a glass of water in a forest fire Weiss stood, hands flexing at her sides as her breath hitched, heart hammering in her chest.

Through ragged, strained breaths Ruby managed to speak at long last. She doubled over and whined again, shaking her head before giving Weiss a tearful, broken look. "You shouldn't believe in me, Weiss. I f-failed…"

"Ruby, you didn't -"

"And I ran away without telling anyone!" the brunette went on, tears falling as she shake. "I couldn't wait around, and I couldn't keep listening to dad telling me Yang was gone! I knew she had to be out there! I had to go, Weiss! I had to!" When she looked to Weiss for approval or something all Weiss could do was nod. It felt pitifully weak, but she didn't know what to say on the matter.

Ruby rubbed at her face and exhaled before running her hands through her hair, repeatedly, making a mess of her already unkempt locks. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left, I'm sorry I ran away, I'm… I'm s-sorry that… Th-that…" Her voice broke in a tremor and another whine escaped. Ruby sank to the floor and sobbed, wrapping her arms around her knees and burying her face in them.

Weiss was at her side in an instant. Wrapping her arms around Ruby's shoulders she knelt on the cold balcony, pulling the other girl into a hug. Body wracked with woeful wails Ruby turned slightly and grabbed onto Weiss, clinging to her desperately as her hands blindly fumbled before grabbing hold of Weiss' tunic.

"I'm sorry," Ruby repeated. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

All Weiss could do was sit as she was and hold Ruby. Were the apologies for her or for those she hadn't been able to save? The former confused her, the latter broke her heart. No one would fault Ruby for being unable to do the impossible. No one save for Ruby herself.

How ridiculous she was for feeling jealous earlier.

When Ruby had gone to Yang first then she'd felt betrayed. It was a silly, selfish feelings and she knew it then just as she did now; Yang was Ruby's sister, her "dead" sister suddenly back in her life. By all rights Ruby could and should have sought the blonde out first.

That didn't make Weiss feel any less inadequate then and it certainly didn't change things now.

 _Maybe Yang could comfort her. Maybe she'd know what to say._

Ruby sank further and Weiss leaned in to follow suit, hugging Ruby tightly without making it uncomfortable. Her friend buried her face in Weiss' shoulder, and she shifted to accommodate, sobs stifled. Through her shirt Weiss began to rub circles in Ruby's back, unwittingly seeping heat from her friend as she closed her eyes and began to gently rock side to side.

Weiss wasn't sure how long they spent in those positions. Long enough that her knees began to ache against the cold balcony, her skin growing cold and damp as Ruby's tears continued to soak her tunic. If it meant providing even a modicum of relief to her friend, she'd gladly endure both all night if she had to.

For all her magic ability she was unaware of the 'magic words' that might have helped Ruby in that moment. If they even existed to begin with.

By the time Ruby's cries had been reduced to soft sniffles the clouds that had plagued the sky at long last passed by. White light shone from the heavens as the moon, unrestricted by coverage any longer, unleashed its strength in earnest. Weiss lifted her head and shivered as a cool wind blew, drawing Ruby closer against herself when she felt her friend shiver too.

At long last Ruby pried herself from Weiss, cheeks stained with tears and eyes rimmed red. She sniffled, wiping her face on her sleeves before managing the sorriest of smiles. "S-Sorry about that…"

Weiss shook her head and managed a smile in return, gently wiping off tear-soaked cheeks. "You dolt… Don't ever apologize for that. We're friends, aren't we? The least I can do is be a shoulder to cry on."

"Y-Yeah…" Ruby sniffled as her eyes found something, sparkling with tentative mirth, her lips curling slightly. "I definitely did a lot of that, huh?"

Damp was generous, it was positively soaked through. Bearing an apologetic smile for Ruby's 'crime' Weiss smiled, shaking her head.

"I'm hardly upset. I'll gladly suffer a few tears if it helps you at all."

Weiss tilted her head when Ruby offered up her sleeve, then held still as a statue when her cheeks were wiped dry. Blinking, she checked her cheeks and found traces of tears on her skin, wiping away the remains of what she hadn't realized she'd shed in the first place.

Ruby giggled weakly, pushing herself back on her hands and rear until her back was against the railing. Weiss followed and settled beside her partner, close enough that their sides pressed together, feeling Ruby's natural warmth radiating into her from the light contact.

"I'm… I'm really glad you're here, Weiss…"

Hearing the tone of her voice Weiss felt her eyes prickle, stubbornly shaking her head as she refused to let more tears fall. "Of course I'm here, Ruby. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

Pleased with the answer Ruby nodded, letting out a soft hum before looking skyward. She gasped, a more honest smiling appearing as she pointed. "It's so pretty…"

It certainly was. With nothing to inhibit it the heavens decided to put on a brilliant display on their behalf. Stars, countless in number as they were in distance, sparkled and shone brilliantly, scattered chaotically in a random beauty that only nature could manage. The moon, larger than any star, floated high above and even its broken mass was somehow inherently gorgeous. Its borderline silver glow was warm despite the cool air around them, and welcoming.

Trees rustled as another wind, warmer than the last, waltzed through the canyon. Beside her Ruby released a squeaky yawn and rubbed at her raw eyes. Weiss placed a hand over her own mouth to stifle a yawn, then stretched herself out before smiling at Ruby.

"Shall we go inside…?"

Ruby shook her head, taking her eyes from the sky to look at Weiss shyly. "If it's okay… Can we stay out here tonight…?"

Weiss considered it for a moment before nodding. Dealing with the occasional chilly breeze was worth the happy clap Ruby made, or the eager, bright smile she bore.

"If we get too cold though we're going indoors," she warned, wagging a finger in Ruby's face. "We can't afford to catch a cold on a mission."

"Pfff, you don't catch a cold from being cold, Weiss!" Ruby squeaked, drawing back and covering the top of her head.

"I know that, dolt," she chastised gently, smiling as she lowered her hand. "But I don't want to wake up shivering, as I'm sure neither do you."

"Oh! Well then…" Ruby leaned forward and undid the clasps around her shoulders. Her red cloak came free and she shook it out before draping it across their laps. "It's a little thin but it should help a bit!"

Face matching the cloth in her lap Weiss nodded, looking away and clearing her throat. They settled in side by side, nothing but the chirp of crickets and cicadas and the heavens above to keep them company. Her cheeks only darkened when Ruby moved closer still, looking back when her friend's head laid on her shoulder.

"Hey Weiss…?"

"Mhm?"

Ruby lifted her head just enough to smile, eyes sparkling and warm once more. "Thanks for coming outside…"

Feeling her chest flutter Weiss nodded, patting Ruby's knee beneath her cloak. As if she needed to be asked to do so. Laying her head back and looking skyward once more she yawned again, rubbing at her eyes.

"Naturally…" she muttered softly.

A gentle snore startled her a moment later and she turned to Ruby, smiling finding her partner already fast asleep. Though her cheeks were still stained with tears and her hair a mess the brunette looked peaceful, the faintest trace of a smile on her cherubic face. Content that she'd helped to calm Ruby, and feeling the exhaustion she'd so desperately craved earlier, Weiss closed her eyes and smiled.

Another breeze ruffled them, but Weiss paid it no heed. Instead she chose to listen to Ruby's gentle breathing, the faint crackling of nearby torches, and the not-so-distant rustling of leaves in the wind. Before long, her own breathing became slower and relaxed, her head falling to the side to rest upon Ruby's.

The balcony was more comfortable than any bed could ever hope to be.

* * *

 **A bit of a slower chapter but one I wanted to do. Anything shy of this would have felt, to me, like I was glossing over what Ruby had endured. As things stand I already feel like I didn't address Weiss' thoughts enough and given everything Ruby went through it felt right to spend time on it.**

 **For those of you who don't want my gushy stuff I promise next chapter is about to have a lot more in the way of fun! Spoiler: magic!**

 **And angst. Can't forget angst!**

 **Thanks for reading as always you wonderful people. Feedback is appreciated! You spending time just reading even more so!**

 **Have a wonderful day, week, whatever indeterminate amount of time that pleases you. Until next chapter!**


	27. Chapter 27: A Sticky Situation

**Chapter just a day or so delayed but here at last! Really tired as I write this silly little intro so think I'm right back to bed once this gets uploaded. Work is kicking my booty!**

 **For anyone who tends to leave feedback, or if anyone feels so inclined, I have a question!**

 **I've edited a lot of the earlier chapters, more out of boredom than anything. While the fundamental story doesn't change I've tidied things up here and there. Think I should replace those or keep them as they are? Again the story itself won't change at all but they've been edited to be a little more... Interesting!**

* * *

In a perfect world Weiss would sleep as much as she liked. In a perfect world, undisturbed by any doings of the outside world, it would be a gentle song of a bird or the warm rays of the sun rousing her from slumber. She'd rise only once lying about was no longer appealing, emerge in only her nightgown and enjoy a warm breakfast in peace. No aches or pains, no rush to action, just her and a morning undisturbed.

This, however, was the real world. In place of birdsong she was woken instead by the low rumblings of a beast looming near, mouth agape as scores of jagged teeth threatened to bear down on her throat.

Only once she truly stirred and her mind began to think logically did she recognize the sound for what it was; snoring across a room was bothersome enough. Snoring when right beside your ear? Only a waterfall crashing onto rocks could be any louder. Curse her hearing, and the soreness that came to when she noticed her ear folded, the tip pressed hard against her inner ear.

Leaning away and freeing her head she nursed at her ear while shooting Ruby a silent glare. The brunette still blissfully ignorant to the world around them continued to snore, a lone trail of drool hanging out of her mouth.

 _Of all the… Couldn't she learn to close her mouth?!_ Weiss reached over to pinch her friend's nose, or clamp her mouth shut, instead letting her hand rub sleep from her face with a huff. _Gods, how did I forget she sleeps like such an oaf?_

How did she forget where they had fallen asleep? Between the cold, unflinching stone of the balcony and the bite of the twisted iron railing she couldn't think of any more unpleasant place to wake. Her rear and back ached, neck stiff as she rolled and cracked it, chilled fingers working at her muscles to work out kinks. Lifting her head she looked up at the early morning sky and kicked one of her legs fitfully, knocking Ruby's cloak off herself and shivering immediately for its lack of warmth.

"So much for sleeping in…"

At least she had birdsong to welcome her to the new day. A pleasant trilling sound, the rise and fall of gentle notes, it was the sole pleasantry she'd been afforded so far this morning. Closing her eyes and making a conscious effort to drown out Ruby's snore she began to hum along to the bird's song. If she tried enough she could ignore the noise in her ear; sharing a room with Ruby meant she had ample experience in ignoring snores.

Where the birds gave no rhythm to their chirping Weiss restored order. In her mind's eye she pictured a piano, ivory and ebony keys bending to her whim, a rich, dulcet tone ringing out in a chamber. Just as she imagined herself playing did she picture herself dancing upon a floor, a hobby she'd had regretfully little time to pursue as of late.

So vivid was her imagination that she could hear other notes accompanying her own, her humming turning into a beautiful melody that chased away her irritation. The soft, excitable murmurs awestruck at her elegance made Weiss smile. How satisfying it would be to dance before nobles, to see noblewomen typically haughty and prideful brought low and shamed by her dancing.

She could hear the creak of floorboards beneath her feet, gentle laughter as she continued to sway, then polite applause. Slowly drifting back to sleep Weiss relished in her momentary triumph and welcomed sleep's embrace, keen to enjoy showing up ladies of the courts with her dance, even if only in slumber.

"Having fun there, Weiss?"

A gasp and jump tore her from her dreaming, looking around in alarm at the sudden intrusion. Blinking owlishly at the roaring laughter she looked towards the doors of the balcony and scowled, cheeks dark as she tried desperately to compose herself. "It's r-rude to disturb someone when they're asleep!"

Yang collapsed onto her rear and snorted, doubling over and clutching her stomach. "Your… You… You shoulda seen yourself!" the Dimuran howled, snickering and shaking her head. How hard would it be to propel Yang off the balcony? A single wind rune should do the trick, or perhaps an ice rune to silence that infernal laughter.

Forgoing assault with magic for a second time Weiss huffed, grabbing Ruby's cloak and balling it up in her hands. "Silence, you boob!" she spat, hurling the cloth at Yang. "I… There is nothing wrong with enjoying oneself in the mornings!" Yang's laughter returned in earnest and a subdued snort and grumble from beside her warned that Ruby had begun to wake. "Yang! Your sister is asleep!"

Ruby yawned squeakily and stretched herself out, unceremoniously pushing a hand into Weiss' face. "Oh, sorry Weiss!" she apologized, drawing back and smiling sheepishly. Realizing someone was howling nearby she looked to Yang and smiled wider. "Yang! Good morning! Uh… Why do you have my cloak?" She blinked and tilted her head. "And why are you laughing so much?"

"Your… Your friend… She's dancing!" Yang giggled through choked laughter and gasps for air. "She looked drunk! It was awesome! You shoulda seen her, Rubes, she was -"

"That is quite enough, thank you!" Weiss pulled herself to her feet and dusted down her trousers. With a sharp glare for Yang she stormed over, snatching Ruby's cloak back and handing it to her partner. "Ignore your sister, Ruby. I think all that hair on her head is suffocating her brain."

Ruby blinked against the lurid sunlight, shielding her eyes as she shrugged. On her feet in an instant she was all smiles despite being woken so rudely from her sleep. How did she do that? What manner of magic was needed to make someone into a morning person and where could Weiss learn it?

"Heh, sorry Yang! I guess we sorta fell asleep out here…" Ruby laughed, fastening her cloak around her shoulders again.

"Aw Rubes, it's no big deal! I figured you'd gone out for a walk or something!" The blonde grinned at Weiss and winked. "Who would have thought you were sleeping with your partner?"

Weiss' face darkened at the implication while Ruby giggled, blissfully unaware of the innuendo, "We were kind of talking and we both fell asleep!"

Scratch throwing Yang off the balcony, maybe she'd throw herself off instead. Anything would be preferable to this nonsense.

"As much fun as it is watching you three, think we can get moving?"

Blake's voice carried just from inside the building and she made no effort besides to make herself known. Wonderful, had she seen their compromising position too? Or Weiss' own ridiculous dancing? What had she been doing exactly? Weiss shuddered inwardly, preferring not to know.

Instead of taking a jab at Yang Weiss busied herself with tidying her hair. "Is there somewhere we're needed? It's still rather early…" Early enough that anyone expecting anything of them was inhumanely cruel.

Yang's smile left her along with any remaining laughter, somber as she picked herself off the balcony. "Right, uh… Raven wants to talk to us. Said it's about repaying some bullsh -" She took one glance at Ruby and smiled nervously. "Stupid debt," she amended.

"She did invite us down for breakfast first however," Blake chimed in, finally poking her head into the doorway. "It's probably going to be more of that gruel from last night though."

If not for her hunger Weiss might have retched at the notion of eating more, although that didn't keep her from grimacing. What were the chances they could go out and hunt again? Even stringy, gamey squirrel would be preferable _. Gods, at this point I'll eat roots if it means having something with flavor._

"It wasn't that bad! I kind of liked it!" Ruby itched her cheek and scuffed her boot on the balcony. "Could have used some sugar though."

"You think everything needs sugar," Weiss muttered with a roll of her eyes. "I don't suppose we can decline the invitation?"

"Not unless you want her chasing us. If you thought those ravens of hers were annoying before…"

In other words do as Raven asked or deal with being stalked until they eventually gave in. It wasn't as if they didn't owe her for saving Ruby. The woman was credited with that much. Something about repaying a debt to a bandit rubbed Weiss the wrong way, but so did remaining indebted to said bandit.

"Well, let's get this over with." Weiss straightened her ponytail in her hands and raised an eyebrow as Ruby skipped into the building. "You have far too much energy for this early in the day."

"Well, I'm excited! I've got my bestie with me, my sister, and…" Ruby spun around and smiled, gesturing broadly. "Blake!"

"Thanks for the praise," came the Meera's mumbled reply.

Weiss rolled her eyes and followed the others inside. "You did try to kill us. You should feel grateful we're not attempting to return the favor."

"Oh right, speaking of that," Yang grinned and cracked her knuckles as she spoke. "Hey kitten, just outta curiosity, how fast can you run? Think you can outrun fireballs?"

Blake stepped back warily while Ruby whined in protest. Weiss groaned, reaching out and grabbing Yang's wrists. "As much as I would find that therapeutic how about we don't burn down the keep? Besides," she glanced back at Blake and smiled. "I believe we have quite enough on our plates without fighting among ourselves."

"Wow, princess, you're awfully forgiving." Yang pulled herself free and placed her hands on her hips, frowning. "Ruby? Should I give Blake a pass? Cuz not gonna lie, I'm real tempted to see what cooked cat tastes like."

"I'm not a _cat_ , you scaly idiot," Blake hissed.

Yang smirked and sauntered over to Blake, leaning down and raising an eyebrow. "No? Well you're definitely a pussy, hiding behind Weiss and Ruby like this."

A high squeal cut off whatever rebuttal Blake had begun, and a red blur darted between the two women. Ruby giggled, hanging off the shoulders of Blake and Yang, one arm around each. "Come on guys, it's time for food! We can fight later!" She blinked owlishly before frowning. "I mean fighting Grimm, by the way! No fighting your teammates!"

"I wouldn't exactly call us 'teammates', Ruby…" Yang said.

"Acquaintances at best," Blake added.

Ruby shook her head before dropping herself back to her feet. "Teammates! We're all working together, right? That makes us a team, and people on a team are teammates!"

In the face of Ruby's infallible logic who could argue? Yang looked poised to as did Blake. Weiss snapped her fingers and pointed down the corridor. "Food awaits, as does Raven's inane prattle. While I'm excited for neither I don't think standing around will accomplish much." She smiled and waved the girls along. "Save your energy for whatever nonsense is in store for us, hm?"

Yang didn't seem happy but acquiesced, making the gesture of 'I'm watching you' to Blake before grabbing Ruby's hand and pulling her along. Crisis averted for now, although Weiss wasn't sure how those two would get on without her and Ruby present.

 _Then again, they were alone before waking us weren't they?_ Weiss noticed Blake watching her and smiled slightly, waving her along before following after Yang and Ruby. _Perhaps I don't need to worry so much._

"Hey Weiss…? Thanks."

"It won't do us any good to have you two fighting one another," Weiss deflected, shaking her head. The earliness of the hour coupled with the spaciousness of the keep made each footstep echo, the carpet doing nothing to help.

Blake chuckled. "Not that. For accepting me, I suppose."

"Accepting you…?" The Meera nodded, returning Weiss' puzzled expression with one of her own. "Blake, make no mistake about my intentions. I'm cooperating with you because I have to, not because I want to."

"Oh."

"Yang isn't wrong in her anger, and frankly I think Ruby is insane for forgiving you so easily. Our partnership in this is born out of necessity, not mutual trust." Weiss frowned and rubbed at her eyes, ridding herself of lingering exhaustion. "I mean we still don't know anything about you. Why you fought for the White Fang, why attack Holbrook, why change sides…"

Blake stopped at the top of the stairs, blocking Weiss path. Her arms crossed and she frowned while cocking one of her hips. "I didn't realize I needed to give you my life story."

"You don't! But we know nothing about you, Blake. You attacked us then expect us to welcome you with open arms?"

"Ruby has."

"Ruby hates conflict!" Weiss hissed, sounding as if that fact was the most obvious thing in the world. "She'd sooner befriend Grimm than slay them if it were possible! Even now she's probably more concerned with keeping everyone happy than anything."

"And you…?" Blake pressed carefully.

"I'm a bit more pragmatic. It's as I said, our partnership is out of necessity, and as such I'll be cordial with you. Don't mistake that for friendship." Weiss frowned and placed her hands on her hips, leaning in. "You've offered no reasoning for anything you've done which leaves us to try and find some. I'll not fight you at every turn, but without knowing what you're even after I can't exactly trust you now can I?"

Blake made to comment before closing her mouth and shaking her head instead. Heaving a sigh Weiss leaned back, tapping a finger impatiently on her arm and looking away. Would it be so difficult for Blake to explain herself? It wouldn't undo their… Precarious relationship but perhaps it could go some way to lessening tensions. When the silence lingered however and Blake made no effort to explain herself, or even defend herself. Frustrated, Weiss dropped her arms and moved around the Meera down the steps.

"Forget it, let's just join the others. We'll need food for -"

"Weiss?" Stopping at the landing she glanced back to find Blake watching her. "I'll explain later, okay? In front of Ruby and Yang too. I promise."

Later was awfully vague but at least it meant at some point they'd actually have a clue what Blake was after. It was little comfort but still more than they'd had before. Managing a slight smile Weiss nodded, waiting for Blake to join her before continuing downwards. "Fair enough. I'm holding you to that though."

"It's between explaining myself or dealing with Yang. I think I know which I prefer taking my chances with."

/+/+/+/+/+/

The dining hall had been in as poorly state as the rest of the keep. Banners sporting both Vale's insignia and an unknown lords hung from the ceiling, color faded and cloth fraying and dirtied. A long, heavy mahogany table that stretched nearly the length of the room sat in the center surrounded by chairs, some usable while others were broken beyond repair, limbs smashed, and seats cracked in two.

Weiss sat in one of the few chairs and glanced towards Ruby and Yang. Both had raised their heads from their meals and greeted her and Blake, one of them more eagerly than the other, before returning to their food.

Seeing the thick, brown, chunky gruel set out before her Weiss could only assume their hunger, not the quality of the meal, dictated their behavior.

Not that the gruel had been appealing the night prior either but at least then they had strips of meat to add flavor. As it was now the meal - if it could even be called that, was a brown, flavorless slop, filling yet flavorless. Dragging her wooden spoon through the loathsome food Weiss wondered if they had been tricked and it was mud in their bowls, not food. Eventually her stomach's rumblings and impatience on over and with no small bit of reservation she began to eat. Besides the scrape of spoons on bowls or the occasional creak of their chairs the group ate in silence, leaving Weiss with little to do besides admire the space, or what was left of it.

Twin hutches with cracked glass doors held porcelain dishes, many of which sat undisturbed, bound by cobwebs and buried in a film of dust. Another table nearby far smaller than the one they sat at sported vases. Landscape paintings of unfamiliar terrain hung intermittently throughout the room and Weiss found herself irritated at their ajar frames.

 _Why don't they clean this place? It's filthy!_ Glancing under the table she ran a finger along the underside, grimacing when her fingertip came back dirty. _Gods, how can they live like this? If they cleaned this place, then everyone would have somewhere half decent to live!_

A man in leather and cloth armor entered the room a short time after and collected their bowls with gruff greetings, wrinkled face red either from anger at his newfound duties or embarrassment. He shot Weiss an unwarranted glare before collecting her bowl, sniffing as though some foul odor hung around her before disappearing from the hall.

No short time later did Raven appear. Having scarcely been able to see the woman last night Weiss finally got a good look at their… What would she consider Raven? Captor? Host? Certainly not a gracious host if that, and while they'd been given relative freedom captor seemed more fitting.

Whatever they were the woman regarded them with a warm, if self-assured smirk. A long, fur-lined robe hung from her shoulders, one of which remained exposed, black scales. Muscle rippled beneath her tanned skin and Weiss noticed a long scar running her chest, curving and tracing its way down her right arm. The woman's chest was bound by bandages, though more for preference than injury, Weiss assumed, seeing no traces of blood anywhere.

Raven stopped halfway down the table to smile down at Weiss. She tried not to shrink back at the unsettling red eyes. As if sensing her trepidation Raven's smile grew, the woman leaning down as she placed a hand on the back of Weiss' chair. Acutely aware of the twin swords hanging from the woman's hip Weiss made no effort to push the hand away and forced herself to stare back.

"Enjoy your breakfast? Quarters were to your liking?"

Blinking owlishly at the unexpected questions Weiss took a moment before nodding slowly. "They were… Fine, yes."

Something about her response was inordinately funny because Raven laughed, short and barking. After slapping the back of Weiss' chair, she continued towards the head of the table, standing before them and passing a glance at Yang before leaning forward and resting her hands atop the table.

"I hope you all appreciate my hospitality. It's not common that we put up those outside our family. Consider yourselves blessed."

Outside the family? Weiss glanced at Yang and saw the blonde burning a hole into the table with her stare, jaw set tight and hands gripping the table, knuckles white. The remark had been meant as a barb then. How petty was the woman that she needed to taunt her own daughter? Seeing Raven grin at the not unexpected reaction Weiss frowned disdainfully.

"If there's anything more you need during your stay, anything at all…" When Raven trailed off meaningfully, she tilted an eyebrow and waited.

"Well, the rooms are filthy for one," Weiss voiced. "And our hostess is abhorrently rude."

"The food is miserable too. Even while traveling I ate better," Blake added, wrinkling her nose.

"The lady in charge is a huge ass too," Yang sneered, looking up at her mother and folding her arms.

Ruby whined beside her sister before shaking her head. "E-Everything is fine, Raven! Thank you!"

Weiss stared at her partner, then leaned towards Ruby and frowned. "Ruby, don't thank her! She's not done anything to warrant it!" Never mind how she spoke to Yang. Whether she liked the woman, or the blonde was irrelevant: a mother shouldn't speak to her daughter like that.

"Oh? I didn't save your partner, Schnee? Funny, it must have been some other woman then." Raven stood tall and grinned. "I suppose someone else saved all those poor souls outside as well. And it was someone else's tribe who has been holding the Grimm at bay where the Church has faltered. But please, tell me how I've done nothing. Explain it to me."

There was plenty Weiss would love to explain to Raven in the moment. How reprehensible it was to lead a life of banditry. How disgusting it was to see a woman treat her own child with such disregard. There was plenty she could fault Raven for yet she couldn't deny the woman's words either. Even disregarding the rest, they still owed her for Ruby's safety. Infuriating as it was, they were indebted to her.

A debt that Raven seemed keen to collect.

"Now that you're all fed and rested its time, I got what I'm due. After all, it's only fair after all the trouble I went through on your behalf." The Dimuran chuckled and shifted her weight on her feet, cocking her head. "Unless you think you're leaving here without paying your debt?"

"We had half a mind to," Weiss grumbled.

"Just get it out already," Yang barked impatiently. "Quit posturing, you're giving me a headache."

Raven clicked her tongue, making a soft tutting sound. Her lips drew back, and she grinned as she snapped her fingers. "Shay! Get in here!"

The doors to the hall creaked open and a Muran man stumbled inside. His clothing, dirty and caked in mud, clung to his lanky frame. After collecting himself and trying to tame his wild mullet he bowed his head to Raven. "Ma'am?"

"Your report?" Raven demanded, rolling her eyes as if needing to ask was ridiculous.

"R-Right! Uh…" The frazzled man reached into his vest and pulled out wrinkled parchment, nearly dropping it in the process. "Scouts spot an infestation of Arachne to the west, ma'am! They've set up a nest in the forest. We uh… Didn't get exact numbers…" He lowered the sheet and swallowed nervously. "Were chased out, y-you see. Too many for us to fight."

Snorting, Raven shook her head. "You're the picture of bravery. But I suppose you did your job…" Shay relaxed, posture slumping and chest deflating with a loud exhale. "Collect new men and head south. Make rounds along the pass. And if you find any Grimm this time deal with them. Am I understood?"

Paler immediately Shay bowed his head, crushing the parchment in his hand and lowering himself at the waist. "Understood, ma'am. I'll leave right away."

The skittish man waited a moment longer, turning on his heel and leaving only when Raven made no effort to keep him. He hurried out the door and jumped when Vernal barked an order at him, answering with a hurried nod before jogging out of sight. Vernal took one look inside the room and sneered before shutting the doors with a resounding thud.

"Well, there you have it. Sounds like I have a pest problem," Raven mused. "And it just so happens I have four capable young women on hand to deal with it. How lucky that you're here."

Yang snorted loudly, reclining in her chair and scowling at Raven. "Luck had nothing to do with this. You knew we'd be coming here."

Weiss studied Yang for a moment, then Raven, frowning when the woman flashed a knowing smile. "You knew…?"

"What, you think you were accidentally sent my way? That our paths just conveniently crossed? Or wait," the bandit paused, then shrugged. "Do you suppose the gods delivered you to me? That you're our godsent saviors?"

Raven had known they'd come to Morris Pass. Had she overheard Hazel's directions? Weiss couldn't think of any alternative. One of her birds must have been nearby during the briefing and overheard them. Inside Holbrook's barracks. Inside Mount Glenn, in a structure of stone where no sound could possibly be heard outside.

"The Commander told you!" Blake leaned forward in her chair and gawked at Raven. Weiss could only gape, staring as the bandit's face turned from amused to smug.

"One… One of his men could have said something," Weiss argued weakly. "Or they could have been captured and forced to talk."

The alternative was too nerve wracking to consider. Without knowing the breadth of Raven's influence, it wasn't hard to imagine one of her people capturing a soldier from the Commandery. Granted that made the list of suspects woefully short; of the six knights Hazel had with him at Holbrook all six were still in the town when they'd left. Unless one had gallivanted about in the middle of the night to meet someone…

No. There was no way the Commander of Vale's forces would have sold them out. Not a man of Hazel's standing, it made no sense.

But then neither did the knowing look Raven wore. Weiss, finding denial easier than acceptance, chalked it up to mind games. There was another explanation for their circumstances, she was sure.

"Think whatever you want. The fact remains that you're here, as I expected, and you'll be doing whatever I ask of you, like the dutiful children you are."

Raven strolled to the lone arched window in the back of the hall. Unkempt bushes grew unchecked, ivy winding its way up the glass. A water fountain bereft of water stood in plain view, a white marble tower with cherubs hanging off, urns meant to pour water into the basin now dry and empty. One of their heads was cracked open, another's wings clipped, and the topmost figure only existed from the waist down.

"It's simple, really. I want the four of you to go out and clear that nest. Arachne are hardly a threat to even a child with magic. Your four shouldn't have any trouble killing them."

"That's all? You just want us to kill some Grimm…?" Weiss asked dubiously.

"What more did you expect?" Raven turned and leaned against the glass, one hand coming to rest on her sword. "Unless you're disappointed? I'm sure I could find more work for you."

"No! No, that won't be necessary. We can certainly do that for you." Kill a few Grimm in exchange for Ruby's life? Raven might as well be asking them to breathe for how natural the request was.

"Forget it, Raven, we're not doing it."

Ruby looked to her sister in surprise, leaning over and grabbing Yang's arm. "But Yang! These people won't be safe if we don't, right?" she asked, looking to Raven. The woman nodded and the brunette frowned at her sister. "Please? If the four of us go then it'll be a piece of cake!"

"I don't see why we'd refuse," Blake said. "Any one of us could probably clear a nest ourselves. Between the four of us it shouldn't take long at all."

Yang shook her head and gently pried Ruby's hands from her arm. "No, we're not doing it. We're not some sellswords." She turned to Weiss and smiled bitterly. "And Hunters aren't supposed to sell their services, right? Pretty sure that's against the rules, princess."

"You aren't selling anything though, you're repaying a favor. No currency is being exchanged, just one good deed for another." Raven smiled dangerously and eased her weapon slightly from its sheath, the odd red steel matching her eyes. "Unless you'd prefer a blood price? It makes no difference to me."

Weiss' breath hitched when Yang shot to her feet, Ruby along with her if only to hold her sister back. Standing as well she bit her lip nervously while her partner strained to keep Yang at bay, glancing across the table uncertainly at Blake. It was a bluff, the blood price. It had to be, right?

"How about we just walk away, huh?! What then, Raven?" Yang snapped, pushing against Ruby weakly.

"You won't. Your little sister wants to help." Ruby hung her head and muttered a faint apology. "And it's your duty, well maybe not yours," Raven corrected, staring at Yang. "But a Hunter's duty to protect people from Grimm. Let your friends and sister do their job, Yang. It's the right thing to do."

"That's not…"

"Yang, it's fine. We're not going to ignore the plight of these people, whether your mother -" Weiss paused when Yang shot her an angry glare, licking her lips nervously and averting her eyes. "Whether Raven asks us to or not. So please, let's just do this and be rid of this place."

Once they'd done their part, they could make for Plockton. The residents here would survive, or at least Weiss liked to think they would. She couldn't imagine what use Raven had for them alive, but whatever it was obviously would disappear if they were to perish. The civilians may not be in the best of condition, but they were still breathing and that for the time being would have to be enough.

With Yang's argument turning to stifled rumblings she sank back into her chair, shrugging off Ruby's hand, then rubbing her sister's back when Ruby sulked.

"If none of you were Magi then this would be a more daunting task. Luckily for all involved however you're not only Magi but trained at that." Raven, satisfied beyond measure, pushed off the glass and returned to the table. "With you magics you shouldn't have any trouble clearing the nest. I don't expect you to be more than an hour at most, in fact."

A small errand then, nothing more. Weiss gave a smile she didn't feel and nodded, not quite satisfied with the arrangement but accepting of it.

Raven snapped her fingers and the hall doors swung open once more. Instead of the meek Shay this time it was Ezra who walked in, helmed and armed. The woman bowed sharply before stomping one of her boots and saluting. "Ma'am?"

"These four are going to be setting out soon. See to it that the rest of our people are back inside the walls." She saw Weiss' questioning glance but didn't address it, smiling as she inclined her head towards the doors. "Tell Vernal no one goes in or out of the walls until they return. No exceptions."

"Ma'am!" Ezra stomped again, then paused, looking between the girls. "If you don't mind my asking…"

"Speak freely," Raven said, waving absently.

"Should we send someone with them? There have been other Grimm in the area lately…"

"They're Hunters, Ezra, and my daughter besides." Raven shook her head. "No, you'll be sending no one with them. Make sure the walls are manned and keep patrols ready if we need them. The Grimm are going to get excited once the fighting starts, be sure to have the men ready to defend this place when that happens. That's all." The Dimuran paused before frowning. "Oh and make sure Shay is doing his job. If not, I want him brought here before me."

"Er, but you said no one leaves…"

"Did I stutter?"

"N-No, ma'am. I understand."

"Good. See to it then and be quick about it." The armored woman bowed and left, the fading clank of her armor announcing her departure. "As for the rest of you, I suggest you get your weapons ready. The sooner you take care of this, the sooner you can be on your way."

Not that any of them needed to be reminded of that fact. Weiss pushed her chair in, more out of habit than necessity, it wasn't like the rest of the keep was maintained at all. Yang all but dragged Ruby with her to the door and Blake lingered a bit longer before following them out. Weiss remained for a moment, studying Raven carefully before frowning at the woman.

"What is it, girl? You can speak your mind," Raven teased. "I don't bite."

"You're after something, aren't you? There's more to this than you've letting on." Weiss placed her hands on her hips. "I've dealt with enough nobles to know when I'm being led on. So tell me, Raven, what exactly is it you're trying to do here?"

Not that she expected an upfront answer from Raven. It was no less frustrating when her response was a teasing smile and a shake of the head.

"I have nothing to hide, Schnee. In fact, you should be thanking me." Raven held her hands up and grinned. "You're being given a chance to play hero to all these people! It's like a fairy tale, don't you think? And all you need to do is slay some Grimm, plain and simple."

At first glance yes, although after hearing about Hazel's supposed deception Weiss loathed to accept it at that. Raven herself could likely kill the Grimm if she wanted, or the captain, or any number of troops who had magic. Even without Magi the fort had enough able-bodied fighters to wipe out a nest of minor Grimm, so why? Why ask them specifically?

"Fine then," Weiss said, sniffing and turning her nose up at Raven. "Whatever game you're playing, whatever farce this is, we're having no part of it. Once we're finished, we're leaving."

"But of course." The woman's acceptance took Weiss by surprise. "It's as I said: kill the Grimm and you are free to go. That's it, nothing more."

Hearing that should have put Weiss' doubts to rest so why did it feel like she was staring down a loaded crossbow?

"Weiss, you coming?" Ruby called from outside, peeking into the hall. "We need to get ready!"

"Coming!" Weiss shouted back, looking back once more at Raven before heading to the door. Whatever Raven was playing at didn't matter ultimately. They wouldn't fail, nor would they shirk their task. Grabbing the handles, she pulled the doors apart, frowning coming face to face with a smug Vernal.

"Oh, and Schnee?" Weiss looked back at the grinning woman. Raven chuckled and tilted her head, brushing her hair back to expose her neck. "Do try not to die? There are a lot of people watching you."

What did she mean? Weiss didn't get a chance to ask as Vernal pulled her out by her shirt, sneering again before shutting the hall doors in her face. Having half a mind to go back in and demand an explanation she stopped short when Ruby called out to her again. Seeing her, Yang, and Blake waiting she put on a smile, sparing one last look at the doors before hurrying to join them.

Someone watching her and scrutinizing every little thing she did was hardly anything new. The instructors did it, their fellow initiates had done it, and nobles most certainly did it. Many expected her to fail. Many still did.

That didn't stop her from outdoing expectations and it certainly wouldn't start now.

/+/+/+/+/+/

"Honestly! Whose idea was it to…" Weiss gasped and gripped the railing, squeezing her eyes shut while boards creaked and swayed. Once the walkway settled, she released her breath and huffed. "This is asinine! We'll die before we ever make it out of the canyon!"

"It's the most direct route out though," Blake pointed out. "It's either this or we travel out of the pass and double back to reach the top."

"Besides, it's not that scary!"

Weiss glared at Yang and pointed her way. "Says the one clinging to the cliff!"

Caught in the act Yang flushed and loosened her hold on a protruding root. "H-Hey, I was just trying to keep the walkway stable!" she said, dusting off her hand on her tunic. "I'm not afraid of anything!"

"Yang was afraid of lightning when she was little!" Ruby giggled as she skipped along the walkway, turning and smiling innocently at the group. "Whenever there was a big storm she'd hide in her room!"

"I-I did not!" Ruby stuck out her tongue and Yang growled, stomping up the path to chase her sister. Weiss whined in protest as the walkway swayed once again.

"You oafs are going to kill us!"

Peering over the railing and staring at the top of the keep, some forty feet below them, Weiss felt her knees buckle and tongue swell in her mouth. Or maybe that was the unsavory slop they'd been fed trying to make its way back up. Tearing herself from the edge she whined, rubbing sweat away on her sleeve. "How are you so calm right now?!"

Blake shrugged, peering over the edge and frowning. "Not my first time doing something like this. And besides…" She smiled smugly. "Cats land on their feet. I'll be fine."

Weiss didn't know if she was proud at Blake's effort to lighten the mood or furious she was cracking jokes. In the end she rolled her eyes and slowly, painfully slowly, continued to follow the walkway up.

"Just… Don't make sudden movements. We're testing fate enough with those two charging about."

The very notion of using the walkway was in of itself insanity, but in favor of hastening their progress they'd chosen to use it. And by 'chosen' Weiss meant Yang and Ruby both had ribbed, or in her partner's case, begged to take the pathway. Blake was no help in deciding and ultimately the majority won out. Weiss couldn't argue taking the walkway was a more expeditious route; the safety of the walkway was another matter.

Barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side, and little more than planks atop wooden slats built into the cliff face, the walkway was likely meant as a way to quickly evacuate in the event of Grimm breaching the fort. Not that Weiss could imagine that. She'd almost rather contend with a horde than chance the fickle structure.

Yet chance it they did and by no small miracle they reached the top in record time. When the final boards creaked under her feet and she felt the path sway with the wind she'd nearly cried out, rushing to solid ground and falling upon it with a great sigh. Ruby crawled to the edge to 'appreciate their journey', and Weiss wondered how in the world anyone would _want_ to look upon their near demise a second time.

Declining Blake's offer to be carried, one made entirely in jest Weiss was certain, she forced her still trembling legs to carry her forward. It was heartening to see Yang just as pale as she was, and even if the blonde tried to play it off with jokes and a brilliant grin Weiss knew she'd been just as panicked trudging up the walkway.

After prying Ruby from her ill-advised viewpoint, they began cutting their way into the forest. Trees on the cliff's edge lacked foliage and the sun's rays bore down on them uninhibited, the building heat of a summer's day bringing its full force to bear. Just as sweat began to bead and trickle down her face did they find themselves in shade, and not a moment too soon. Weiss plucked at her tunic and peeled her hood back shaking it out to fan her neck. Yang passed around one of their waterskins and they each took turns to drink, emptying it before it had come back to her.

 _From what Raven told us the nest should be just west of the pass. Of course, she didn't specifically say how far._ Weiss ducked under a low branch, holding it back for Ruby before releasing it. _But I suppose we'll know it when we see it. Grimm aren't exactly discreet after all._

The way things had been explained had Weiss confused. For a normal animal a nest wouldn't be anything unusual. Grimm weren't normal animals, obviously, and had no real need for a nest. Barring the literal meaning of the word it could also mean they had settled in a place.

Not unheard of really. Grimm had no need to eat, nor rest, and most people believed they never tired, their endless stamina only rivaled by their unbridled hatred of the races of Remnant. Some packs could travel miles and miles, going weeks between attacks if they weren't dealt with. It wasn't unusual for Grimm to settle in a place - not out of need for rest, but simply to wait.

Weiss jumped over a fallen log and glanced back through the forests, waiting for Blake to bring up the rear. With Yang at the front of the group and Ruby behind her they traveled in a loose, single file line, their strongest acting as a spearhead and the one with the strongest senses as a rearguard. Her and Ruby, while capable as fighters, couldn't offer the stalwart hardiness Yang did nor hope to emulate Blake's keen hearing or sight, even with Weiss' own hearing being markedly better than a Muran's. Frustrating, but the best they could do was to float between the front and rear of the group, ready to offer aid at a moment's notice.

 _Why would any Grimm settle though? Now of all times? They should be looking for people._ Which meant the fort was at more risk by their leaving rather than their staying. In fact, Weiss realized as she carefully slid down a sharp decline, the fact the Grimm hadn't been swarming the fort was already curious. _I don't think they had a ward, not that I looked for runes. So why send us away?_

"Yang?" The blonde glanced over her shoulder and cocked her head in question. "Raven's your mother, correct? Maybe you could shed some insight on why she's sent us out here."

"To kill Grimm!" Ruby answered instead. "I mean, that is why she sent us, right? Unless she told you something before we left?"

Weiss shook her head. Raven hadn't told her anything, not really. It was what the woman _didn't_ say that had her more concerned.

Yang pursed her lips and stopped, then rubbed at her neck as she stared listlessly ahead. Prompting the Dimuran for an answer again she sighed and waved a hand dismissively. "I don't know. I haven't exactly seen her recently, so it isn't like I know what she's been up to," she explained, then added under her breath. "Nothing good I'd imagine…"

"It does seem odd though, doesn't it? Sending us away to fight Grimm." Blake stopped alongside Weiss and looked back through the woods, lips thinning as she frowned. "Grimm congregate wherever people can be found, and with how many are roaming the countryside right now…"

"Sending us away from people, people who are on the verge of hysteria, seems counterintuitive," Weiss finished. "So why send us out here then?"

It was a relief to see that she wasn't alone in questioning their orders. Ruby only shrugged, having no idea any more than the rest of them.

 _There are a lot of people watching you._

Feeling the hair on the back of her neck standing Weiss looked up into nearby tries, trying to spot a raven or anyone following their path. Unable to spot anything out of the ordinary she exhaled and shook her head. Blake would have noticed if they had been tailed, she was sure, and wouldn't have kept it to herself either.

What had Raven meant? Who was watching her?

Like a rash the thought itched and itched, plaguing Weiss as they continued through the forest. Following the remains of forest trails and cutting through wild, sprawling growth they moved deeper into the woods, into a twilight created by impenetrable canopies and trees nearly as thick as they were tall. At least the temperature had dropped, though with it so too did visibility. Despite being early in the morning they soon found themselves stumbling. Blake switched positions with Yang as point and called out any obstacles in their way.

Half an hour passed, and they had still not seen hide nor hair of any Grimm. Deciding that walking any further would be a fool's errand Weiss elected they stop and take a break. No one complained and finding themselves a fallen log not rotted through they sat, breaking into rations and depleting another of their waterskins.

Spending just enough time that her feet ceased throbbing, though not enough that her legs no longer ached, Weiss spurred the group forward again. Trees thinned and light shone through once more, bringing both much needed illumination along with warmth. The ground beneath their feet squelched and moss covered many of the trunks, dripping with too much water.

At the head of the group Blake sputtered, cursing as she swat at the air. Weiss slowed and looked around curiously to see what she was swatting at. "Cobwebs," the Meera explained helpfully, grimacing as she plucked unseen threads from her face.

Feeling a shiver run down her spine Weiss fidgeted, chewing her bottom lip while her eyes darted around.

"Ew, gross!" Yang snickered, waving her hands around her. "Spiders are so nasty."

"No, they're not, they're nice! And cute!" Ruby really was insane. The brunette smiled and walked over to Blake, plucking a strand of webbing from her hair helpfully. "Plus, they eat all kinds of icky bugs! They're super handy!"

"Well, they can be helpful elsewhere," Blake grumbled. "You didn't just get a face full of web."

"Aw, that was their home, Blake! Say you're sorry!"

"I'm not apologizing to spiders."

Weiss drew her rapier and waved it at the air before her blindly. When the light caught it just right and she saw threads shimmer she yelped and dropped her weapon, wiping her hands on her tunic with a whine. Only while checking her hair and neck for spiders did she realize her companions were staring at her, Yang and Ruby smiling while Blake stared in confusion.

"Oh right…" Ruby sang, giggling. "Weiss is afraid of spiders!"

"I a-am not!" Weiss protested.

"This one time we found one in our room! It was so tiny and cute, and it had been eating mosquitoes that got into our room. I named it Benny!"

Blake blinked slowly and tilted her head. "You named a spider Benny?"

"You named a spider?" Yang asked with a laugh.

"Mhm! And I was going to make him a pet until somebody froze him and his web solid!"

Weiss sputtered, face growing red from more than just embarrassment. "It… It was encroaching on our personal space! And I like a clean room, thank you very much!"

Yang made a soft hum and nodded. "Uh huh. Hey princess? You've got something on your shoulder." Weiss yelped and bat at her shoulder, looking around before glaring as Yang began howling with laughter.

"Y-You… You oaf! That is not funny!"

"It kind of is," Blake chuckled.

Ruby smiled sympathetically while she pat Weiss' back. "It's okay, Weiss! Everyone is afraid of something! I mean… I'm afraid of running out of cookies!"

"But we don't have any with us…?" Yang said through giggles. Ruby winked knowingly and made a zipping motion across her lips.

A lack of cookies was hardly a phobia. Reaching back and removing Ruby's hand she smiled exasperatedly. "Har har, let's all laugh at my expense, or better yet keep moving. We've yet to encounter these supposed Grimm of Raven's."

"Maybe they left?" Ruby posited. Weiss didn't miss the disappointment in her friend's voice. "I mean they wouldn't hang around forever, right?"

She supposed not. Worst case scenario they would have moved onto one of the nearby towns, or worse still, Fort Morris. Collecting her weapon from the forest floor she took extra care in wiping the rapier on a nearby bush, then double checked the handle and blade both. Perhaps they should return and tell Raven they hadn't found anything. It wouldn't be a lie and they had certainly tried to search.

Blake's ears perked up and Weiss watched the Meera look up, scanning the trees. About to ask what had gotten Blake's attention her breath caught. A nearly inaudible skittering sound started out low then began to grow in volume, and what began as a single scratching noise doubled, then doubled again, and before long it grew loud enough for Ruby and Yang to hear it easily too.

"What is that?!" Yang shouted, raising her voice to be heard.

"I don't know! The wind?"

 _Ruby, I envy your optimism._ Weiss inched her way towards the others, rapier clenched firmly in her hand. The noise continued to build and build until, as suddenly as it began, it died off completely. Listening to the rustling of leaves in the wind they stood for a moment in silence until Ruby laughed.

"Maybe it really was the wind!"

Weiss opened her mouth to speak and instead of releasing words a strained, meek sound came. Hanging inches above her head with eight beady red eyes staring at her a bone plated spider stared down, hair-laden mandibles clacking hungrily while eight thin, spindly legs wiggled independent of one another.

Her shrill yell drowned out Yang's call of alarm and dozens of the small creatures emerged from the trees, dangling from black threads while others launched themselves through the air. Hearing the whistling of Ruby's scythe slicing through the air and the rattling of Blake's kusarigama Weiss closed her eyes and swung blindly, wincing feeling the rapier connect with one Grimm, then swatting away another.

"Why did it have to be Arachne?!"

Yang growled and stomped down on one of the small creatures, catching another and hurling it into a tree, shattering on impact. "Where the fuck did they all come from?!"

"The trees!"

Despite herself Weiss looked up, eyes wide and soundlessly screaming.

There had to be dozens if not hundreds of the small Grimm. Clinging to trees, dangling from them, skittering across limbs and dropping onto the forest floor, she jumped back when one launched itself at her, swat aside by Ruby's scythe.

Heart threatening to erupt in her chest Weiss wove a pair of runes and prepared to engulf the swarm in flame and ice until a hand yanked her own and broke the spell.

"Come on!" Yang shouted, pulling Weiss almost off her feet as she ran. Blake moved ahead and swung her weapon in an invisible flurry, cutting down webbing and Grimm alike while Ruby kept to the rear, her wide-swiping weapon perfect for keeping the Arachne at bay.

Between the pounding of their feet and her heart working overtime Weiss could no longer hear the Grimm giving chase. She'd wish that were true but somehow over everything their incessant skittering rang out, a shrill hissing accompanying the unpleasant sound.

Hurtling over fallen trees and nearly tumbling down an embankment they reached level ground and trees thinned out. Much to Weiss' horror the open ground didn't seem to last as a great wall of stone rose from the earth above them, towering well above the trees and cutting off their path. Arachne continued to give chase and she tried again to weave a rune, snapping at Yang when she stopped her again.

"What are you doing?!"

"Keep running!" Yang directed, pointing further ahead. The rock wall curved inward, and a cave beckoned to them. The insanity of cornering themselves made Weiss almost consider standing her ground until Ruby and Yang both grabbed her and dragged her along, kicking and screaming at that.

Not her proudest moment.

A cave did indeed offer shelter, or at least a narrow point to funnel the Grimm through. Wider than it appeared outside they rushed into the dim space, panicked breaths and hasty steps echoing off the hollow space. Only once inside did Yang stop, skidding to a halt and opening her mouth, smoke pouring from between her lips.

Rather than release a burst of flame however Yang reeled back and slammed her fist into the cave wall, growling and repeating the motion again and again. Rock shifted and what few Arachne caught up were suddenly buried in an avalanche of rubble. Not enough to seal the entrance, much to Weiss relief and horror as she watched more of the Grimm enter the cave.

"Guys, there's a path here!" Ruby shouted, waving the others on. A dark corridor burrowed deeper into the ground. Blake went first and nodded after confirming it safe, or safer than facing the horde of Grimm.

Feeling like she was on the verge of passing out Weiss ran ahead of Yang, nearly tripping over herself as she raced into the narrow passage. Ruby scurried in after her and Yang last. More rock collapsed and a handful of Arachne were crushed, although more still avoided the rubble. Climbing over the fading corpses of their kin they scrambled inside, plated limbs scraping loud against stone.

"Screw this!" Yang shouted, turning and pushing Weiss and Ruby further inside. "Go, go! There's gotta be another way out!"

Either that or they were going to storm into a dead end. What then? Make a stand until either the Grimm ran out of number or they collapsed due to exhaustion?

With only Blake to guide them Weiss ran forward, forcing legs that threatened to fail to keep moving, taking sharp, painful breaths that did little to fill her aching lungs. She had no idea where they were going or what their plan was. She did know one thing though. Using oxygen better spent for running she shouted loud enough for all of Remnant to hear.

"I hate spiders!"

* * *

 **Poor Weiss, afraid of little creepy crawlies. Definitely don't know who she might have gotten that from. Nooooope.**

 **Alright, back to bed I go. Thanks so much for reading you lovely people!**


	28. Chapter 28: Wildfire

**Sorry this one took a bit! Out of a job suddenly so been a bit busy. Life goes on though and I'll find something else soon enough.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"I hate spiders!"

Weiss' curses reverberated off the caves around them and the stone turned her shouts back on her. It was humiliating to hear so much panic in her own voice but there was little she could do about it, not when staring down a veritable army of Arachne.

Yang slinging Weiss over her shoulder meant all Weiss could see was what was behind them. With the cave starved for illumination there wasn't much that could be seen besides the countless red eyes staring unblinkingly ahead. The terrifying, ceaseless scrape of chitin-covered limbs against the floors didn't help settle her racing heart either.

Through her phobia Weiss retained enough sanity - if only a sliver, to try and cast a spell. Her 'fire' rune shattered when Yang ducked between a low alcove, concentration shattering along with the rune itself.

 _Why don't we just kill them?!_ Her mind screamed when her voice faltered, a wispy, weak shout the only sound she could make. _Stop running and burn them you oaf! Collapse the tunnel again!_

And seal off their only route of escape?

Maybe the last of her sanity really had fled her.

Between their own thunderous footsteps, the scuttling of the Grimm and their labored breaths the caverns were rife with noises, far more than the isolated reaches were used to. A lizard scurried up the wall to avoid being trampled, a second wasn't as lucky and disappeared under a rolling wave of black. From on high the rock split and light shone through, thin daggers of brilliance cutting through the suffocating dark.

 _There's light! We're near the surface!_ Weiss' heart leapt and for once not because of terror. _We're almost out!_

The manic, desperate grin she wore widened when Blake called from ahead. There was light at the end of the tunnel. After navigating through complete and utter darkness, following a path that twisted and turned as a snake, writhing aimlessly through tall grass, they had found an escape.

With no charm to hold Weiss clasped her hands together instead and began thanking every god she could imagine. The air, chilled and stale, began to take on the fresher, crisper quality that outdoor air held. In the far distance she could hear birdsong, smell the familiar and reassuring scents of a damp forest. As the cavern's tunnels opened up and more light flooded in Weiss could begin to make out the ungodly Grimm chasing them, every slender, reaching limb, their grotesque boney faces and _gods_ were there a lot of them!

They were free though! Yang broke into the clearing last and like someone lighting a fire the world suddenly burst with color. Weiss' vision blurred slightly as they broke the threshold, pupils struggling to adjust, and the cold clamminess that clung to her was replaced by the subdued summer heat. They'd escaped! The Grimm still gave chase, but they could reach the surface, try and lose the horde in the thick forests.

"Shit."

"What?!" Weiss asked, almost begged, desperation leaking into her voice. "What now?!"

"How are we going to get up there?" Ruby cried out.

Tearing her eyes from the oncoming horde Weiss looked skyward and her heart sank back to the bottom of her stomach. There was indeed an escape from all this, the source of their salvation. The only issue was said escape hovered at least twenty feet out of reach in the form of a crevice in the ground. Green leaves swayed in an unfelt breeze and vines hung down, as if nature halfheartedly offered them rope to help carry them to safety.

Weiss' feet hit the floor and her legs nearly buckled beneath her. Thankfully Yang caught her elbow and held her up, though she could have done without being spun around.

In what Weiss could only describe as a writhing, scuttling black mass the Arachne flooded into the larger cavern, spreading out as their number swelled and took advantage of the more spacious place. Weiss didn't need help backing away from the oncoming danger and quickly their backs pressed against the far wall, cold, uncaring stone blocking any hope of escape.

"We have to fight!" Blake shouted, voice distant despite being mere feet away. When had war drums began to play? Weiss could hardly hear the scratching of the Grimm anymore, or even Yang's strained cursing to her right.

"On it!" Ruby slung her scythe from her back and gripped it in two hands, sweeping one leg out and crouching, poised to dart into the fray.

"Wait, you can't!" Yang's scream sounded oddly desperate, pleading even. "Ruby, wait!"

"To hells with this!" Weiss pulled her arm free and stepped towards the Grimm. Her hands reached out, fingertips tingling as magic sparked to life. With the grace of a conductor she wove her fingers through the air, conjuring a pair of runes. Red angular shapes not unlike a crude campfire - two strokes bent like brackets on the outside, one longer than the other with a stout stroke in the middle, formed at her will.

Even as Yang howled in protest two pillars of flame erupted from the magical marks. In an instant Arache were turned to ash as twin vortexes sliced through, culling their numbers and opening narrow breaks in their surging ranks. What few didn't die immediately lay belly up, screeching and twitching as they writhed in pain. Their callous kin stormed over them and more raced in to replace them, burying their fallen brethren beneath their single-minded march.

The air cracked and Ruby darted across the opening in a blur, a streak of red and silver slicing through a sea of black. Grimm flew into the air, limbs separated along with heads, and a viscous cloud of black mist rose into the air, some finding escape through the crevice while the rest pooled against the ceiling.

Somewhere in the fray Blake managed to get behind the enemy, and with grace that would make a dancer of the royal courts envious she turned on her feet, spinning and throwing her kusarigama around. The motions seemed random, yet Grimm fell rapidly, their soft bodies little more than wet paper against the sharp, wicked curved blade. Where weapons failed black spikes of pure shadow erupted, the mouth of the tunnel turned to a predator's gullet as teeth clamped down, sundering Grimm and crushing dozens in an instant.

As many as the Arachne were, they hardly posed much of a threat. Against their weapons only their protected faces stood any chance and enough of their bodies, exposed and defenseless, provided plenty of alternative for attack. Weiss managed to score one or two killing blows with her rapier when a few scuttled close enough but her spells meant most never made it halfway through the cavern.

Spellcraft. A Magi's innate ability to manipulate the magical energies of Remnant. It was what made their kind stand out from common mankind, why they were both revered and hated, and the reason the Church had been established.

Conveniently, the selfsame ability was also what allowed four, er… _Three_ young women to turn a veritable army of Grimm into smoldering mist in mere moments.

Had anyone seen them beforehand running from the Grimm when they had so easily been struck down, they would have thought the group foolhardy for fleeing. Outward appearances were the furthest thing from her mind as Weiss marveled at the now empty tunnel before them, the dark passage now empty and devoid of unsightly beasts. Blake stood near the entrance, weapon in hand, shoulders rising and falling with heavy breaths while Ruby lingered not far away and ready to attack.

"We… We did it…" Weiss could almost laugh, and if she had it surely would have been hysterical. Her lips curled back, and she weakly raised her rapier in cheer before slumping back against the stone wall. Her hair clung to the nape of her neck and face, clothing damp with terror-borne sweat. Even as her hands buzzed, and fingertips burned with residual magic she felt giddy.

No more Grimm. No more damnable spiders! Now all they needed to do was find a way to reach the crevice. Raven's task was done, they could be gone from this forsaken place at long last.

Weiss' lightheaded elation was cut short when Yang collapsed beside her, knees striking the floor while she doubled forward. The Dimuran let out a groan that echoed in the now silent chamber, shoulders drawn up and face pinched in plain agony.

"Yang!" Ruby raced over and dropped her weapon with a resounding clatter. "Yang are you okay?! What happened?"

"Yang!" The blonde pushed Ruby's hands away and shook her head, collapsing onto her rear and curling in on herself. Weiss knelt down and exchanged a worried look with her partner. "Were you injured? Talk to us!"

Yang did try but only a strained groan came in reply. Her body shuddered and she hissed through clenched teeth. Seeing the strain on her face, sweat dripping, Weiss wondered if she was suffering from spellcast sickness. That couldn't be it; Yang hadn't released a single spell in that entire encounter, Weiss was certain. Every flame was her own and the ice was most certainly not of Yang's doing.

So why did Yang look so sickly?

"What's happening?" Blake called from the chamber's lone entrance. "Is she okay?"

"I don't know! She just collapsed!" Weiss reached out and drew her hand back sharply feeling heat radiating off the blonde.

Ruby whimpered plaintively and leaned forward, face contorted in discomfort as she hugged Yang, then turning to hurt when she was roughly pushed back. "Yang…?"

"Don't touch me!" Yang screamed, almost viciously so. Taken aback by the reproach Ruby scooted back a bit and stared at her sister in a mixture of awe and terror. Weiss kept her eyes on the blonde, gritting her teeth to hold back her indignation.

Ruby was just trying to help! Her own sister scolded and shouted at for offering a helping hand. If not for Yang's clear discomfort Weiss might have snapped back in defense of her partner. Instead she looked at the other woman with sympathy, and with her previous terror now forgotten she instead clasped her rapier to her hip, fastening the leather strap around the guard before looking at Ruby.

"Grab one of her arms, I'll take the other, we need to go." Ruby nodded and moved to Yang's right while Weiss knelt by her left. "Blake? Can we rely on you to take point? Your magic will be best suited for traveling through the tunnel again."

"You can rely on me," the Meera answered with a nod.

Good. Whatever sudden ailment had overcome Yang had her all but indisposed, straining like an overstuffed satchel ready to burst at the seams and desperately holding itself together. Whatever plagued the blonde would have to wait until they were out of the caves and free to address her in peace. With the threat of more of the nest still fresh in her mind Weiss didn't dare linger.

Taking Yang's arm went about as well as Weiss expected, with Yang pushing both her and Ruby off, shaking her head in defiance.

"D-Don't. Leave me a-a-alone…"

"Yang…" Part pity, part exasperation Weiss sighed. "We can't stay here. If there are more Grimm, then let Raven deal with them. You need help."

"Please, Yang?" Ruby implored, silver eyes begging as she held out both hands. "You're hurt! Raven has a healer! She can help you!"

Watching Yang shake her head frayed the few nerves Weiss had managed to recollect. With as much gentleness as she could muster but with no patience, she grabbed Yang's arm and stood. "Please, before those things return! Ruby, take her legs, I'll carry her under her arms."

"N-No… Stop…"

Hesitating for a moment Ruby nodded, moving before Yang and grabbing her legs. Heat continued to pour off the Dimuran and the air around her wavered, distorting as the temperature rose. Fresh sweat pooled on Weiss' brow and she debated using an ice spell to quench Yang's temperature, or if nothing else spare herself being burned to a crisp.

She and Ruby had only just managed to get to their feet with Yang between them when Weiss noticed the air in the cavern had darkened, a visible, thin veil clouding the enclosed space, as if someone had set a fine black cloth over her eyes.

"Blake, what are you doing…?"

"This isn't me," Blake said, raising her weapon as she looked about warily. "What is this…?"

It looked like a Grimm's essence, the familiar mist that erupted from a slain beast's corpse. The Arachne were long since dead however and no more had revealed themselves. Where did it come from then? Between her and Ruby, Yang groaned, body twitching and muscles tensing in their grasp. Ruby squeaked in shock and Weiss' jaw dropped a second later noticing it too.

Smoke poured off Yang. Black smoke.

"Y-Yang…?" Ruby stammered.

"L-Leave…"

Weiss gawked at the woman in her arms before scoffing. "Don't be absurd, we're not -"

Yang growled and twisted her body, pulling both her arms and legs in with starling strength. Ruby yelped as she lost her grip and Weiss nearly fell forward, hands grasping uselessly to try and keep Yang from falling. The Dimuran landed with a grunt and rolled over, rising to her hands and knees. Smoke continued to pour from her body and her muscles bulged beneath her skin, veins pulsing.

"Guys, we have a problem!"

Obviously! Was Blake only just now seeing Yang? Ruby knelt by her sister and desperately tried to comfort her, eyes darting over her crumpled sibling and hands grasping uselessly, uncertain. Weiss had found something else to fixate on, something much more pressing.

A large pool of black had formed in the middle of the chamber, the black yet somehow bright liquid as docile and calm as a pond's surface. Knowing full well what horrors lurked within however Weiss stared with apprehension, drawing her rapier again and preparing a rune, a mark of frost - a single vertical stroke with two smaller ones cutting through like spokes of a wheel.

Before her the air was warm, uncomfortably so, and around them the rest turned stale with an unmistakable chill following. The Grimm pool began to bubble and distort, and Blake cursed loudly, raising a hand and forming a shell of shadow over it. For several agonizing seconds nothing happened, the sounds of bubbling muffled.

Then a shrill, bone-rattling shriek erupted. Cracks formed in the shadow and the sound grew louder, loud enough that Blake cried out and dropped to her knees in pain, hands clutched over her ears. Weiss fell too and clamped her free hand over one ear, vision swimming as she stared at Yang. The Dimuran looked up and the red eyes that stared back were burning with an anger Weiss couldn't understand, anger which terrified her as much as the oncoming Grimm.

Yang's mouth moved but Weiss couldn't make out the sounds. She could read lips though, at least well enough to recognize the single word uttered.

" _Run."_

The pool's surface broke and a pair of long, jagged limbs lashed out. Bladed legs dug into the cavern's floor and narrow, plate crusted limbs rose up, followed by several others. Eight limbs in all spread across the pool and pulled. Heavy black goo fell away and landed back in the pool with a splash as it poured off the rising Grimm, its black body somehow darker than the void it had crawled out from. An arachnid body towered over them and Weiss felt her previous horror return, then turn into sheer panic.

Atop the spider's body a woman's - or something close enough to it sprouted from where its head should be. Distressingly humanoid save for the six eyes set in a boney mask, and with a pair of sharp-toothed mandibles set upon an otherwise eerily Muran face, the Grimm stood several times their height, spreading its arms, spider and humanoid both, tilting its head as long, liquid hair fell down its back.

Then it screamed. A woman's cry mixed with that of a beast, rattling and wailing, the very cave itself seemed to shake. Even Ruby and her weaker Muran ears doubled over and seemed to be in terrible pain from the shout. Blake laid on the floor, curled up and burying her head in her arms. Weiss dropped her rapier in favor of covering her ears, desperately crying to close out any sound.

The Grimm ceased its cries and slowly took inventory of its newfound surroundings. Red eyes roamed over Blake, mandibles clicking curiously, then stared at Ruby before settling its gaze on Weiss. Her stomach turned and Weiss forced her trembling hand to grab her rapier, fingers as flexible as stone as they wrapped around its grip.

Her legs wouldn't respond. The air around them was heavy as a quilt, suffocating as though their heads had been pushed under water. Her right hand raised to weave a rune then fell in her lap, useless and unwilling. Her eyes stared back at the misshapen face of the Grimm and to her shock the beast smiled, flashing a row of pointed, jagged yellow teeth.

Yang unleashed a howl of her own and the Grimm reared up, raising its legs and slamming down where Weiss and Yang laid. Ruby grunted as she scooped up sister and partner both, her unguided, desperate flight sending all three of them tumbling across the cavern floor. Weiss' ribs ached as she struck rock and she clutched her side when she rose, breath shallow.

"W-We have to k-k-kill it!" Ruby cried. "Weiss! Blake!" She looked back after a second's hesitation. "We have to keep Yang safe!"

Weiss nodded stiffly and used her rapier as a crutch, pushing herself to her feet. Her arm pushed up against gravity and her weapon swayed but remained ready, lips parted as she desperately tried to fill her lungs with desperate gasps of air. Blake rose to her feet too, blood trickling out of one ear and black hair slick and red at the base.

"Keep it away from Yang!" Weiss called, her own voice strange in her ringing ears. "Bring it down!"

The Grimm screeched again and reared up, tossing its head before storming out of the pool, kicking up thick globs as it stormed towards them. Weiss readied a rune, Ruby crouched, and the cavern went up in a brilliant flash of blue.

Ice erupted from a geyser, turning from a single shard beneath the Grimm to a pillar. Large as the creature was it proved nimble enough to dart aside and avoid Weiss' trap, lowering its body and darting towards Yang. Ruby's scythe scored glancing blows against its armored legs and failed to penetrate anything. Only Blake's shadows managed to halt its progress, shadowy tendrils wrapping around its limbs.

Face red in exertion Blake pulled at the air and her spells responded in kind, more shadow lashing out and holding it in place. "It's… Strong…!"

"I've got it!" Ruby burst from a crouch into the air, jettisoning towards the Grimm, scythe drawn back. Aiming to sever the Grimm from its torso she swung her weapon only to yelp as a black, thick fluid struck her, throwing her back and trapping her against the ground.

"Ruby!" Weiss shouted, giving the Grimm a passing look before rushing to her partner's side. The mucus or whatever it was had an unusual, pungent odor not unlike meat left in the heat. When Weiss grasped at it the material gave way only for it to reform seconds later. Writhe as she might Ruby couldn't break herself free.

"Keep your arms against your sides!" Ruby nodded and closed her eyes, turning her face away as a gentle blue light emenated from Weiss' palm. The black sinewy material flash-froze, tendrils of swirling darkness encased in a misting shell of ice.

Using the grip of her sword to strike the ice Weiss smiled as the surface splintered, breaking away at the casing that trapped Ruby. Two more strikes and chunks fell enough that the brunette could push her way free, dragging herself out on her hands and immediately retrieving her scythe.

Behind them Yang remained hunched over, strange smoke rising from her trembling form while Blake made a desperate effort to keep the Grimm occupied, harrying it with physical blows and spells alike.

They needed to kill it, obviously, but how still eluded them. Spells did little besides score superficial wounds and their weapons failed to pierce the Grimm's armor. Weiss looked down at Ruby's cage and gasped.

"Ruby, I have a plan! I'll need your help though."

The Grimm hissed and its limbs lashed out at Blake, driving the Meera back yard by yard. Though spider like in appearance the creature struck like a viper, moving at speeds nearly invisible to the naked eye. Weiss couldn't hope to navigate such an assault without falling, not with her speed.

She wouldn't have to either.

Ruby nodded and clutched her scythe determinedly, panting as perspiration trickled down her face. "Got it! You just tell me when and I'll do it!"

Her friend went off in a flash and drew the Grimm back from a weary Blake. Although she had no knowledge of their plan Blake took Ruby's lead and continued to occupy the Grimm as she had been.

Swirling around the Grimm as a pair of mosquitoes bothering a horse Ruby and Blake never stopped moving. With her magic in full effect Ruby was impossible to hit; her strikes, however ineffectual, proved irritating enough that the Grimm lashed out blindly time and time again. Where Blake lacked for Ruby's speed she made up in nimbleness, flipping and at one point even landing on an outstretched limb, hooking her weapon around another and swinging beneath the beast itself.

The Grimm staggered. Overextending itself with an attack three of its legs rose into the air and it hissed fitfully, toppling over and landing with a meaty thud. Eight legs writhed and lashed out threateningly as its humanoid torso twisted and turned, head snapping, teeth clicking as it followed its attackers. Rolling side to side it released another spurt of black webbing, Weiss realized, narrowly missing Blake and caking the ceiling instead.

With a great effort the Grimm rolled and stood, the plated tips of its legs burying into stone to brace itself. Ruby and Blake darted away to either side of the blackened beast, the creature's head swiveling before it set is baleful eyes on Weiss.

The air around her dropped several degrees, breath releasing in puffs as her body's temperature rebelled against her own magic. Frost licked at her skin affectionately before swirling away in the air, flakes dancing listlessly. Three runes hovered around her, each imbued with far more magic than she'd typically use. They would be potent if released in a spell, Weiss knew, but she withheld her magic and instead ushered her companions to her side. When Weiss reached for Ruby's scythe her partner held the blade out knowingly, nodding her head for Blake to do the same.

Weiss reached out with trembling fingers and placed a rune on each, blades flashing a pale blue before ice covered the weapons.

"Freeze its legs…" Weiss' voice was strained and dry, raspy as though traveling through a desert. The wintery air around her grew colder still. "I'll go for the kill. Ready?"

"Ready," they said in unison.

The Grimm screeched and bore down on them, hardly content to be idle as they prepared. Weiss dove aside as Ruby and Blake rushed to its flanks, shadowy tendrils lashing out like whips to stir the beast and pull its focus away. It worked and with a furious hiss the Grimm whirled around and skittered away.

"Yang?" The blonde didn't respond besides groan, either in acknowledgement or sheer discomfort. With no means to help Weiss bit her cheek and turned her attention back to the fight on hand. "Just wait a little longer, we're almost finished!"

Forced to wait for an opening she watched, awestruck, as Blake and Ruby continued their frantic attacks. Their stamina put hers to shame, though she felt her use of magic was partly to blame; Ruby had been using her speed magic incessantly since the fight began and seemed fine. The humbling irritation forced Weiss to ignore the dull throbbing behind her eyes and the chill that ran through her veins. Her chest burned for air and she gave her lungs scraps instead of a full meal, breathing in short gasps. Her legs strained, muscles burning as she readied to rush in at a moment's notice.

The Grimm drove its spear-like leg at Ruby and her scythe deflected, curved blade scraping up along its bony plating like a blade on a whetstone. The air took on a strange sparkling before ice began to spread along the carapace, quickly covering the thick bone and skin and encasing the limb in ice.

Blake spun her weapon around herself, chain wrapping around her body, ducking beneath a swinging leg and striking another. Ice burst from the point of impact and a heavy, cumbersome block formed on the limb, weighing it down.

Releasing a furious howl and staggering awkwardly the Grimm twisted and turned, legs freezing one after another as Ruby and Blake struck. Hobbled, the spider-woman fell again, limbs twitching at its body but unable to find purchase, slipping and heavy. In a desperate effort to keep itself safe its chest swelled and it spewed the odorous webbing again and again, globs of dark hitting the floor, walls and ceiling, sticking and failing to trap anything.

Weiss' arm shook as she carved another rune, wincing as a sharp pain built behind her right eye. Releasing a hiss through clenched teeth she unleashed her spell and rock began to rise up in staggered, misshapen steps. Willing her legs to carry her she ran forward, leaping onto the first. The Grimm took notice and its body swelled before spewing more webbing. Blake's shadows erupted from beneath Weiss, a pillar blocking the projectile while Weiss herself darted around it, leaping higher still. Another shot and this time Ruby dove through, cleaving it in two with her scythe. The halves of the sticky mass struck the ground with a wet splat.

Close enough that her nostrils burned from the noxious scent of the Grimm Weiss crouched and jumped higher, skipping another platform entirely and drawing back her arm. The Grimm screeched and her other eye closed, ears ringing painfully, feeling her very bones rattle at the sound.

Her rapier drove forward, and she felt it meet resistance before continuing in its path. She heard flesh tear and the Grimm screeched again. Using its own body for support Weiss dug her heels into the beast and pushed her weapon deeper yet, twisting and releasing her rune. A sound of shattering like a rioter hurling stone through a window erupted, ice spreading at an alarming rate from the Grimm's torso.

Weiss forced her eyes open to watch, to witness the beast's dying moments. It writhed, locked in place by their combined efforts, body beginning to be blanketed in a thick sheet of ice. Its head tossed and arms clawed desperately at the ice, howling, fighting against its demise. In a final effort to exact revenge it reached out for Weiss, long-nailed fingers threatening to close around her throat. Its hand stopped inches short as ice shot down its arm and froze the outstretched limb in place.

With ice now underfoot Weiss pulled her weapon free, briefly freefalling as wind rushed around her. With a grunt both on her part and Ruby's she landed in her partner's arms, rapier falling from her hand as her entire body was wracked with a painful tremor. Ruby wavered on her own legs and fell back, chest heaving with strained breaths.

Above them the ice began to crack and for a terrifying moment Weiss feared the Grimm was breaking free. All concerns vanished when its arm snapped off, frozen through and breaking into pieces as it struck the cave floor. Ruby's desperate scramble with Blake's aid kept them from being crushed beneath the Grimm whose body splintered and crumbled, a statue no longer able to bear its own weight. Pieces shattered and those that remained quickly turned into mist, leaving strangely shaped, hollow shards of ice in their wake.

If Weiss had the oxygen to spare she'd have laughed at their triumph, or cheered. Even a simple 'woop' was beyond her and instead she raised her arm halfway before her limb heavily dropped across her lap.

"It's… It is dead, right…?" Blake panted behind them, posture slouched and weapon dangling from her hands.

It had better be. Weiss stared at the ice a moment longer than necessary as if it would spring to life. It didn't, and when her unease left with the last of the mist she exhaled, lungs drinking in air she so desperately needed. Not that it did much to assuage the drumming in her head or the fire that burned in her veins despite wielding so much ice moments before.

Ruby giggled, the sound marred by being on the verge of tears. Thinking the trembling was her own Weiss looked up at her partner and pat her cheek, smiling for her sake as well as her own. "We're safe… You're safe…"

Through teary eyes Ruby nodded, flashing a toothy smile. "R-Right…"

Now that the Grimm had gone - and better yet no Arachne appeared they at long last had a moment to just breathe. The air in the cave was pleasantly cool and calm, the sound of birds just beyond the crevice a wonderfully welcome thing. Ignoring the walk back they still would have to make Weiss savored their brief victory, closing her eyes and grabbing Ruby's arm for support as she was set down to sit herself.

"Um… Guys…?"

Following Blake's skyward gaze Weiss stared dumbfounded at the Grimm's essence, the black mist that generally disappeared upon their defeat. Instead it lingered, twisting formlessly in the air high above their heads. Then, as though the cloud had some kind of sentience, the mist moved across the ceiling, blotting out the sunlight before moving along, moving against the air itself as it drifted downwards, coalescing and twisting.

Yang groaned and fell forward as the mist gathered around her, thickening, blocking out their view of the Dimuran entirely. On weak legs Ruby cried out and stood, fighting to hurry to her sister's side. Weiss reached to stop her partner and gasped when the air around Yang sparked, crackling like a cannon's wick set alight. As if the analogy wasn't apt enough Weiss curled in on herself when the cannon seemed to fire off, a loud, teeth rattling explosion rocked the chamber. Black mist pushed out by the explosion swirled but was kept at bay by brilliant red and orange flames. Fire pulsed from Yang, flames swirling, rising high enough that they reached the roof and spread along it.

The Dimuran rose to her feet and opened her mouth, black smoke and flame leaking between cracked, dry lips. Weiss felt herself go numb as red eyes, eyes of a Grimm, glared at them through smoke and flame, somehow burning brighter than any magic spell. Black veins stretched from the corners of Yang's eyes, racing down her neck and across any exposed skin.

"Yang!" Ruby cried, pushing herself up after being knocked down by the explosion. Ruby screamed as a burst of flame narrowly engulfed her, kicking her legs and batting at her cape as Blake laid on top of her, hair and back singed for her efforts.

Weiss' concern for her partner was overshadowed by her terror. Yang stood tall and swayed in place, neck cracking as she examined them, no signs of recognition on her face. Her right arm lifted, and Weiss couldn't make sense of what she saw; a gauntlet of black with deadly white claws and random bone protrusions jutting out, a Grimm arm reached for them in place of Yang's. It slammed onto the ground and Yang fell with it, crouched like a feral beast, snarling as more flame erupted from her body.

There was no rhyme or reason to the flames. They rebelled against their caster, doubling in and washing harmlessly over Yang. The walls were pelted with errant bursts and Weiss pressed herself to the floor to avoid a fireball.

Yang's magic was out of control. It was as if a campfire had been left unattended and now consumed the forest beyond the cave, engulfing everything in its path. An uncontrollable inferno with a mind all its own.

A wildfire.

/+/+/+/+/+/

They had been thrust into an oven.

Too close to Yang and the air became unbearable, hot enough that it threatened to cook them inside and out. That didn't stop Ruby from trying to reach her sister however, and she might have if Blake hadn't restrained her.

Over Yang's pained howling Ruby cried out, fighting against the Meera as tears on her cheeks evaporated in an instant. "We have to help her! She's suffering!"

"What are we going to do?!" Blake grunted and pulled Ruby further back. "We have to run!"

"We can't just leave her like this!"

Weiss tried again to stand only for her knees to give out and collapse. Her lungs, starved for oxygen, strained, a sharp piercing pain in her breast as though a dagger had been buried between her ribs. Her heart struggled to get blood flowing, muscles burning even without Yang's hellacious heat lapping at her.

They couldn't leave Yang. They couldn't help her either. _What do we do then? Do we hope she tires herself out? Can we talk her down? What's even happening?!_

Doubled over and screaming Yang's body twitched, shoulders rolling and back arching up. Her head tossed back and her eyes flickered briefly before she tossed her head side to side, grabbing it while her deformed arm slammed into the ground. Mist around her head began to take shape, long, curved horns sprouting from her forehead. Flame leaked from her mouth and she howled again, fury mixed with agony.

 _She's… She was at Holbrook!_ The beast that had chased Adam away, that had nearly killed Blake. Weiss watched as Yang's face lifted, eyes darting around in alarm, black, pulsing veins on her neck stark against her fair skin. She hadn't transformed nearly as much as back then but there could be no mistaking it. _How? What… What is this?! People don't turn into Grimm!_

"Weiss, we have to leave!"

Was it some kind of magic? Transformation magic existed, shapeshifting too, but this was something different. Something unnatural.

"Weiss!"

Again, relying on her rapier for support Weiss tried to stand, managing only to rise to a knee before losing her balance again. Her arms were firm as wet reeds, her vision blurred as though staring through a cracked glass. Air crackled around them, hissing and snapping as heat radiated from Yang, spilling forth like a fiery storm.

"We have… Have to help…" Seeking Ruby's cooperation she smiled, forcing confidence she didn't feel even as her own thoughts betrayed her. It was suicide to stay. What could they do? "Can we… Can you restrain her, Blake?"

The Meera cursed and shook her head. "I'm at my limit! Any more and I'm risking sickness, besides…" A fresh burst of flame erupted from Yang, rising up in a pillar and washing across the ceiling, burning away hanging roots and turning stone black. "I doubt my shadows could survive that."

Ice wouldn't work either, and any earth would likely shatter, not that Weiss could manage more spells. Did they wait for Yang to burn out then?

Yang's screams came to an abrupt end and her head snapped towards them, wild blood red eyes seeming to stare through them. Her lips parted and thick black wisps poured out, lifting herself into a standing position, hunched forward by the weight of her arm.

A roar more bestial than human shook their very souls and Yang slammed her hand down before rushing towards them. Blake shouted a warning and pushed Ruby aside, readying a spell. Weiss struggled to do the same only for her rune to falter halfway, crumbling uselessly at her fingertips. Yang roared again and dragged her clawed hand behind her, tearing up stone and gouging the earth.

Then she jumped.

Weiss craned her neck to follow the Dimuran and covered her face as heat and flame showered down over them. Behind them a Grimm not unlike the last reared up to strike only for Yang to barrel into its chest. With fire propelling her forward the blonde's smaller body was like a great boulder launched from a catapult, colliding with enough force to lift the Grimm off its feet and throw it back.

The beast barely landed when Yang was upon it once more. Ignoring the bladed limbs cutting into her Yang threw herself in again, blood spattering across the ground as she slashed through the Grimm's chest. As black steam poured from both their wounds, she caught another limb in her claw and twisted, snarling and tearing the blade clean off.

Using its own limb against it Yang buried the blade in the Grimm's torso, howling as another gouged her shoulder. Shaking furiously, she planted her palm against its chest and unleashed a point blank blast, white hot flame engulfing the Grimm in the blink of an eye.

It was enough to make Weiss almost feel bad for the beast. The blast ended and half of the creature remained, legs sheared clean, body teetering awkwardly before crashing down. The humanoid top writhed and lashed out in anger, swinging aimlessly and trying to grab hold of Yang. She caught one of its arms and dragged it down to her level, lip curled back as she sneered. Her lips parted and flame licked the Grimm's face, chest rumbling with laughter.

"Got… You…"

Screeches were silenced as Yang's claw grabbed the Grimm's head, large enough to engulf it whole. Pulling the beast down she placed her hand on its chest and snarled, body shimmering as fire swirled around her arm, gathering at her hand before condensing into a small burning orb.

The sound was unearthly, a high-pitched whistling unfit for flame and more akin to a foreman's bell signaling the end of a day. Yang pulled her hand back and the orb crackled, turning from soft cherry red to brilliant orange, then blue as lapis.

In an instant the orb expanded and fired through the Grimm's chest, expanding exponentially. Blue fire swallowed the Grimm whole and struck the cave wall with enough force to burrow into stone, sending smoldering rubble flying across the chamber. Weiss drew back and shielded herself, hearing Ruby cry out beside her. The light that overwhelmed them dimmed and she looked up to see Blake stood before them, trembling while she strained to maintain a wall.

Then just as Blake's wall began to fail the sound of fire discharging ceased. As shadow fell it gave way to the Grimm, or what remained of it, small black shapes quickly burning away under blue flame. The floor and wall both sported deep scars from the blast, and presiding over the carnage, hunched over and panting, was Yang.

A creature that had given the three of them so much trouble dead in an instant. Weiss couldn't believe it. How was Yang that powerful? How was _anyone_ that powerful? Obviously stronger Magi existed. Ozpin was immensely powerful no doubt, and even the likes of their instructors were no pushovers either.

They had seniority though. Years of training and experience. Weiss expected them to be astounding. Yang… Yang was her age.

And a monster.

Whatever little elation at the Grimm's defeat fled the moment Yang turned on them. Hunched over her head swiveled around, eyes wide and pupils oddly small. Slack jawed she stared at them for an agonizingly long moment before turning, staggering towards them.

"Ruby… My… Ruby…"

Even as she seemed on the verge of panicking Ruby rose to her feet, reaching out towards Yang. "I'm here, Yang! It's okay, you're o-okay!"

Yang's body shuddered and she stopped, groaning as her arm twitched, fingers snapping. She gripped her head and went silent again. "You… Alone…" Her face was a mixture of anger and utter dejection when she lifted her head again. "Left me… Alone… Why?"

"Everyone said you were dead! I thought… I thought you were! But I didn't give up hope!" Ruby smiled desperately and began to approach. Weiss reached out to stop her partner only for her fingers to slide uselessly from Ruby's cape. "When I saw you at Holbrook, I knew… I knew you were alone!"

That Yang didn't answer made it more unsettling. Weiss watched as fresh flame began to form, dancing across Yang's body in small patches. Her scales reflected the light and her red eyes glowed with a terrifying brilliance.

Her claw slammed into the ground before Ruby and Yang screamed, slamming her claw again and again. Like a fire fed overmuch she began to surge, black mist from the fallen Grimm gathering around her and mixing with her flames, turning them a sickly green.

" _You… Left… Me…"_ Yang's voice warbled, and she inclined her head towards Ruby, staring blankly. Her jaw went slack before her lips pressed into a thin line, then curled back to reveal pointed teeth, blood leaking from her split lips. _"You left me alone!"_

Weiss grabbed her rapier and struggled to stand. Ruby cried out and lifted her arms to shield herself. Yang, roaring and uncoiling, lashing out like a cornered beast, lunged for Ruby, claws glittering in her fire, sharp as the finest blade. She hurtled towards Ruby and closed the short distance between them in a flash.

A gust of wind slammed into Yang and threw her to the side, across the chamber and tumbling helplessly. The moment she landed another burst slammed into her from above and pressed her into the ground, starving her flames and pinning her in place.

Ruby, pale as the dead, sank to her knees and watched her sister be buffeted repeatedly. "Wh… What…?"

"You children are idiots."

Yang had barely gotten to her feet when another gust slammed into her, pushing her back into the wall and pinning her up against it. The last of her flame snuffed she was released and collapsed, gasping desperately as her body sparked, fire trying to restore itself. A figure landed in the chamber, green sword pulsing, the thin, curved blade emitting a faint humming sound.

Raven glanced back at them with a look of disappointment and Weiss felt indignant at the expression given. What was she looking at them like that for? What had she expected of them? How were they supposed to know something like _this_ would happen? More frustratingly still was the knowledge Raven had just saved Ruby. Again. Once more indebted to the foul bandit.

Disregarding them not a moment later Raven sheathed her weapon and casually paced, blocking Yang's path to them as she shrugged off the top of her robe. "Vernal, tend to them. Make sure no other Grimm appear."

Weiss hadn't realized the other woman was even with them. Drawing back when Vernal reached for her she narrowed her eyes, gritting her teeth when she was grabbed anyways. "Relax, idiot, I'm here to help."

Hearing the loud rattle of plate, she watched as Hammond, Ezra and a handful of others rushed into the chamber. The captain barked something inaudible and several troops lingered at the entrance, weapons drawn. He and Ezra made to approach only to stop short seeing Yang. "Ma'am…?" the captain called.

"It's fine. Do your job, captain. I've got her."

Yang peeled herself from the wall and staggered forward, snarling and clawing at the ground. Fresh fire swirled around her and she drew back, chest swelling before she unleashed a swirling inferno from her mouth. Raven pivoted and drew one of her twin swords in the blink of an eye, redirecting the conflagration harmlessly skyward.

The red sword in her hand flashed and Raven deflected another spell, sending it spiraling into the far wall. Another she cleaved in two, sheathing the sword in favor of her green. Yang leaped at her and a gale caught her midair, launching her higher into the air. A swirling vortex formed at Raven's feet and she jettisoned after her, blocking another spell midair and grabbing Yang's warped arm. Twisting her body, she growled and pulled, overwhelming her daughter and throwing her back to earth. Yang struck the ground and bounced off, gasping breathlessly before settling.

Raven landed beside her and kicked aside Yang's claw when she reached out, then stamped down on Yang's wrist to pin the limb. Yang's mouth opened and Raven clamped a hand on it, closing her eyes as flame lapped at her palm, seeping between her fingers and struggling to find release.

The spell faltered and black smoke leaked out when Raven drew back her hand. "That's enough, Yang." She removed her foot and lifted her daughter by her tunic, holding Yang up as though she were a small child. The claw lashed out again and Raven caught it, grabbing one of the digits and pulling it back painfully.

"I said, that's _enough._ "

Yang flailed awkwardly as she was suddenly released, then breathlessly groaned, red eyes fading and turning to unfocused lilac. Her hair which had floated in the heated air settled against her back and black veins which had spread across her body began to recede. Raven unburied her fist from her daughter's sternum and caught her as she fell, supporting Yang's weight on one arm. The blonde's claw began to smoke and black flesh peeled away, scraps falling to the ground and vanishing. Her regular arm remained, skin red, cracked and bleeding but still intact.

With Yang now limp in her arm Raven frowned, staring at her child before carefully laying her down. Only the gentle rising and falling of Yang's chest assured Weiss she hadn't been killed, though that did little to comfort her after watching Raven's brutality. Wiping the remains of a potion from her mouth she fought to stand once more and finally made her legs cooperate, forcing herself to remain upright even as the room spun.

"You…" Her tongue was thick in her mouth, words slurred. She could feel her mind growing foggy and the corners of her vision began to blacken. "What… Was that…?"

"That? That was exactly what I wanted to show you girls." Raven motioned Hammond over and the captain, a head and a half larger and twice as wide, obeyed like a dutiful dog, bounding to its master's side. "Be gentle, she may have suffered injuries. I want her and the others taken back to the keep for treatment."

Weiss rejected a soldiers' offer and scowled at Raven. "That?!" she spat. "She transformed! People don't turn into that! And the Grimm…" She shook her head both in frustration and to attempt to clear her head. "Why did so many appear? What happened?"

Raven smiled as she placed a hand on her hip, inciting more of Weiss' ire. "I told you I'd explain, didn't I? And I will," she added, holding up a hand before Weiss could argue. "For now… Focus on making it back to the keep. My healers can't help if you're dead."

Questions raged as Weiss struggled to formulate words, mouth failing to form a single sound. Adrenaline leaving her the aftermath of so much concentrated spellcasting began to take its toll.

Her head throbbed and she felt queasy, stomach heavy, unsettled as if rocked violently aboard a small craft. As her rapier clattered against the ground and Ruby called her name, she felt a pair of arms catch her, barely seeing brilliant red hair out of the corners of her eye. Raven motioned to her people in gestures unrecognizable before coming to her, leaning forward and cupping Weiss' chin to keep her head up.

"Don't give me that look. You've done well Schnee and you'll get what you want." Besides wanting a bed and for the world to stop spinning Weiss wasn't sure what she wanted anymore. "After that I'll tell you everything I know." The woman's voice was becoming muddled, the already subdued colors of the cave blending together incoherently. Exhaustion dragged her down like heavy weights.

"Soon you'll know the truth." Raven's voice was distant as though speaking from far away rather than mere feet apart. She barely caught Raven's amused expression as the woman walked past her, voice fading along with her consciousness. "... Then you can decide whose side you're on."

* * *

 **There, a chapter of pew pew and growls.**

 **Yes, Yang is that powerful, and there's reasons for it. Just like there's a reason for Raven too. I just say this now cuz I can already imagine people mad that Yang made it look super easy. As for Raven there's meant to be a clear disparity between them - Weiss and co. as fresh Hunters, and veteran ones like her.**

 **Defending things aside hopefully this turned out alright, pretty tired but wanted to get a chapter out. Hopefully the next one comes out sooner than 10 days this time.**


	29. Chapter 29: Snake Oil Salesman

**Just a reactionary chapter this week, letting the girls unwind and reflect, or start to anyways. Easier to do something like this than weave in loads of conversation/introspection during another chapter.**

* * *

Weiss came to some time later. Her body felt heavy as though someone had cast her in iron and dumped her into a lake. That everything was muted - the colors of the room, the voices of those around her, made her feel like she was trapped beneath ice, so very close to lucidity yet separated by an impenetrable sheet of ice.

The bed beneath her might as well have been nonexistent, feeling herself float as a cloud drifting through the sky might, weightless and aimless. Her tongue tingled as a tincture was forced down her throat, bitter and tart, and water helped to alleviate some of the unpleasant burn that followed. Although she could just make out the crackling of a fire she felt miserably cold as an invasive chill rippled through her, racing along her veins like a poison, chilling her very soul. Blurred vision revealed the obfuscated features of _someone_ looming over her. A woman's voice called out, distant yet close all at once, and as a hand swept over her brow and wiped away perspiration she slipped back into unconsciousness.

When next she woke Weiss gasped, eyes darting open with a start before darting around the room. Skin still prickling with goosebumps as she pictured hordes of Arachne washing over her like a black, writhing wave she gripped the cotton blanket draped over her, shallow breaths slowing as her sluggish mind worked to ease her panic.

 _I'm… Back at the keep?_

Grey stone walls boxed her in, and a fireplace burned away, embers throwing themselves into the gate, sparks bouncing off dark iron. Transfixed on the faint light she pushed herself up on shaking arms and winced as pain throbbed behind her temple. The blanket fell and she shivered, realizing she had naught save for her linens on. Even as her body protested she threw the blanket off and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, yelping as her feet met the cold floor. Her sudden rise made her head spin, darkness tease at the corners of her vision before fading.

 _When did I get back…?_ Weiss slouched forward and laid her face in her hands. _We ran into the caves, the Arachne chased us. That giant Grimm spawned…_

 _Yang!_

What in the world had happened? Muddled as her thoughts were, she could distinctly recall Yang's transformation. It was too vivid to have been a hallucination, the sensation of fire cascading off the Dimuran too real to be a dream. Yet real as she was certain it had been Weiss struggled to believe it.

People didn't turn into Grimm. Grimm came from… Well, people weren't entirely sure where, but they most certainly weren't made. From the blackened flesh to the bone claws and feral expressions Yang had done her best impression of a Grimm.

She had spoken too, hadn't she? A monster that yet retained some semblance of its humanity. It had turned on them, _she_ had turned on them. In those final moments Yang had thought them the enemy. Weiss felt herself shiver again, this time free from any cold, rubbing at her eyes with the heels of her hands and groaning. Blake she could almost understand since those two apparently had some history. Herself? They were strangers and while she'd done nothing wrong by Yang that might make it easier.

She'd turned on Ruby though, her own sister.

Ignoring the sudden vertigo Weiss stood, staggering over to a low table where her clothing sat, folded and clean. She needed to make sure Ruby was well, and Blake for that matter; if Yang was through trying to turn everything to ash then the Dimuran too.

Dressing herself proved more challenging than she'd expected but after a few minutes of teetering and struggling she donned her clothing. Lacing up her tunic she threw on her cloak, leaving the hood down and running her fingers through her lose, snow white hair, finally realizing it was no longer done up as she usually had it. The clasp was on the table and she considered using it, then decided against it. Dressing had been hard enough, she hadn't the coordination or patience for her hair right now.

Even if she wouldn't need it Weiss clipped her rapier to her hip and left the room. Judging by the warm light spilling in from outside it had to be early afternoon, and as she walked the empty corridor, she was able to make out sounds of activity beyond the walls. A smith's hammer toiled endlessly, idle chatter of the keep's residents, indistinct, rose and fell, interrupted by the occasional bout of laughter or shout.

In a dreamlike state she wandered along until she found herself in the anteroom of the keep. She was on the first floor? Wonderful. As unsteady as her gait was now, she had to surmount stairs to reach her friends. Just. Wonderful.

"You! You shouldn't be up!"

Loud footsteps approaching should have alerted Weiss long before the voice did but she jumped at the sound, whirling around and staggering at the sudden movement. A hand shot out and caught her elbow before she could fall, clutching her head and squeezing her eyes shut. Once a brief spell of nausea passed, she looked up, blinking slowly in confusion.

"Pyrrha…?"

The redheaded woman stared back before furrowing her brow and looking around. Weiss' vision corrected itself and she saw hazel eyes watching her instead of emerald, and a jaw squarer than her friend's clench, red lips pulling into a thin, worried frown.

"Weiss, the healers said you should rest, why are you up?" She placed the voice at last and Weiss eased her arm from Ezra's grip, holding a hand up when she swayed again. "Come, I'll take you back to your room."

"No. I want to see Ruby, and Blake." Yang too, though she couldn't deny the trepidation she felt considering how things had ended. "Please, take me to them. I need to see if they're safe."

Ezra hesitated, shifting in her plate armor and adjusting her helmet tucked under her arm. Weiss noticed new scars and scrapes on the metal, a black coating caking much of the woman's armor. Before she could ask where it had come from Ezra grabbed her arm again. "They're all safe and well, I promise. Ruby suffered spellcast sickness too but woke a day before you did."

"A day?!" Weiss balked. "Just how long was I asleep?!"

"Three days. In and out, you see. Apparently, you overdid things in the caves," Ezra said, smiling apologetically as Weiss reeled. "Everyone is fine. In fact, you and Yang had the worst of it and you're both fine now."

Yang? Oh gods, that unsightly transformation. What in the world was that?! She'd been traveling with that… Thing, slept near it without a care in the world. How close had she been to being attacked? Weiss rubbed her neck uncomfortably, rolling it to hide her unease.

Three days? Gods…

 _A novice mistake, an idiotic, foolish error._ Weiss ground her teeth and exhaled through her nose. A fledgling Magi would make a mistake like that, not someone who had been trained as a Hunter. In her panic she must have overdone it.

"Nonetheless I would like to see my friends," Weiss muttered. "If you'd be so kind as to take me to them?"

Ezra chewed her bottom lip, then much to Weiss' irritation and dismay shook her head. "I can't. Miss Branwen was very clear she wanted to speak to you once you woke."

"Miss Branwen?" Weiss couldn't stop the incredulous scoff or keep her eyes from rolling. "She's a bandit, Ezra! What are you, - soldiers sworn to protect the kingdom, doing serving a woman like that? Have you no shame?!"

"Weiss, you're wrong. She isn't a bad person, she -"

"I'm wrong? At best she's a thief and scoundrel, at worst a murderer! That you and your captain are her lap dogs…" Weiss trembled angrily and tried to move for the stairs only for Ezra to block her path. The woman looked apologetic, sure, but if she was truly sorry she wouldn't be trying to get in her way. "Ezra, move. I need to see my friends."

"And you will. Miss Branwen was very clear on her instructions though, she wanted to speak to you first. Please, Weiss. I know what you might think, how you see things here, but I promise you it's wrong. You're wrong. We aren't the criminals here."

If Weiss' throat hadn't been dry, she'd have laughed, and even then she managed a wheezing snort. Such blatant self-delusion was astounding, pitiful even. A fort stolen by a bandit and her people, soldiers made to serve her, and scores of desperate civilians looking for safety and salvation. Raven wasn't some altruistic hero, she was taking advantage of people. Scum of the lowest degree. Her nails dug into her palms and Weiss looked away and burned a hole through stone with her stare. "The High Commander…" her voice came in a raspy whisper. "He betrayed us! He's betrayed the kingdom!"

"Weiss, please." Ezra stepped back and continued to block Weiss' path from the stairwell. A few of Raven's men paused in their walk to watch the display, racing away when Weiss glared at them. "I don't know everything myself, but you have to trust me. We aren't the bad guys here."

It was decidedly sad that Ezra believed her lies so strongly. As disgruntled as Weiss was she still felt sorry for the woman, clearly in over her head and not sure what to think. Following a traitorous senior to the gallows it would seem. Rationally she knew Ezra was hardly the one to blame but with no one else to lash out at Weiss scoffed.

"You won't let me see them, will you?"

Ezra lowered her arms halfway but made no move to let Weiss pass. "Just go see her first, please? I'll send word to your friends you're awake. They might even come and find you themselves."

If the simple act of standing didn't take every ounce of focus, she had Weiss might consider trying to race past Ezra. While her mind had been quick to wake her body was a little more reluctant, and with a sigh of resignation she hung her head. "You had best not be lying. I'm trusting you because you were the first to show us any shred of decency."

"I have no reason to lie, Weiss. You four just did us all a great service and the people here owe you a debt" Ezra managed a faintly encouraging smile. "I'm sure they'll be thrilled to hear you're awake."

Sure, assuming they were awake and well. Why hadn't Ruby been there when she woke? She'd have been there for her partner after all. Squashing the ugly feelings of betrayal Weiss glanced around the empty foyer. "Where is Raven, anyway?"

"She should be outside making her rounds. Try by the gates first, and if she isn't there maybe the kitchens?"

Weiss was already pushing her way through the doors before Ezra finished speaking. Her body shuddered and muscles burned in protest, but with a considerable effort the heavy door gave way. At once the fresh air did wonders for her, filling her deprived lungs with a crisp breath and chasing away the unpleasant staleness that clung to her from being bedridden for three days.

Even the bright, warm sun did little to help her mood however. Her face must have been fixed with the worst scowl for anyone in her path was quick to move out of her way. Civilians in rags stepped aside and bowed their heads, a gesture she might have appreciated more given better timing. Her eyes drifted around, swiveling side to side as she tried to spot a wild mane of black hair.

The keep was a bustle with activity as people scurried about like ants. Carts had been dragged out and were beginning to be piled with containers, soldiers directing lines of volunteers. Those capable had begun to break down the makeshift homes they'd built for themselves, tying timbers and strips of cloth in twine, bundling it together and piling them in a separate vehicle.

On her way to the gates Weiss patched the kitchens, pausing to watch the cooks hard at work. Steaks were carved into strips, seared on heated slabs on stone and set aside. Vegetables were cut up and thrown into a large clay pot, stirred with a spoon. Even a few loaves of bread were on display, crude, pale things but nonetheless palatable. Weiss' stomach growled and she considered stopping for a meal. After all she hadn't eaten in some time now and beneath all her irritableness a faint hunger prodded at her. One glance at the gradually swelling line however made her reconsider and she huffed, tearing her eyes from the tempting display and continuing to the gates.

Raven was busy when Weiss finally found the woman. Not barking orders like Weiss might expect or lounging about as people in power seemed so fond of doing. To her not inconsiderable surprise she found the bandit leader helping to dismantle some of the shacks, hair tied back as she hauled large bundles on her shoulders. When the woman noticed Weiss, she seemed surprised, then a smug smile appeared that made Weiss almost consider turning around and going back to the keep.

Only knowing whatever frivolous meeting Raven wanted stood between her and her friends kept Weiss from turning heel. She waited impatiently while the Dimuran stacked her luggage in a cart, dismissing a handful of workers and calling over an equal number as replacements.

"Sleeping beauty finally graces us with her presence, does she?" Raven grinned, hands on her hips. She looked Weiss over and cocked an eyebrow before laughing. "Well, in a manner of speaking. You look terrible, girl."

"And you're a brute."

Weiss' remark drew an amused laugh and once they deemed it safe those nearby joined in. Feeling heat creep to her cheeks at her failure of a rebuttal Weiss folded her arms, bristling as she waited for the woman to settle down.

"I see your tongue is sharp as ever. Good, because we've got a lot to talk about."

"Could you keep this brief? I have places I'd rather be." Like a cold cell for starters. Weiss shifted her feet and blew an obstinate bang from her eyes, then huffed and ran her hands back to keep her hair behind her shoulders. "Ezra said you wished to speak to me?"

"Aye, and relax, girl. What we have to discuss isn't something that can be said in a few words, and besides…" Raven reached out and shoved Weiss' shoulder, causing her to yelp and fall over. The woman's damnable laughter drowned out her curses. "You're hardly fit to be in such a hurry to leave. Settle down. We'll go somewhere comfortable and have a nice chat."

Despite herself Weiss accepted the extended hand and was pulled to her feet in one fluid motion. Flushed, she dusted herself down and tried to assert some level of control. Hard to do when she was as stable as a weathervane. "I suppose I have little choice in the matter?"

"I knew you were a smart one," Raven teased, putting a hand on Weiss' back and ushering her forward. Not back to the keep but towards the gates. She raised a hand and the gears inside churned audibly, chains rattling as they raised the portcullis.

"Let's go for a little walk. We've got a lot to discuss and I think it'll do you some good."

Weiss chewed her cheek as she watched the woman gather her swords, strapping both to her left hip and a small container to her right. Traveling with a bandit alone seemed like a gods awful idea on the best of days, and today was far from her best. "I don't suppose you'll let me decline…?"

"For our purposes it's best we go outside the keep." The cryptic words did nothing to help settle her misgivings, and Weiss' pointed stare didn't bring anything further. Looking back one last time towards the keep Weiss held her own weapon and nodded, the gesture bringing a wide, taunting grin to Raven's face.

"Relax, Schnee. If I wanted to kill you I'd have done so already." Raven slung her arm around Weiss' shoulders, leaning down to do so, and ushered her forward. "We're just going to have a nice chat, you and I. But bring that needle if it's comforting."

"You're bringing your swords," Weiss pointed out curtly.

"Only to remind you who's in charge here." Raven winked, releasing her hold and motioning for the gate to be sealed once more. It closed with a heavy thud and the Dimuran shooed Weiss forward, following right on her heels, arms folded as she walked.

If all Raven wanted was a discussion, then things wouldn't be so bad. If the woman had other things in mind? Weiss fingertips grazed the rapier and Weiss glanced back, cringing seeing the woman's smile gone and red eyes watching her attentively, weapons sheathed but never far out of reach.

Who was she kidding?

What in the hells had she just agreed to?

/+/+/+/+/+/

"This is far enough."

Weiss slowed to a halt and looked around to take in her surroundings. The spot was completely unremarkable, a spot along one of Vale's many roads, indistinct as any other. Free from Morris Pass' claustrophobic walls the ground opened up and expanded indefinitely as trees shot up like weeds, obscuring their view entirely only a few yards out.

The place was so plain, so ordinary that people would pass through the spot without so much as a glance.

Which was precisely why Weiss felt all the more uneasy.

Turning around and holding her weapon in hand she stared at Raven, only a few yards away, hands in her robe with thumbs hooked on the edges. The woman's black scales glistened in the sunlight and her tanned skin, scored by countless scars, rippled with taut muscle beneath. Weiss felt her fingers ease off her weapon and her breath left her in a defeated sigh.

What was she going to do exactly? Fight? In their walk she'd been able to recall more of the events from before. How Yang had made light of a Grimm that had taken herself, Ruby, and Blake no small amount of effort to bring down. Then Yang had made child's play of Yang herself, both faster and stronger than the malformed girl.

At best Weiss could hope the woman would tire out while knocking her around.

Raven snorted and shook her head. "Would you just relax already? I told you I'm not dragging you out here to kill you." The woman stalked towards the edge of the road and reached into the container on her hip. Weiss craned her head to watch, to try and see what Raven took from it. Whatever the woman removed she quickly placed back with a satisfied nod. "This spot will do just fine."

For what? Raven had mentioned a talk yet went silent and instead sat on the grass alongside the road. Her swords laid out beside her the Dimuran rolled her neck, cracking audibly and reaching into her robe. Weiss flinched on reflex, looking away in embarrassment when the woman drew a canteen with a sharp laugh.

"Bit jumpy today, are we?"

Raven spoke as if she had no cause to be. In a keep surrounded by bandits and traitors, traveling with a woman who could transform into a beast, and a former White Fang operative. _If the Church knew of any of this I'd doubtless be tried for treason or something equally disastrous._

Weiss shook her head when given the offer to join Raven, choosing to stand rather than relax with the woman. With one hand never leaving her weapon she waited, watching the woman drink for an agonizingly long moment.

"Tell me…" The black-scaled bandit tucked her canteen away and raised an eyebrow questioningly. "No, better yet, explain what you saw the other day."

"Why? What purpose does that serve?" Doubtless Raven knew what had happened already.

"Just humor me. Tell me everything, don't spare a single detail." When Weiss didn't speak for a time Raven leaned back. "The longer you take the more time we spend out here, girl," she warned, stretching her arms out behind her and leaning on them. "So, go on, speak."

Puzzled by the demand Weiss acquiesced, sparing only a few details as she recounted what had happened. The uneventful walk into the forest, the sudden ambush of Arachne. Seeing the woman's lips curl when Weiss involuntarily shivered at the recollection was at once embarrassing and frustrating. Putting aside her irritation she explained how they had sought to lose the Arachne in a cave only to find a dead end, the lone exit out of reach.

They had killed the Arachne then, the entire horde, only for a larger, more monstrous beast to appear in their wake. Weiss finished her recollection and felt the familiar chill from the morning return, rubbing at her arms absently as she looked around, half expecting Grimm to appear at the distressing memory.

None did, and when it was clear she had finished Raven nodded her head slowly, seeming to half listen as she plucked at the fur lining of her robe. "And of all those events did you notice anything out of the ordinary? Anything strange?"

"Besides your daughter turning into a monster you mean?"

"Oh, so you _were_ paying attention, good! And here I thought you were oblivious."

"How could I miss something so glaringly wrong?" Weiss said. "People don't do that! They don't change! That's… I've never heard of any magic like that before."

Raven drew one knee up and draped her arm over it, rolling a blade of grass between her fingers as she studied Weiss. "Well obviously not. Magic like that isn't supposed to exist. Hells, I'd be more shocked if you had seen it before." The woman paused for a second before chuckling. "I suppose Ozpin isn't that stupid though. Arrogant yes, but not stupid."

"Ozpin?" Hearing her mentor's name piqued her curiosity and Weiss drew nearer. "What do you mean? What does he have to do with any of this?"

"Got your attention now have I? Good girl. As for what Ozpin has to do with any of this, well, not much if I'm honest. He himself is just a small part in the grand scheme of things. A pawn," Raven scowled at the word, shaking her head and flicking away the blade of grass. "Though a dangerous one at that."

The Archbishop of Vale a pawn? Weiss giggled at the absurdity of the claim. Who would manipulate such a man? The Archbishops were the four most prominent figures in the Churches of Remnant, answering only to the respective royal family of each kingdom. Even then the royal families only had so much sway. Each body - the royal family, the Church, and the military, while all parts of a kingdom served as checks and balances between one another.

"The way you speak of things makes it sound as though there's some… Insidious plot at hand," Weiss jeered, her expression falling when Raven stared at her silently, her own face devoid of emotion. "If you've taken me out here to give me some grandiose, ridiculous conspiracy theory then kindly take me back to the keep. I've much better things to do than entertain a madwoman's ravings."

Raven smiled, grabbing one of her swords and drew it just enough to brandish it, the green blade glowing faintly and, to Weiss' surprise, shimmered, the air around it distorting. Not unlike a spell preparing to be cast.

"Magic comes in many forms, and I don't just mean the elements. There's magic which can physically enhance our bodies, magic which can turn someone invisible. We have spells to mend wounds, to turn great structures to ash, and to poison the very land itself." Raven sheathed the sword again and laid it across her lap. "The last one sounds an awful lot like miasma, don't you think? The worst kind there is. It's indiscriminate, killing humans, animals, and plants. Whatever it comes in contact with often dies a slow, agonizing death."

"What if I told you that miasma wasn't the worst kind of magic though?" Weiss crept closer still until she teetered on the edge of the road, toeing the line where grass met caked dirt. Raven gestured for her to sit and Weiss did so, though not without keeping her distance. Overhead a bird called and Raven held out a hand, a small black bird landing on her outstretched palm. "Tell me, Schnee, what's worse than miasma?"

/+/+/+/+/+/

"Uh… I dunno. Miasma is pretty nasty stuff." Ruby's tongue stuck out and she shook her head in disgust. "I mean you saw it, right? There was a whole forest outside of Holbrook before and now its gone! How's anything worse than that?"

Yang smiled patiently from her bed while her sister tried to work out the question. If the simple act of speaking wasn't taxing for her, she'd come out and say it. Or perhaps she was just reluctant to share the information with Ruby. The former was easier to face, the latter was closer to the truth. The brunette tried to fish for something more and her line came up empty. Defeated, Ruby sighed and sank into her chair, kicking one of her feet with a huff.

"I don't get it, Yang! What's worse than miasma?"

"Plenty! There's a horse's fart, a drunk belching. Slugs are pretty nasty if you've ever stepped on them barefoot…"

"Yang, I'm serious!"

The blonde laughed before it turned into a wheezing cough. Ruby was at her side in an instant and held a pitcher of water out. Yang took it, drinking greedily and spilling a bit on her roughspun tunic before handing it back. "Thanks, sis."

Ruby dragged her chair closer then and stared down her elder sibling. "Just tell me already! Tell me what's worse!"

"Alright, alright. Well for starters there's my whole thing. That stuff isn't exactly natural, ya know. Hurts like a son of a bitch too…"

"Yaaaang…"

"Oh, come off it Rubes! It's been a while and gotta be allowed a few slip ups, right?" Her little sister conceded with a curt nod, gesturing to remind Yang she was watching her however. Smiling good naturedly at her sister's 'threat' Yang reached out and ruffled Ruby's hair, laughing when she pulled away with a whine. "Seriously though," she continued, frowning as she watched the brunette. "You're not, like… Freaking out about that more?"

"W-Well… The first time was super scary, but even then, I swore it was you! You and that uh… The 'Grimm'," Ruby said with air quotes. "Had the same hair, and nose! Plus, it kinda sounded like you if you were all growly. So, I guess it wasn't too surprising? A-And… I'm sort of already here," she added, smiling sheepishly while plucking at one of her longer bangs.

"Okay, sure, but I tried to _attack_ you, Ruby. Aren't you a little more upset about that?"

Ruby pursed her lips, drumming her fingers on the arm of the chair, then shook her head and smiled. "Nope!"

"Sis, I was totally going to attack you."

"But you didn't!"

Yang blinked, then stared before sighing and sinking back into her pillow. How could her sister be so ridiculous? She answered her own question a second later when she saw Ruby fidgeting in her chair, ceasing the restlessness and smiling the moment she realized Yang was watching her. _It's just like before when we talked about Plockton._

"Ruby, it's okay to be scared ya know. I'm scared of myself when that happens."

"M-Maybe it's a little scary…" Ruby acknowledged only to quickly reach out and take Yang's bandaged hand, holding it to her cheek with a meek smile. "But you're better now and you won't attack me, I know it! And even if you did it's not like you meant to!"

Should she chalk this up to naivete or denial? Maybe both? Yang knew Ruby had been scared but getting her to admit to it was harder than it ought to be. If this was her way of coping though then so be it: no sense in harping on the subject only to make Ruby even more upset. There'd be time to pester her later, hopefully.

Their conversation was brought to a temporary standstill when a healer came by to check on Yang. They handled her as one might a poisonous snake: keeping their distance, touching briefly only to pull away. They stammered when asking questions and Yang took it in stride, even going so far as thanking the man for his help before watching him race from the room.

It had been like that since they'd gotten back. People were quick to stop by and even quicker to leave. Only Raven hadn't shown any fear around her; even Vernal for all her posturing had kept her distance when visiting Yang.

People saw her as a monster. It'd hurt more if it wasn't true.

"Looks like we're both hiding stuff, huh?"

Yang glanced at her sister and smiled gently, patting her soft cheek before playfully prodding her nose and earning an indignant squeak in reply. Laughing under her breath she settled back into her bed, nodding as her eyes drifted closed. "Guess so, Rubes. We totally get it from dad."

"He's not that bad!"

Yang raised an eyebrow and cracked one eye open. "I still remember he wouldn't let the blacksmith fix our wood oven for a month. Kept sayin' it just needed some love or whatever. Are you telling me that isn't stubborn?"

Ruby laughed and shrugged her shoulders, letting her silence be her reply. "Hey, you still didn't answer me," she pressed, leaning forward in her chair and frowning, hands clasped together tight in her lap. "What's worse than miasma…?"

/+/+/+/+/+/

The Commander had explained miasma was attracting Grimm. That was fine, it made sense. Miasma brought sickness, destroyed crops, and as Holbrook had demonstrated, could ravage an entire forest in a matter of days. That such foul magic would breed negativity made absolute, perfect sense.

Blake hadn't questioned it at the time because of that fact. Nor had she questioned when, in the wake of a White Fang attack Grimm always followed. Rare was it that their Magi were needed for anything more than intimidation. Whenever a battle broke out, they were often violent but brief. There was no illusion of it being a friendly duel between two Magi: her comrades fought to kill, as had the guards that defended the towns.

Unfortunately for the guards it was her and her companions who were the stronger fighters.

Miasma caused negativity. Battle, bloodshed and strife made people angry, anxious, and above all else, sad and depressed. A veritable buffet of negativity for the Grimm.

Everything had just worked, the explanation accounting for everything, so why question it?

Then they had reached those caves. The Arachne had fallen by the dozens, swept away in single spells and their numbers quelled in an instant. Between the four of them there wouldn't have been enough negativity to draw anymore Grimm no matter how stressed they might have been. Grimm needed larger concentrations.

Yet not one but two larger variants had spawned. Blake closed her eyes and leaned forward, legs dangling off the edge of the tower. From her perch she stared down the road, watching as soldiers hurried to and from the gates to prepare for travel. No one paid her any mind as she lounged about. Save for the guard she'd scared off climbing up no one likely knew she was even here.

Just as well because she needed the relative silence to think. To try and make sense of the ridiculous revelations she was having.

The four of them couldn't have spawned the Grimm, that was a given fact. If such a small band were capable of spawning creatures like that then villages wouldn't exist; a single family could have a bad day and spell ruin for their entire settlement. There was the possibility that Yang had been the cause of it too, that her unseemly transformation had somehow acted as a signal fire of sorts for Grimm.

Except that explanation was flawed too. Blake had seen Grimm spawn in the middle of nowhere, on the sides of a road after robbing caravans. At best there had been ten people present. Enough to spawn a horde? Hard to say, although hordes certainly did appear following their fights.

Negativity was a convenient explanation and worked most of the time but not always.

On a whim Blake held her hand out, palm facing upward, and drew from her own shadow. Black, nondescript figures swirled up the tower and danced across her skin without any sensation save for a light prickling of her skin. She formed the shadow into an orb and held it, scanning the trees above the fortress for movement. As expected, she saw none, and with a dissatisfied sigh she released her spell and watched it fade to nothingness, black specks vanishing into a blue sky.

One single spell wouldn't do anything, perhaps even two or three smaller ones. Large, all-encompassing spells aimed to wipe out large numbers of Grimm, or spells with potency enhanced enough to penetrate a Magi's defenses and strike a killing blow?

While it felt like a leap in logic the more and more Blake considered it the more plausible her theory became. Even if negativity did spawn Grimm it seemed to only do so in some places. Case and point: Fort Morris itself. The residents and soldiers both had been miserable when they had arrived and yet Grimm were notably absent. Roaming the countryside in droves, yes, but the closest they had been found were high up in the forests above, and even then, it had been minor variants.

Nothing like the beasts they'd fought in the cavern.

Negativity was out. Blake felt blood rush to her head and her heart raced, and it had nothing to do with her precarious seating. Just to be safe she swung her legs around and slid off the wall, standing to lean against the same spot and running her hands over her face.

How hadn't she seen a pattern before? Had she and just written it off as coincidence? How didn't more people see this? Gods, she felt like an absolute idiot now.

/+/+/+/+/+/

"... Magic?"

Raven nodded. "That's what I'm telling you, yes. Does repeating what I said aloud help you think, or are you just hard of hearing?"

Weiss stared at her palms, curling and uncurling her fingers. Her lips moved though no sound came out as she ran through what she'd been told over and over.

Miasma was awful, yes, but its dreadful nature was openly insidious. Everyone knew what it could cause and as such the Church forbade its use even for experimentation. It was fittingly the tool of criminals and she hadn't been surprised to hear that some miscreants were utilizing the banned class of magic for their ends. That was a logical explanation.

The idea that magic was what drew Grimm in was not.

"Let me see if I understand correctly. You're saying that magic - _any magic,_ will cause Grimm to appear? And that, contrary to what the Church teaches _everyone_ , negativity has nothing to do with it?"

"Gods, do you use those ears for anything girl or are they just for show?" Raven snapped. The woman slapped her hands on her knees and leaned forward. "Yes, yes, for the hundredth time, yes!" Heaving out a heavy sigh the Dimuran pinched the bridge of her nose. "What about that is so difficult to understand?"

Everything? The claim was so flagrantly outlandish, so absurd that Weiss wondered if Raven wasn't trying to play a joke on her. The woman genuinely seemed to be pushing the notion that magic was responsible for all their strife. Magic. The selfsame tool that allowed the higher races to pull themselves out of despair, to fight back against the Grimm and establish lasting kingdoms. A tool that was so openly and readily used the world over it would have Grimm crawling all over the place.

Grimm already did to be fair but there was plenty of negativity to go around as well. Great wars between kingdoms might be a thing of the past but that didn't keep smaller ones from breaking out. Villages fought, sometimes banding together against others to form almost miniature nations. There were the Grimm themselves whose very existence could cause duress.

Weiss stared pointedly at Raven. There were bandits too. People who thrived off other people's hard work, who took, pillaged, and killed on a whim. More than anything else they accounted for the most negativity of all.

And here was one trying to push blame onto one of the fundamental systems of their world and off herself.

"This all a bit too much for your little brain, Schnee?"

"Quite the contrary I think I understand perfectly." Weiss pushed herself to her feet and took her time with dusting herself off. "I understand that the woman before me has an agenda, whatever that may be, and is trying to peddle her lies to garner a following. I can only assume that you've fed the unfortunate souls within the keep the selfsame spiel you tried to give me."

"Lies, huh?" Raven stood too and loomed over Weiss, adjusting her swords in her sash. "And what would I gain by selling such lies?"

"Followers, obviously. You're basically building a cult by telling those desperate enough to listen this… Fallacy of yours. You promise them salvation and in exchange they believe your ridiculous claims."

Salvation indeed. When the people had regarded Raven with a fervor not unlike reverence Weiss had expected as much. Perhaps not a deception quite on this scale but certainly something. "If this was what you had dragged me out here for then I think I've heard quite enough." She turned and started back down the road, pulling her hood up to block out the flies that had begun to buzz around her head. Obnoxious bugs.

"Is it really so hard to believe? That magic is the root of all that ails Remnant?"

"Yes, actually!" Weiss answered without turning back, picking up her pace. Annoyingly Raven seemed to easily match it and she sighed, shooting the woman a cross look. "You're giving people false hope and promising them a better life, albeit only if they follow and adhere to your whims."

"Funny, sounds a lot like your precious church doesn't it?" Weiss stopped and Raven slowed right along with her, smiling as the shorter woman fumed. "Did I strike a nerve? Say something bad?"

Weiss scowled. "The Church does no such thing, you cur! The Church does not demand a universal worship, nor does it expect absolute loyalty! The Church acts as a mediator, the Church prevents wars, and the Church regulates magic. Without the Church the world would be thrust into another horrendous war!"

"The Church, the Church, the Church," Raven repeated in a mocking voice, spitting before sneering at Weiss. "Do you listen to yourself, girl? Do you realize how mindlessly you're defending them? Like they're infallible?"

"They might not be but they're certainly better than some bandit!"

"At least I tell people the truth," Raven shot back. "Even though sometimes people with smaller minds can't accept it."

The truth! Weiss let out a sharp, biting laughs before shaking her head. Her feet stomped purposefully as she marched along again, gripping her rapier to the point her fingers trembled from the effort. "You tell lies, Raven. It's your account versus hundreds of others, decades of good will and plenty of proof to the contrary."

"You're delusional, child." The woman genuinely sounded sympathetic and Weiss glanced back, surprised by the concerned look Raven wore. "Ozpin's really got you fooled, huh?"

Whatever shred of patience she'd had with Raven vanished the moment she dragged Ozpin into the discussion again. Not for the first time Weiss stopped and turned, hand trembling as she forced her weapon to remain put, much as it wished to leap out at Raven's aggravating face. "I will not stand by and allow you to slander Ozpin or the Church. He is a good, just man and the Church may not be perfect, I'll admit," she loosened her grip and turned her nose up at Raven. "I refuse to hear the lies of a woman that steals and kills for a living."

"I never claimed to be a saint, kid, but at least I'm honest. Which is more than anyone in that damnable organization can say." Raven leaned forward and smiled bitterly. "I'm offering you a chance to get out of that mess, Weiss. Few people learn the truth, fewer still learn it and live. Learn to accept a gift with graciousness, girl, before that gift is lost to you."

Weiss raised a hand and Raven caught her wrist in a flash. She'd had no intention of striking the woman, she wasn't an idiot, and realizing her reaction the Dimuran released her grip. "Keep your blasted gift. I will not be lectured by a woman who cannot be trusted."

"No? Funny, everyone inside that keep seems to trust me." Raven smiled proudly and cocked her head. "Everyone except you. And Yang, I suppose, but that's only normal. The rest of them are like family to me." The woman's smile turned into a cruel grin. "Something you seem to be lacking, girl."

Weiss bristled and was ashamed to feel tears prickling at her eyes. Refusing to give the woman any satisfaction she turned back, drew her hood tighter and silently began to walk back towards the keep once again.

She had a family, damn it. Maybe not in the traditional sense but she had one. Ruby, Pyrrha, Ren and Nora, and even the goofball Jaune. Ozpin was practically a father to her as was Ironwood, and so many other proctors had become almost like parents over the years. To suggest they were all complacent in some deception, perpetuating a crime against Remnant itself? She wouldn't even entertain the thought. Weiss would have an easier time believing Raven if the woman told her the sky was pink.

By the time they reached the gates of Fort Morris not a word had been uttered between them, and Weiss preferred it that way. Many of the residents were now beyond the safety of the walls, gathered into covered carts while horses were put into harnesses to carry them. Soldiers and members of Raven's band alike saluted the woman upon her return and Raven herself veered off to meet with Vernal, leaving Weiss to linger at the gates.

Not for long, it seemed. Just within the walls and making their way outside she spotted Ruby with Yang leaning against her for support, a frantic, uneasy healer trailing behind them. Further behind them still Blake followed along, staring down at the ground intently. Between her hood and the scarf only the Meera's eyes were visible and betrayed nothing of whatever was weighing on her mind.

Ruby greeted her with a bright smile, waving then gasping when Yang teetered unevenly beside her. "Weiss, there you are! Oh, we've been looking everywhere for you!"

For her partner's sake Weiss smiled, greeting Yang with a nod, then looking past the sisters at the meek healer following them.

"Raven's orders," the blonde Dimuran explained, grimacing as she uttered her mother's name. "Says I might collapse and doesn't want me going anywhere without her."

"P-Pleasure to meet you! My n-n-name is…"

"Speak up, Weiss can't hear ya!" Yang drawled.

"My name is Violet!" the meek healer shouted, cringing at her own voice and lowering her head. "I'll be a-accompanying you to P-Plockton! I look forward to w-working together!"

Fan-tastic. Weiss raised an eyebrow when the concealed Blake walked past the others and right to her. She had to lean in to fully make out what was said, getting on her toes when the Meera refused to meet her.

"Weiss, we have to talk. It's about the mission." Blake paused and glanced back, nodding to Ruby. "It's… About the Church too."

Gods forfend… Did Raven have someone tell others her nonsensical story too?! Ruby's troubled look couldn't be hidden behind her smile and Yang's own seemed halfhearted at best. Blake motioned to her and Weiss wondered what she was trying to signal until the Meera tapped the side of her neck. Fingertips tracing the Mark of the Church she glanced at Ruby, frowning seeing how her partner's cloak was pinched just a bit tighter to cover her neck.

Weiss drew down her hood, loosening her own cloak so her neck was exposed. "We'd best gather our horses. If Yang isn't fit to ride alone then Ruby can accompany her." Weiss brushed past Blake, glanced fleetingly at her partner, and paused at Yang. There were questions aplenty, but she hadn't the patience nor time to ask them. Not yet.

"Weiss…" Ruby protested, shifting her and Yang's weight to try and follow. "We really need to talk."

"No, what we _need_ to do is to prepare to depart. Evidently, we'll be escorting an entire village to Plockton, and cooperating with bandits and turncoats to boot." Weiss grimaced at the thought. "Make sure your things are in order, and whatever nonsense these criminals might have told you? Disregard it. We're here on behalf of the Church, don't forget that."

* * *

 **For those of you familiar with the original "Weight of a Name" I tried to not bore you, and for those new to it, well, sorry it took near 30 chapters to get here! Something something world building.**

 **I'm basically the Terry Pratchett of fanfic. Take forever to setup.**

 **I'd be so out of a job if I worked as a cook. Can you imagine taking six months to prepare a kitchen?**

 **There'll be gift cards in the mail.**


	30. Chapter 30: Blind Faith

**Have a chapter, I guess.**

* * *

This was all wrong.

With little to work with besides 'Holbrook requires aid' they had been sent back to the site of their battle to help with… Something. Ozpin hadn't said much at the time, perhaps knowing as little as Weiss herself, or maybe because the crown had made the request and had withheld information.

Tightening her grip on her reins until leather bit into her palms Weiss glared at the road. What then? Did the crown know the supposed truth of the Church? Of Magic? Or had Hazel duped the royal family into needing aid all in a ploy to have Weiss sent to him?

The implications made her nauseated just thinking about them.

Hazel Rainart, Commander of Vale's Western Commandery, was a traitor. Raven Branwen, matriarch of the Branwen tribe, a collection of killers and thieves who shirked any and all moral grounds in favor of self-gain was working with him. Yet those same people, the ones Weiss was so certain were devoid of humanity, were expressing more than she'd seen in some time. Certainly, more than some of the aristocracy in Vale's capital.

Their caravan, nearly a dozen and a half carts in all, moved as one along the major roads. Civilians were kept in the middle and flanked at all timed by armed fighters, men and women whom Weiss doubted were as powerful as a Magi, but certainly more capable than an untrained commoner. While many served as protectors, walking alongside the slow-moving caravan, Weiss could almost explain away their peculiar behavior - bandits guarding people, by accepting that they were merely following orders.

Fine for them, although it did nothing to explain the woman in charge.

Progress along the road was slow. With Grimm more plentiful than travelers and wildlife alike fighting became a regular occurrence. Never more than a small pack but always more than one the beasts would emerge from the forests, or if they were lucky, run headlong down the road at the caravan. With no discretion and less patience still they howled, claws scoring the earth as they tore furiously towards their prey. People panicked every time despite their relative safety.

In the end it was the Grimm that were hopelessly marching towards their end.

While soldiers remained at Fort Morris to maintain a front a handful had come along, and with them came portions of the fort's armory. Those who could wield bows rained arrows down upon the Grimm, felling smaller variants in a veritable shower of iron and wood. Those who died in the downpour were the lucky ones.

Weiss was used to seniors and superiors sitting back and making their subordinates work. The Church did it, sending initiates and Hunters alike out on tasks while instructors and veterans leisured within the city walls. Gods knew the nobility did it, and even craftsmen who could afford a half decent apprentice let themselves relax.

Raven was not one of those people. Arrows thinned the crowd and Raven herself would set out time and time again to finish off the horde. The woman moved at a terrifying speed often slaying Grimm in an instant. Every time she'd engaged - Weiss had watched intently each battle, she'd use her green sword to propel herself forward, then dice Grimm to ribbons as a chef might a fine cut of meet with the red blade.

According to these people magic compelled Grimm to follow them, summoned them even, and yet here Raven was flamboyantly using it without a care. And yet Weiss was supposed to believe her claims?

Glancing forward she stared at Yang's back, narrowing her eyes at Blake's before dropping her gaze when she met Ruby's.

She didn't believe them, but the others did, or at least saw something in Raven's claims to not deny them outright.

Believing a bandit was wrong enough on principle, but to believe that they were somehow in the right and the Church, the source of humanity's salvation, the bulwark which stood against the Grimm, was wrong? Weiss had seen everything that Ruby, Blake, and Yang had. She'd witnessed Grimm spawn from seemingly nothing, and she'd seen Yang twisted by some unseen force. Weiss scoffed, kicking her foot and unintentionally spurring her horse forward, yanking hard on the reins to keep it from barreling into Blake's horse.

"Watch it!" the Meera shouted, steering her steed aside. "What are you doing?"

 _Being the only sane person in this group, apparently._ Weiss frowned, directing her horse to the side of the procession and towards the front. Ignoring the stares as she spurred her horse to the front of the caravan, she brought it to a slow trot when she reached Raven. Vernal glared up at her, tapping at the bladed chakram on her hip and smiling as if daring Weiss to do something stupid.

She'd had the idea of trying something, sure, but she also had no intention of being cut down in an instant. Instead Weiss returned Vernal's glare before redirecting it to Raven, staring down at the woman as she walked.

"You still have yet to explain everything," Weiss said, frowning as she looked back at the caravan, barely able to spot her own group at the rear. "What Yang is, why you're so interested in me," she shifted in her saddle to ease her soreness. "Why you insist we travel with you."

"Because I don't have to explain everything, girl." Weiss bristled at Raven's response. "I don't owe you answers, nor do I think you've earned them. I saved your friend, saved _you,_ and tried to explain the reality of this world, and yet you've done nothing but treat us like scum."

She laughed, doubling forward before smiling tersely. "Did I hurt a bandit's feelings? How cruel of me!"

"I've done you favors time and time again, even suggested that you travel with us for your own good." Raven made a point to look back at Yang, raising an eyebrow when Weiss hung her head. "And I yet I still owe you something? Oh, but it's bandits who take and take, isn't it?"

"You're deceiving people…" Weiss grumbled angrily.

"And you're blind to your faith, Schnee. Your friends have no trouble seeing the world for what it is, even Ruby. And even if they aren't wholly convinced at least they're intelligent enough to entertain the idea."

"Intelligence has nothing to do with it!"

Raven smirked, folding her arms and inclining her head. "No? It's easy for a person to stick to their beliefs. What we know is comfortable, safe even. What if everything you believe is a lie though?" She reached out towards Weiss and pointed to the mark on her neck. "What if your entire existence is founded on falsehoods and deceit? Is it intelligence then to cling to that in the face of evidence to the contrary, or dumb, blissful ignorance?"

Discontent to have any conversation with the woman, and perhaps a little upset by her continued insistences, Weiss turned her nose up and frowned. "That goes two ways, bandit. You could believe your own lies just as you claim I do. Your word means as little as Ozpin's by your logic."

"What about my actions then?" Raven raised a hand and signaled for the caravan to halt. Wheels squeaked and a few people protested, wondering why their already meandering progress had been stopped. "You can call my words hollow all you'd like, but what of everything I've done? All these people I've saved?" She raised her voice as she spoke, and Weiss felt dozens of eyes settling on her. "Are you going to tell me that I'm a criminal for saving these lives? Look at the faces among us, the women and children. Tell them that they should be dead before trusting a lowly bandit."

"Don't turn this on me," Weiss retorted sharply. "They were desperate and without salvation. Even a beaten dog would return to its master before it starved!"

"Is that why you keep going back to Ozpin? You his good little mutt, Schnee?"

Weiss wove her rune and almost got her spell off until Raven caught her wrist, tearing her from her horse and throwing her onto the ground. Her mount whinnied snorted in panic while Vernal grabbed its reins and tried to calm it. Pushing herself up she cringed when Raven loomed over her, closing her eyes hearing a sword drawn, blood chilling. Weiss couldn't contain the frightened gasp that escaped and jumped when the blade dug itself into the ground between her legs.

"An attack hound then, one so willing to defend his honor even when he's not here." Raven knelt and smiled, leaving the sword where it stood. "He's certainly gotten you wound around his finger, hasn't he?"

Weiss glanced at the sword before her, then Raven, deliberating taking the weapon until she saw the Dimuran's eager grin. She wanted that, didn't she? An excuse to bat her around a little. No doubt her people would love nothing more than to watch Raven knock her around.

"You speak as if you know him," Weiss said, sounding meeker than she'd have liked. Pushing herself up she winced, shifting uncomfortably and moving her rapier aside. "What would a woman who has spent her life harassing innocent people know? You have no right to speak ill of the Church just because they've tried to stop your crimes."

"Weiss!" Ruby had dismounted her horse and ran up towards them, easily slipping past a pair of Raven's men.

"You make an awful lot of assumptions, Schnee," Raven hissed, grabbing Weiss' shirt and pulling her closer, close enough that when the wind blew some of the Dimuran's hair tickled her face. "I know Ozpin better than most, and certainly better than you. I'd tell you everything if I thought your little brain could handle it."

Before Weiss could retort, Ruby skid to a halt and looked between her and Raven worriedly. "Weiss! Are you okay? I saw you fall off your horse!"

Raven smiled and grabbed Weiss' in a tight grip, making her wince as she was hauled to her feet. "She's fine, Ruby. Might have a bruise later but I think she'll be fine."

Weiss pulled her arm free, glowering at Raven before sighing and facing her partner. Seeing silver eyes so filled with worry made her instantly feel guilty and she smiled, nodding before starting to dust herself off. "I'm fine, Ruby, I just slipped is all. Sorry to make you worry."

Ruby's expression brightened and she nodded. "Oh, okay! Are you sure though? It's okay to say if you're hurt!"

Was she okay? They were traveling with bandits, people who had been deluded into believing they were somehow the heroes despite taking advantage of disillusioned, frightened villagers, and to top it off Ruby and the others were beginning to question things. Knowing she was lying to Ruby now even if that lie was minor was just icing on the cake. What would be worse though? Telling Ruby she'd slipped or getting into another fight with the woman who had saved her? Saved _them._

Weiss placed a hand on Ruby's shoulder and smiled more earnestly. "I'm fine, you worrywart. Please go back with Yang and the others."

"You're not coming back…?"

"She just volunteered to scout ahead, actually. To keep an eye out for encroaching Grimm," Raven explained, smiling when Weiss gave her a look of disbelief, hidden by the wind tossing her hood in her face. "Isn't that right?"

"Oh, well I could come with you!" Ruby offered all too eagerly, then smiled and played with her sleeve. "If you want help that is? I could be a messenger!"

"I…" Weiss bit her lip before shaking her head. "I'll be fine on my own. I can handle whatever Grimm come my way. I should think we won't get any surprises like in the cave."

Ruby glanced at Raven before grabbing Weiss' hands tightly, rife with worry as she squeezed them. "Okay, but no magic! You have to promise not to use magic!"

"Ruby, that's a load of -"

"Just promise, please?" Ruby begged. "What if a strong Grimm shows up and you're alone?"

Weiss sighed. "I'll be fine, Ruby. We're Hunters, we can handle ourselves."

"Because you did that so well earlier," Raven jeered, rolling her eyes.

"We tried!" Ruby's sharp rebuttal surprised Raven and Weiss both. She frowned, releasing Weiss' hands and putting her own on her hips as she stood before Raven. "Just because you helped us doesn't mean you can keep being rude to us, you know! So… Cut it out!"

Raven stared at Ruby for a time before turning away. When she grabbed her sword from the ground Weiss went for her rapier, raising it only to stare dumbstruck as Raven began to laugh, sheathing her blade. "Adorable, you're protecting her. Very well, I'll try to be less rude, provided Schnee does the same."

"Her name is Weiss!"

"Ruby… Thank you, but -"

"And… And you should come back and talk to Yang! She's been upset this whole time and you're her mother!" In the loosest sense of the word maybe, Weiss mused. Raven speaking to her daughter would most certainly not help anything. "And maybe you could be a little nicer too! I've been quiet because you helped me and all these people…"

"Ruby…"

"But you keep being mean! You're rude, and you let your people be rude to us, and you keep being mean to Weiss just because she doesn't listen to you. It's not like she's hurting anyone!"

"Ruby!"

The brunette flushed realizing she was standing inches from Raven, blinking and stepping back. Weiss cleared her throat meaningfully, her own pale cheeks pink as she turned away. Slowly, Ruby looked around and realized the entirety of the caravan had been watching them, or to be exact, watching her.

Weiss rubbed her temples before stepping forwards, easing Ruby back by a hand on her shoulder. "Ruby, thank you, but I think I'm doing quite fine on my own right now."

If 'fine' included being torn from her horse and verbally beaten, then she was the epitome of doing well. Shame it didn't feel like that. Ruby offered an awkward smile and kept quiet this time.

"You certainly have an inclination for convincing people of seeing things your way, don't you?" Weiss asked.

Raven smiled, shrugging. Nearby a horse whinnied and Vernal shouted a curse, both at the animal and out of frustration. Weiss hoped the temperamental girl didn't kill her steed out of frustration. "What can I say, I'm an excellent speaker."

"Hm." Ozpin was an orator through and through, as was Ironwood. Raven though? About as pleasant as trying to hug an Ursa. "Ruby…" she turned to her friend, leaning in and studying her friend's eyes. "How does your head feel?"

After blinking owlishly Ruby tilted her head and smiled. "Uh, my head? What do you mean?"

"Fuzzy, cloudy, heavy? Have you heard any voices that you don't recognize?" Before Ruby could offer an imbecilic reply, Weiss held a finger up. "Inside your head, not around us."

Genuinely concerned when her friend didn't answer immediately Weiss shot Raven an accusatory glare. They didn't know the extent of Raven's magic yet and no one else had been forthcoming with the woman's powers. Her tribe Weiss could almost excuse - people would be fanatic enough to follow Raven for her strength alone, but the refugees? The soldiers? Her friends. That was all a bit much.

"Nope! Haven't felt anything."

Too much, which made Weiss feel awful as she scrutinized Ruby and every word she said. It was bad enough she didn't feel like she could trust most people with them, but her friend too…?

"If you're worried, I'm using some kind of mind control, relax. I don't have any spells like that."

"And I'm supposed to take your word for that?" Weiss quipped, crossing her arms. "How are we supposed to believe anything you say? You're -"

"A bandit?" Raven interjected. The woman laughed, sharp and biting, then shook her head. "Schnee, if I could do that then wouldn't I have used it on you already? You've been the biggest pain in my ass for a few days now, if I'd try to manipulate anyone it would be you. Otherwise why would I leave you and only you alone?"

Weiss didn't know why but just because she couldn't think of a reason didn't mean one didn't exist. Even if magic wasn't at work it was clear Raven was still manipulating everyone but towards what end? Again, she didn't know. Once this entire fiasco was over and everything was settled, she needed to speak to Ozpin about this. He'd have the answers, certainly. Until then however she'd need to play this game of theirs.

Vernal returned with Weiss' horse, red in the face and frazzled for her efforts. Weiss couldn't hide her small satisfaction seeing the woman out of sorts, happier still when Vernal swat at the animal for trying to chew her hair.

"Well done Vernal, your ability to tame a single horse is legendary." The woman's face reddened further, and she hung her head. Raven snorted, taking the reins and offering them to Weiss. "Mount up, girl. We're burning daylight."

Even as Weiss took the reins, she struck a defiant pose and frowned. "I don't take orders from you. I'll continue for their sake," she explained with a nod towards the civilians. "Not because you wish it."

Raven hardly bothered another glance her way as she waved a hand dismissively. "Whatever helps you sleep, girl." She had been about to walk away before stopping and glancing back at Weiss. "Hm… How about you go on ahead, Schnee? Scout for us, make sure the way is safe."

"I thought I made it clear I don't take orders from you?"

"Don't think of it as an order, think of it as… A suggestion." A firmly worded suggestion. "And if you don't want to do it for my sake then do it for theirs."

Many of the refugees had been watching their exchange for a while now and much to Weiss' chagrin she couldn't ignore their desperate, nervous expressions. "All that negativity they're feeling, all their anxiousness, why… It could bring Grimm down on us at any moment," Raven jeered. "Don't you want to make sure they're all safe? Like a good Hunter?"

"Like a good…" Weiss snatched the reins from Raven's outstretched hand. The woman grinned, knowing exactly what she was doing. Manipulation indeed. "Ruby, thank you, but I'll be going on ahead," she said, shooting Raven a look of daggers. "Because evidently some people are too self-important to be bothered."

"I'll come with you! It's not safe to go alone."

Weiss pulled herself into her saddle before looking down at Ruby and shaking her head. "I'm only scouting, I'll not be fighting any Grimm if it can be helped. I'll be fine on my own."

She felt terribly guilty when Ruby's face fell, but worse still feeling that she couldn't trust her partner. Maybe it was paranoia but who was to say Raven wasn't really influencing everyone? Without knowing a way to test for it Weiss could only take Ruby's word, a word that might be not her own.

Reunited just to be on edge around her own partner…

Right now, scouting sounded like a wonderful excuse to be alone with her own tormenting thoughts.

"Okay… But no fighting, you have to promise!" Ruby grabbed hold of Weiss' trousers to keep her still. "If you do see Grimm then you come back and get someone. Or… Or signal us and I'll rush to you!"

Seeing the earnest desire to help and doubting its sincerity made Weiss' heart feel like it had been thrown into a vice. Smiling, she gave a curt nod and reached down to pat Ruby's hand before gently prying it from her clothing. "I will, I promise."

Raven clapped her hands loudly, tilting her head towards the open road with an expectant look. "Not that this isn't wonderfully wholesome, but we should get moving. Are you going to sit and dawdle or get to work?"

Weiss could think of a dozen other things she'd love to do right now, not the least of which included freezing Raven's mouth shut. Taking the reins in her hands, and her rapier from Raven - she almost forgot her weapon had fallen aside, she eased her horse forward. Ruby waved before turning on her heel and rushing back to the rear of the convoy, sharing one last glance with Weiss before scrambling onto her own horse.

Why were her friends trusting Raven's word? Even as Ruby came to her defense, she didn't denounce the claims outright. What had the woman done to earn such blind faith?

Something was wrong in all of this. Maybe they needed distance, or maybe the help of a veteran Hunter. Whatever Raven had done to her partner she'd find a way to undo it. She'd help Blake too, and Yang… Yang she wasn't sure about, not after their latest surprise.

Save her friends, save the refugees, and somehow find a way to stop a powerful Magi and her tribe from having their way.

Oh, and stop the sudden Grimm outbreaks and bring a criminal to justice.

Sure, she could do all of that.

All she'd need was a miracle.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Blake sneezed, blinking back tears as onions fell into the boiling pot.

Cook duty. If not for her foolhardy comment about knowing how to cook she'd have been spared her job. Now she was preparing a stew for their ensemble of characters while enjoying a hearty meal of her own foot. The Meera wriggled her nose, blinking back tears, then turning her head sharply to sneeze. Her ears bolted upright, and she grimaced, wiping her face on her sleeve and continuing.

"Having a bit of trouble, missy?"

Blake frowned at the smug Muran across the pot, ears flattening before she huffed. Shay chuckled and drove his cleaver through another slab of meat.

Most people in Raven's camp had minimal cooking skills: how to prepare meat, which vegetables in the wilds were edible and how to prepare them. Things that could help one survive in the wilds but hardly enough to land oneself a job as a premiere chef.

 _Not that we have much to work with,_ she mused, chucking carrots into the steaming broth, hissing and swallowing her offerings whole like a gluttonous beast. Deciding she was through with her chore she dumped the remaining vegetables in and used a nearby bin of water to wash her face and hands. Shay pulled a face and continued his own work, nowhere near as deft with a blade as Blake was far from done. _Hopefully he knows how to cook meat properly._

Leaving Shay to finish preparing the stew she shook her hands dry and cut through the groupings of people. Carts had been drawn into a circle forming a camp and perimeter, albeit one solely for the civilians. Raven refused to allow her own people the comfort of a makeshift wall, although Blake questioned how defensible a few wooden carts were, and instead made her people sleep beyond the threshold. Somewhere along the lines she and her group joined 'Raven's people' and fell into the same category.

Where half a dozen fires raged on inside the camp only two burned away beyond it. One large enough to be a bonfire and the other a pitiful thing more akin to a matchstick. The former belonged to Raven's tribe while the latter was her own. With Yang recovering and Weiss being Weiss it had fallen to Ruby to prepare a fire for them.

Blake couldn't blame the younger girl for trying.

Said girl was the first to greet her upon her return, smiling and patting the spot beside her on their log-turned-bench. Sat on the opposite side of Ruby, Yang nodded and offered a small smile before going back to feeding twigs to the flames. Settling down beside the silver-eyed girl Blake returned a half smile before taking her book from her bag, carefully brushing lint and grass from the hardcover. Just something she'd borrowed from the keep seeing as its former master wouldn't be missing them.

 _We never did learn where the noble went…_ The Meera glanced towards the bonfire and watched Raven's people dance about, laughing raucously, half blitzed out of their minds with ale while the others sang. _The soldiers didn't seem too upset for Raven's being there. Either the noble ran then when Grimm started showing up…_

Or they disposed of their former master. Blake frowned and opened her book, leaning towards the scarce campfire light to read a bit easier. It wouldn't be the first time a nobleman had an uprising, nor would it be the last.

Was it wrong she felt a twinge of happiness at that thought? At least the accompanying guilt at her grim satisfaction kept her from feeling like a complete monster.

Normally Blake could lose herself in whatever story she had gotten her hands on. Books - well written ones, had the wonderful ability to transport you to another world, to help you forget or at the very least ignore your own hellacious existence for a time. It was a magic unlike any other, one which even the world's greatest Magi couldn't hope to replicate.

Normally she'd be whisked away to another realm, although normally someone wasn't staring at her like a hawk.

"Is something wrong…?" Her eyes found Weiss' across the flame, ghostly pale face scrunched and focused.

"I don't understand you." Blake lowered her book and inclined her head. "How is it you can act so… So relaxed with these people," Weiss scoffed, looking to Ruby, then to Yang. Her shoulders squared and she rubbed her face in her hands. "You're all delusional."

"Not that I don't think these folks aren't awful too, Weiss, but what are we gonna do?" Yang leaned back and chucked another twig into the flames. "We could leave, sure, but someone wants to help these people…"

Ruby ducked her head while wringing her hands together. "S-Sorry, but I just don't want to leave them alone. Not with Raven…"

"Neither do I, little sister of mine," Yang said reassuringly while tousling Ruby's locks. "Which is why we're staying."

"But you act relaxed around them? You let your guard down, do as they say." Weiss ran her hands over her face again before sighing loudly. Blake watched her leg begin to bounce and wondered what about this was just so difficult. "You believe that woman's lies without any proof?"

Ah, that was it. Still hung up about that then. Blake marked her page before setting her book aside. Weiss had avoided the topic earlier in the day then skulked off to scout alone so there hadn't been much of a chance to speak about it. Maybe now they could make some progress?

"Think about it, Weiss. It makes sense, doesn't it? That magic could be responsible?"

"You're suggesting that the Church knowingly endangers everyone!" Weiss snapped angrily. "And I do mean everyone. All four kingdoms would be complicit in this. Every citizen would be at risk, every Hunter unknowingly perpetuating some… Some war against Grimm, and for what? Control?"

"That's about the gist of it, yeah," Yang said.

"And that's what makes no sense! Any evidence Raven has offered us has been coincidental at best, contrived at worst. There was always something else involved that could explain our encounters." Weiss rose to her feet and began to pace before the fire, brow creased as she listed off on her fingers.

"At Holbrook the people were on edge, miserable. Their crops were suffering, they had been recently attacked." She paused to glance at Blake and the Meera couldn't keep from curling her lip back in contempt. It wasn't as if she'd wanted that either. "If all the nearby settlements are suffering the same way then of course Grimm are appearing en masse! Half the kingdom is in dire straits!"

"Then what about the caves, Weiss?" Ruby's meek voice barely carried over the crackling fire. The girl looked like she didn't want to rebuke her partner in the slightest, perhaps afraid of arguing. Blake wondered what it must have been like for them back in Vale. Was Weiss always the one leading and Ruby only following at her heels, doing as Weiss asked? Some friendship if so.

Weiss stopped her pacing and instead of addressing Ruby turned to her elder sister. "What exactly happened to you in those caves? Or better question still, what _are_ you?"

Yang smiled tightly and leaned back, golden tresses framing her face as she tossed her head. She regarded Weiss silently before crossing one leg over the other. "A Dimuran. Well half technically. Gets a bit messy when you think about it…" Beside her Ruby pulled a face and shuddered.

"You know what I mean, you twit! What kind of person turns into a Grimm?!"

Blake found herself leaning towards Yang and her ears perked, stood at attention. She was just as interested as Weiss when it came to Yang's transformation. They had seen it twice now and yet knew nothing about it. What brought it on, whether it was a new kind of magic. She seemed to exert some control over herself, sometimes, while others she ran rampant. Was it a kind of self-enhancing spellcraft?

Rather than speak Yang slowly stood from her seat, taking a moment to begin undoing her top. The sash around her abdomen fell to the ground, her leather girdle dropping at her feet. Lifting her wild mane over one shoulder Yang glanced back when Weiss sputtered, cooing and flashing a playful grin.

"Aw, someone feeling embarrassed?"

"I asked for an answer!" Weiss almost shouted, averting her eyes. "Why are you stripping?!"

"Y-Yeah, I don't want to see you naked either!" Ruby whined, hood pulled firmly over her head.

"Not like you haven't seen me before," Yang chuckled, rasping her knuckles on her sister's head. Blake didn't take her eyes from Yang the whole while, albeit for reasons besides ogling the blonde beauty. Naturally the Dimuran mistook her stare and grinned at her when she noticed. "Like what you see, kitty cat?"

"That remains to be seen," Blake quipped, smirking, satisfied when Yang's cheeks turned a light pink. "I assume there's a reason you're stripping down…?"

"Because she's gross!" Ruby proclaimed fitfully.

Yang snorted and bapped her sister's head. "Because Weiss wants an answer, and I figured it's better to show rather than tell, ya know?"

The beige vest toppled down and caught on Yang's belt at her waist, revealing patterns of blackened scales littering her back, shoulders, and neck. Flexible yet tough, a Dimuran's scales acted as a natural armor for them, something blacksmiths the world over struggled to replicate in their wares. Shy of skinning one alive and testing the scales Blake doubted they ever would replicate it.

More fascinating than any scales however, or the well-defined muscles in Yang's back, which Blake made no short note of, was the mark between her shoulder blades.

Tattoos weren't unusual. The Mark of the Church existed, and any current Hunter was fixed with one. Bandits wore tattoos sometimes to designate which tribe they belonged to, and many people got them simply out of preference.

A pulsing tattoo that gave off a faint glow despite being pitch black? Now _that_ was unusual.

Blake felt an odd revulsion at the sight of the symbol. It almost resembled a Mark of the Church, with a circular frame and several runes between the layers, visible only as they glowed against Yang's paler skin. Three crystal shapes protruded from the cardinal directions. Where south would be on a compass there were five instead of a single crystal, fanning out from the center.

And at the center of it all was an eye turned on its end, vertical and unblinking. Despite being only a tattoo Blake swore she felt it watching her. An involuntary chill made her draw closer to the flames, biting the inside of her cheek before finally taking her eyes from the mark.

"Yang…?" Ruby whispered, having at some point drawn away from her sister. "What is that…?"

"A brand. Or a seal, I forget which exactly." Yang lowered her shoulders and stretched, biting her lip and hissing when black smoke spilled from the sigil. "How's it look, by the way? I can't exactly check out my own back?"

Weiss slowly moved her way around the fire, drawing closer to Yang's tattoo than Blake or Ruby dared. Not without reservations as Blake could tell the girl was paler than normal, watching as her confident stride was reduced to a precarious shuffle the closer she got.

The white-haired girl reached out and her fingers traced the mark without ever touching it. Black mist parted as she swiped through the air, drawing back with a startled if knowing stare. "These are runes… None that I recognize though, but there's no mistaking it."

"Are you sure?" Yang asked, almost begged. "You could find out what they are, right?!"

Taken aback by the sudden enthusiasm, or perhaps put off by the eerie mark, Weiss stepped back. She stared a moment longer before sighing and looking elsewhere, anywhere but Yang's back. "Theoretically. The Runic system is old however, far older than even the kingdoms. There's a reason I tend to utilize the same spells repeatedly. The runes are as varied as their applications."

"But you recognize them as runes, right?" Ruby stood and inched towards Yang. "Yang, where did you get that? I don't remember you having something like that before."

Yang smiled bitterly as she drew her vest back up, much to their collective relief. Concealed again the mark's ominous air seemed to vanish along with it. Blake stared at where it should be a moment longer until Yang's hair fell into place, glad to have it hidden once more.

"This? I got it thanks to some freakshow's experiments. Volunteered to try and help out the Church, got turned into a freak because of it." Yang fastened her sash on her torso again, turning back once decent again and chuckling. "Wanna know why I believed Raven despite hating her guts, Weiss? That mark is why."

Weiss' loss of words only lasted a moment before she shook her head vehemently. "Now wait a moment! You mean to tell me the Church turned you into… Into whatever you are now?"

"Jeez, be a little more callous will ya?"

"You still didn't explain exactly what it is you are now," Blake pointed out. Showing the mark was enlightening, sure, but it did nothing towards explaining how Yang could change, or why she changed.

Yang looked as pleased as anyone would while being interrogated, shifting her weight between her feet, then busying herself with her bracers. Finally, after exhaling and nodding her head she gestured over her shoulder at her back. "That thingie is why. I can kind of… Go Grimm, I guess? It's kind of hard to explain. And gross."

Ruby stood at her sister's side and stared in worry. "What do you mean 'Go Grimm'? Yang, can we fix it?" Before her sibling could reply the brunette turned her attention onto Weiss. "Weiss, you know runes! Fix Yang! Take that thing off her!"

"Ruby, even if I recognized the runes, which I don't, undoing a seal isn't easy. I need to know the corresponding rune for each one present and its opposite, then understand the purpose of the seal. Besides all of that," Weiss frowned and shook her head. "I don't know sealing magics. I can perform it, yes, but I've never tried. And I don't imagine this is something I should attempt haphazardly."

"Yeah, much as I'd love for Weiss to potentially kill me…" Yang reached out and pat Ruby's head. "I said 'potentially', Rubes. No guarantee she would."

"No guarantee she wouldn't."

"Jeez, Blake, always a ray of sunshine, aren'tcha?"

"I am a shadow user," Blake said with a shrug.

"Right. Point being Weiss is right. I'd probably need the guy who did this to undo the seal, and even then, who knows what might happen. See, cuz uh…" Yang's mouth pulled into a thin line and she fidgeted, a look of disgust flashing across her face before she grimaced. "Seals are supposed to, ya know, seal stuff, right? Well mine does, and it kind of… Sorta… Seals a Grimm…? In me…?"

Oh.

Oh. That's bad. Not to mention horrifying, repulsive, and probably, most definitely a breach of moral or ethical code. Feeling as ill as Ruby looked Blake ran a hand over her shoulder, skin crawling as she imagined something beneath the surface. A symbiotic relationship with a Grimm? Was such a thing possible?

Yang transformed into something not quite Grimm and not quite Dimuran so the proof was there, disturbing as it was.

"It… It feeds off magic energy in a way. Sorta like how plants do sunlight, I guess? When no one's flinging spells around it takes energy from me, which is kind of… Better. I've got a lot and it doesn't eat that fast." Yang shuddered and looked down at her right arm. "When there's magic being used though? Thing goes on a feeding frenzy. Gets bigger, starts acting up. It's uh… Probably like rabies, I guess? I get all fuzzy headed and angry and… Well you've seen what happens to me by now."

Weiss hugged herself and looked to be on the verge of tossing dinner before they'd even eaten it. "... And the Church did this to you…?"

"Technically… No? I mean they sort of signed off on the project, but I don't think they knew exactly what they were getting into. One of their researchers did this before they chased him out and labeled him rogue." Yang flashed her canines and growled. "Bastard has probably done way worse than this too since then."

"Wait! If he's still around then we can find him, right?" Ruby suggested, bouncing in place. "If we can find him, then we can make him fix you!"

"This man has a name I assume?" Weiss asked. "If we can locate him then surely, we can make him undo his seal as Ruby suggests. Loathe as I am to ask her for help perhaps Raven can provide us some direction?"

Because they didn't have enough on their plates already. Save Vale, find the criminals wreaking havoc, and now help relocate an entire village of survivors. Why not track down a rogue researcher while they were at it? If not for Ruby's valid concern for her sister or Weiss' interest - whether genuinely wishing to help or wanting to learn more about runes Blake couldn't say, it was difficult for her to refuse Yang outright.

 _Besides, if the Church really is as malicious as Raven says then this would be damning evidence against them. I could even use it to figure out what happened to my parents. What_ really _happened._

Blackmailing the Church of Remnant. Why not? She'd done stupid things before.

"I'm not sure if we'll find him, that's the thing. He always has a knack for showing up wherever I am. Pretty sure the bastard stalks me." Yang spat, then scowled. "But sure, we can ask Raven and see what she knows. Hate the idea of being any more indebted to her, though at this point it isn't like we're not already owing her." Saving Ruby's life, then all their lives. What was one more favor owed by now? "Let's ask her after dinner, yeah?"

"Oh, the guy's name," Yang added as almost an afterthought. "Sorry, kind of a lot going around right now. Like I said, the guy we'd be lookin' for is a former Church researcher, knows his runes too. His name is Merlot. Crazy hair, stupid big mustache, and a face you just wanna punch. You'd know him if you saw him."

The name meant nothing to Blake. Not that she was well versed in the Church's affairs to begin with. Obviously, the organization would keep its internal affairs to itself, especially if one of their own had begun developing freaks of nature. Yang's reveal garnered no reaction from her which was confusing compared to Weiss and Ruby's startled gasps.

"Yang… Do you mean Doctor Jacobis Merlot…?" Weiss' voice trembled.

"Yeah? Wait, you know the guy's full name?"

Ruby, looking like she'd just seen a ghost, nodded stiffly. "Y-Yeah, he… He helped heal us after Holbrook. Helped a lot of the villagers too." She grabbed her cloak and twisted it in her hands. "Weiss, do you think…?"

"He might be somehow related to all this? I'm certain if what Yang says is true. It's too coincidental not to be." Weiss cursed delicately before kicking a rock into the fire. "What if he's responsible for the miasma too? And all these Grimm? And what's the purpose behind all of it? Is he just trying to sow chaos?"

Possible, but illogical. Causing outbreaks on this scale would take an immense amount of magic, time, and preparation. If all Merlot wanted to do was cause widespread panic then he'd accomplished his task, but that seemed more like a means than an end.

Blake felt she understood but Yang beat her to voicing her idea. "It's a cover for something else…" The Dimuran punched her palm and groaned. "Damn it, I should have guessed! He's causing all this to keep the Church and everyone else busy! That's got to be it!"

"What would he be doing though? What's so bad that he needs the whole kingdom running scared?" Ruby mused. "If this is his distraction…"

"Then what is he planning?" Weiss finished.

Nothing good, that much was obvious. Beyond that however they were no closer to finding an answer than before.

It was all speculation, Blake knew, but it sounded plausible enough. "We should bring this to Raven's attention," she suggested. "Maybe she knows him and where to find him, or at the very least can help figure out where he is."

"Agreed. If he's responsible for all this then all the more reason to stop him." Weiss smiled. "I knew it had to be a rogue agent responsible for this…"

"Still in denial?"

Weiss scowled at Yang. "Denial? I can believe that an unchecked researcher who was removed from the Church _and_ labeled rogue. Regardless of some grand conspiracy we have a lead on this crisis. I'll go speak to Raven." The very notion looked to physically sicken Weiss as she suggested it. "In the meantime, try and think of where you might have seen him, Yang, or if you know of any hideouts of his. Anything we can use."

"Aye aye, captain!" Yang stuck out her tongue and saluted.

"What do you want me to do, Weiss?" Ruby asked with a smile. "Want me to come with -"

"No, thank you. Why don't you keep your sister and Blake company? Between the three of you I'm sure you'll have some revelation."

"Oh… Okay! I can do that!"

Weiss smiled slightly then left without another word, leaving Ruby to sulk. The sisters sat down again and rather than start discussing ideas Yang took to comforting her sister. Blake wasn't sure why Weiss turned Ruby down again especially with how eager she'd seemed to be reunited not days earlier. Maybe it was the stress of everything wearing on her?

Blake collected her book and started to move away from the fire. "Where are you going?" Yang asked after her. "I thought we were going to put our heads together?"

"I think better alone," Blake explained, tapping her head with her book. "Besides," she gestured towards the now sulking Ruby. "I think we can wait until Weiss gets back, don't you?"

"Ah, alright. Don't go too far, Blakey. I don't want to spend all night looking for a lost cat."

The Meera snorted but smiled. "Relax. Your unkempt hair is like a beacon in the night."

"Unkempt?!" Yang almost sounded offended, then paused and laughed. "Aw, are you saying you like my hair?"

Sure, let her think that. Blake left Yang whining as she moved away from the camp and the fires, using the faint light of the stars and moon to find her way. A tree not too far from camp provided a wonderful resting place and she dusted off an exposed root before settling down, propping her back against the trunk for comfort.

Something told her they were in for a long, long night. Besides now feeling uneasy around Yang and her 'companion' there was too much on her mind. Hopefully a bit of quiet reading would do wonders to calm her thoughts.

Blake opened to her page and began to read again, rolling one of her ankles as she began to lose herself on the prose once more.

Or she'd have liked to. What she discounted as limbs creaking in the wind soon became too distracting. For one there was hardly any wind. Putting her book down and frowning she lifted her head and gazed up into the canopy, eyes widening when the canopy stared back. Trees didn't have eyes either.

On reflex her hand shot back to where her weapon would normally be, mentally cursing herself for leaving it back at camp. With no sword in hand she prepared to cast a spell until the figure from above dropped from their perch into view. A heavy, dark shroud concealed their smaller, slender figure, and a mask covered their face. Their hands came up in surrender and only once Blake settled did they remove their cover.

"Ilia…?" Blake said breathlessly.

Her lifelong friend smiled wearily. "Blake… It's good to see you again."

At a loss for words Blake glanced back towards camp nervously, then pushed herself to her feet with help of the tree. No sooner was she upright did Ilia hug her, throwing her arms around her and knocking them both back into the tree. "Ilia! What are you doing here? How… How are you here?"

"I've been tracking you since that fort, since I heard where you were going." Well good to know that Vernal failed miserably covering their tracks. "I could ask you the same thing! Why are you traveling with these people? Most of them are Murans!"

"They're… I know, Ilia, I know. They're not all that bad though." Seeing her friend's dubious expression, she grabbed Ilia's shoulders and eased her back. "Nevermind that for now, why are you here? Not that I'm not happy to see you, but why?"

If Adam found out, then he'd have Ilia killed. Or their friends. Hells, he'd probably kill them all just to make a point! Didn't Ilia realize how risky this was?

"I'd like to know why you're here as well."

Ilia turned in an instant and drew her sword, putting a hand on Blake and pushing her back. "Wait!" Blake grabbed her friend's arm and tried to disarm her only to be shrugged off. "Ilia, don't! She's on our side!"

"You expect me to believe that?"

Raven smiled, holding her hands up as she approached. She stopped with Ilia's sword tickling her throat, grinning and lifting her chin as if to tempt her. "Give me a reason, girl. I've wanted to deal with you since I saw you, but I've wanted to know why you were following us too."

Ilia's arm lowered a hair, enough that Raven could brush aside the blade. The Talpa's skin turned red, then blue, and finally white as she backed away half a step. "How did you know…?"

"How?" Above them a bird cawed, wings fluttering loudly as it descended and landed in Raven's outstretched hand. It pecked and fluttered before squawking, shimmering before being reduced to a single feather which Raven tucked away in her robe. "Now talk, girl. Before I decide I'm through entertaining your little games."

Wait, if Raven was here then where was Weiss? Blake looked back towards the camp and couldn't see anything wrong from where they stood. Ruby and Yang continued to chat by the fire while the circled caravan seemed to be at peace.

Had Raven known Ilia was out here? Had she been waiting all this time for a chance?

Blake didn't know if she was impressed or annoyed.

"Well?" Raven growled, losing her air of playfulness as she set a hand on one of her swords. "I'm waiting."

It was Ilia's turn to raise her hands, stepping back and moving to stand beside Blake. Realizing perhaps her odds of not only beating Raven but escaping a camp full of her subordinates besides, the freckled Talpa swallowed nervously.

"It's… It's the White Fang. They're making moves with everything that's going on…" Ilia began, glancing at Blake uneasily. "And Adam… B-Blake, you have to understand that we tried to talk him out of it. He's losing his mind!"

"Ilia, relax." Blake held her friend's shoulders. "Just take a breath and tell me, okay? What's happening?"

"Adam… Adam and Yuma, they're saying Sienna is ordering them to attack towns affected by the Grimm outbreaks. Take what we can, conscript anyone we can, and…" Ilia paused, and her face crumpled, hanging her head in defeat. "He's… He's labeled you a traitor to the cause, Blake. The whole organization was told to kill on sight. He wants you dead, Blake, and he's willing to use everyone he can to make that happen."

Oh. That was bad.

Raven laughed, clapping her hands while she did. Neither of them could figure out where the amusement was in all of this.

"The White Fang wants her dead, do they? That's grand! And petty!" Raven chortled, then grinned at Ilia viciously. "Are you a messenger then, girl? You can tell your superiors that the Belladonna girl is one of mine now. If they want her then they can deal with me and my tribe! I've been wanting an excuse to snuff you lot out!"

"No!" Blake shouted.

"No one knows I'm here. I came to warn Blake, that's all." Ilia paused. "I won't stop you if you want to kill Adam though, or the others. We have friends there though that we need to save first, if you plan to attack."

Raven tilted her head. "Oh?" Her arm lashed out and she dragged Ilia closer, lifting the girl off her feet. "And why not just wipe them all out? Or you, for that matter? If no one knows you're here…"

Blake grabbed Raven's wrist and pulled, startled when the woman didn't even budge. When she tried again to no better results, she instead tried to put herself between the bandit and Ilia. "If you hurt Ilia then… We'll leave. You want us here for some reason, don't you? I'll tell the others and we'll leave."

"Oh? Are you threatening me, Blake?" Raven dropped Ilia only to grab her by the shoulder, squeezing hard enough to make the Talpa cry out. "If she goes back as she is, she'll likely die anyways. From the sounds of things your commander is losing his mind. Do you really think my killing her here is any worse than what he'll do?"

Probably not. Raven would likely make it quick which was more than she could say of Adam. Blake tried again to pry the Dimuran's hold and she caught Ilia when she was released.

"No, but she doesn't have to die. She could stay here with us."

"N-No. If I don't go back then Adam will expect the worst, that I went to you." Which Ilia did but that wasn't the point. "I have to go back otherwise he might hurt the others."

"If you go back unharmed, he'll have suspicions though." Raven crossed her arms and smiled. "Perhaps I should at least rough you up a bit, make it look like you were caught up in a fight. Hm… How fond are you of your arm?"

Blake eased Ilia back and glared at Raven. "Stop, just stop. You aren't hurting Ilia."

"No? So, you want to send her back to her death then?"

"Blake, she's right. If I go back like this Adam will know I snuck out, or someone will notice I'm gone and have reported it. If I go back hurt I can at least say I had a reason for being out."

Which would mean Adam would likely not even bother questioning Ilia and go right to doling out punishments. Blake could already hear Yuma feeding him lies, convincing Adam that Ilia and their friends were all traitors to the cause.

"... Then let me do it."

"Blake…?"

"You could say that you found me, and I attacked you, thinking you were trying to trick me." Even as she said it Blake knew what a horrible idea it was. Adam knew she'd never attack one of her friends even if she felt threatened. She'd sooner run than do that.

Raven cleared her throat loudly and gestured to herself. "Tell him I attacked you, or one of my men. Tell him we found you going through a town and threatened to kill you if you returned, or whatever tickles your fancy." The Dimuran grinned. "And better still tell him he's welcome to try and make us pay if he wants. Vale is mine for the taking, not his. If your commanders have an issue with that then they're welcome to take it up with my tribe."

The notion of attacking Ilia still sickened Blake, as did sending her home unharmed to face Adam's accusations and wrath. Even if he was angry for her sneaking out at least with the pretense of being attacked his anger would be directed elsewhere.

What else was there? Ilia could do it herself, or Raven could become impatient and attack, potentially killing her friend in the process. They needed something convincing.

Ilia grabbed one of Blake's hands and held it to her own cheek, smiling while the Meera watched her in anguish. "Blake, it's okay… I'll keep the others safe and I'll work on a way to get us out of there, I promise. Just trust me, okay? This is the right thing to do."

It might be the 'right thing' but that didn't make her want to do it any less. "I wish you hadn't come here, Ilia…"

Her friend just kept on smiling, closing her eyes and nodding. "I know."

Raven yawned. "Sometime tonight, Blake. I need to get back and see what Weiss wanted. Vernal can't keep her there forever."

"Shut up! I'm… I'm getting to it."

It didn't have to be much. A black eye, some minor cuts. Realistically Ilia would probably suffer worse wounds after fighting someone like Raven, or perhaps not if she was expected to get back to Adam. Injured enough to make a point but not so much she couldn't travel.

Even that much felt excessive.

Blake grit her teeth, eyes prickling as she drew back her hand. She could picture Adam in her place, herself in Ilia's. A phantom tingling on her cheek made her release a shuddering breath and she froze for a moment, whining and closing her eyes. She tried to force her trembling fingers into a fist.

"Ilia… I'm sorry…!"

"I know."

She groaned when Ilia helped her hand close, smiling once again before bracing herself. Blake whined and shook her head, forcing herself to imagine what Adam might do if he caught her friend. What he might do to the others if he had even an inkling of what they were planning. She tried to make herself believe it was Adam's fault she was doing this, that she was being forced to harm her friend.

That didn't make the first punch hurt any less, not for either of them. Ilia staggered but kept on smiling, righting herself and nodding. Blake groaned again as tears dribbled down her cheeks, cursing the gods, the Church, Adam, anything and everyone as she delivered another blow.

This was all so, so wrong.

* * *

 **Hopefully the next entry doesn't take me almost a month. We'll see. Thanks for reading.**


	31. Chapter 31: Pyretic

**Well, this is my longest chapter to date, and was honestly going to be even longer. Ended up cutting out the end and will be editing and transplanting it at the start of next chapter so ya'll aren't reading 30+ pages.**

 **Sorry if the ending's a bit abrupt, but that's why.**

* * *

Weiss stared straight ahead as they rode along, jaw clenched and brooding.

After their revelation last night and her subsequent discussion with Raven over their findings she'd been left furious and dejected.

Raven had known exactly what they'd suspected: the Grimm incursions were merely a distraction. The woman had even gone so far as to propose the Church knew as well and in a roundabout way had informed Weiss and her company of that fact.

Initially it made absolutely no sense for four young women to be sent alone to seek out the culprits behind the attacks. It still made no sense unless one stopped to consider the facts. The Church knew or at least suspected that the Grimm were only a distraction. In turn the ones behind all of this - Merlot, if their assumptions were correct, had to know the Church knew. Like a morbid game of chess, the two sides were making moves while also forced to compensate for their opponent's. The Church couldn't kill Merlot, remove their enemy's king as it were, without leaving thousands of civilians and dozens of settlements unprotected.

Conversely, Merlot couldn't perform whatever scheme he had without devoting large amounts of time and energy to keeping the Church at bay. Any large troop movements and he'd know they were moving against him. Weiss wasn't sure how he would unless he'd somehow developed spells to see through Grimm.

Maybe some kind of augurs? Perhaps he had people working with him, acting as messengers and alerting him of any enemies approaching?

Whatever the case it was evident a smaller force was needed. The Church and the Commandery would be preoccupied protecting the kingdom itself which necessitated the use of a smaller, indiscrete force.

Weiss bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood, sighing and clenching her reins harder. More seasoned, capable Hunters could have been sent in their stead. Veterans, or even some of their instructors from Vale. Logically she understood they might be needed elsewhere, and a powerful, experienced Hunter could defend a settlement single handedly.

She understood the logic. That didn't mean she liked it.

The truth of the matter was they were expendable. Newly realized Hunters with little claim to the world. No families of their own, no sway in public matters, simply soldiers to be thrown at the enemy. It was callous, yes, but then that was how war worked. And make no mistake, Weiss realized, but this was indeed a war.

So much for the Church preventing those.

Weiss glanced back at Ruby and Yang's horse, smiling half-heartedly at the two women riding in stride just a few yards behind her. They bickered playfully about nothing of import, pushing and prodding at one another while laughing. It was heartening to see even if she knew it was a front. They were all smiles and cheer since they had left that morning and yet Weiss just knew it wasn't sincere.

Beyond them still, covered by her scarf and cloak, Blake kept to the back of their procession, head down as it had been since setting out. The Meera hadn't spoken much since that morning, sharing her news of the White Fang with them over a flavorless bowl of oats.

The White Fang was looking to take advantage of a kingdom in turmoil. Profiteering off the suffering of others made Weiss simultaneously livid and sick to her stomach. Fitting for such a revolting organization. As the universe seemed so keen on reminding them however that was only the beginning of their woes today, and this brought Weiss back to her original point: they were in this alone.

Raven had understood this intimately. Perhaps much earlier than any of them had realized. With near three dozen in her ranks the woman had a sizable force in her command, civilians notwithstanding. There was no way to move without drawing Merlot's attention with such a gathering of people. Not with constant attacks acting as veritable beacons, like a hunter's tripwire tipping off a deer's presence, or a snare trapping an unsuspecting rabbit in its clutches.

And so, with all the elegance and compassion of an executioner and his axe Raven sent them on their way. She refused to risk her people by bringing them towards Plockton so soon, not until she was certain the town and its new inhabitants had been reclaimed and dealt with.

 _And if we fail, I imagine she'll swoop in and finish the job, just as the Church intends to do._ For the first time Weiss felt genuine disdain for her superiors. Rationally it made sense: use your infantry, or in this case newly made Hunters, to weaken the enemy, then send your stronger forces in to finish the job. _Ozpin never would have allowed for this. The nobility must have a hand in this plan, or the crown. What point would there be in training us for years only to throw us away as fodder?_

Weiss loathed her superiors but not the ones Raven perhaps hoped she might.

That loathing proved to be just the fuel she needed to embark on their suicide mission. While the Branwen tribe contented itself with setting up camp elsewhere she, Ruby, Yang, and Blake would set out and fight a more experienced Magi, countless Grimm, and gods knew what else all to reclaim a kingdom from the throes of chaos.

All the determination in the world couldn't prevent the fatigue that travel brought on. By the time the sun had reached its zenith and summer's heat had come to bear its full force they were forced to make camp themselves. A small creek that ran perpendicular to the road made for an ideal resting place as any, and after navigating their horses down the slopes to the water's edge they set them free to drink and graze as they pleased.

Weiss knelt by the water's edge and cupped crystalline water in her palms, splashing her face and gasping at the coldness. After washing away what sweat and grime, she could she drank until sated, then emptied her now warm canteen and filled it anew. Pausing briefly to examine herself on the water's surface she smiled bitterly, wiping bangs longer than she'd typically keep from her eyes and plucking a leaf from the collar of her tunic. She had bags beneath her eyes, and those bags had bags themselves. Her back and legs ached as she stood, creaking in protest from enduring constant travel, and as she hooked her canteen on her belt again, she grimaced feeling her soft trousers brush abrasively against chafed thighs.

"I don't know how much more of this I can take…"

Ruby looked up from her handiwork, flicking sinew from her fingers and setting her knife aside. "It's not that bad, Weiss. We're making progress, right…?"

Weiss wrinkled her nose, both from discontent and at feeling pebbles biting into her already sore backside as she sat. She considered removing her cloak and folding it beneath herself for cushioning, deciding against it after realizing it would likely double as her blanket tonight. "Progress, yes, but at this rate we'll be shambling zombies by the time we reach Plockton."

"Could always take a dip, Weissy," Yang suggested with a cheeky smile. Weiss narrowed her eyes and the Dimuran snickered, taking Ruby's trimmed steak and handing her another, skewering the meat and hanging it over their fire. "Or not. Cleaning up a bit might cheer you up though!"

"I hardly think the water is deep enough to bathe in," Weiss grumbled. Not to mention the stream bed was filled with rocks, hardly pleasant to sit on, and far, far too cold for her liking. _Once we return to Vale, I'm drawing a warm bath and never leaving._

If they returned to Vale.

Lacking the knowledge on how to prepare meats Weiss waited for Blake to return, arms full of a bundle of edible herbs and plants. While busying herself with tearing plants into edible pieces Weiss watched Blake check the fire, then go to the stream to fill their clay pot - the one kindness Raven had granted them, with water, setting it by the flames to heat.

"I'm so glad you know how to cook!" Ruby handed off her last steak and smiled broadly, shaking her hands clean before looking for somewhere to wipe them off. Yang shook her head vehemently and Weiss backed off slightly. "Imagine if we were stuck eating grass…" the brunette whined, grimacing as she rose to wash her hands in the stream.

"I'm not a chef, and I only know some basic recipes." Blake lowered her head and smiled bashfully. "I'm glad to help though. It's the least I can do."

A turnaround from her usual distant behavior and thank the gods for that; hordes of Grimm awaited them around every bend, the powers that be had sent them to their demise, and their enemy was a man of unknown power and ill repute. They had enough problems without being at each other's throats.

Granted that wasn't because they had no problems with one another. Weiss tore another spearmint leaf into shreds and set them aside, using a strip of cloth as a makeshift bowl. Her nostrils and mouth were filled with the scent of mint and she wiped her hands on her already soiled trousers to try and rid herself of the overbearing flavor.

Blake and Yang were still adhering to Raven's absurd claims, even when Yang herself wanted nothing to do with the woman. Weiss could almost handle their acceptance easier than Ruby's. Her partner, either by trying to mediate or being uncertain, seemed to flip-flop and was incapable of picking a side. The fact that she wasn't standing with the Church, with their own people, was telling enough.

Her own group truly believed the Church to be the enemy, or at least to be deceiving everyone. The selfsame organization who had brought the kingdoms from the brink of destruction, fought tirelessly to defeat Grimm, and had the power and means to exert control without subterfuge.

After their third discussion on the matter that morning had ended in shouts between her and Yang, they decided to drop the matter entirely for the time being.

"Here…" Weiss handed the cloth to Blake, wrinkling her nose at the clashing scents. Spearmint, ginger, something lemony, and others she neither knew nor could identify. The Meera nodded wordlessly and dumped it all into the simmering pot of water, using the dagger Weiss had used to stir everything in.

"We should consider where we might want to spend the night. Ideally somewhere Grimm won't be prevalent," Weiss said as she rose to her feet, striding to the water to wash. "Any suggestions?"

Ruby's hand shot up first. "We could tie ourselves to big branches and sleep off the ground? Uncle Qrow taught me how to do that, it could work well."

"What happens if we're attacked though?" Blake questioned. "Wouldn't that leave us vulnerable?"

Yang chuckled as Ruby darted away from her slimy, meat-lathered hand. "I can't promise I'll catch you if you fall, Ruby. I'm going to say no to that one."

Weiss shook water droplets from her hand and resorted to using her cloak as a towel. It wasn't like the garment was all that clean now anyways. "Alternatives?"

"Preferably somewhere with higher elevation so we can see Grimm approaching." Blake stopped stirring and sniffed at her creation, making a soft 'hm' before handing Yang the cloth from before and teaching her how to hold it. "We can take shifts on watch."

"What about nearby towns?" Yang suggested, squeaking when Blake poured steaming water over the cloth. "Hey, warn me next time!"

"I thought you weren't bothered by heat…?"

"I'm not, but I could get soaked! Then I'd have nothing to wear." The blonde paused before snickering and wiggling her eyebrows at Blake. "Unless that's your plan, kitty cat?"

Ruby gagged and Yang yelped as Blake threw water at her face. The Dimuran growled, and despite Weiss' shouts to settle Blake jumped to her feet and ran as Yang gave chase, have filled pot of water sloshing messily in her hands. Weiss groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. _I don't know what is worse: them arguing incessantly or them acting like children._

Not that acting like children was inherently bad. Weiss raised an eyebrow while Yang narrowly avoided being splashed, smiling despite herself while Ruby broke into a fit of giggles.

Considering what they were up against perhaps acting a bit foolishly was just what they needed to keep their sanity.

"Weiss." Ruby's singsong call caught her attention, but it was the slimy, wriggling fingers in her face that made Weiss back away.

"Don't you dare…"

"I'm the meat monster! I'm going to get you!"

Weiss nearly tripped on stones, turning and running away as Ruby chased, laughing shrilly in pursuit. She hid behind one of the bridge's support beams, circling around it and screaming, playfully, when Ruby narrowly missed. "Wash your hands, you boob!"

"Let me use your cloak!"

"Ruby, I swear I'll freeze you solid!"

The brunette called her bluff and laughed, coming dangerously close to catching Weiss until her coordination kicked in. Lack thereof really, as with a startled gasp and comical pinwheel Ruby crashed into the stream, landing on her hind end. The silver-eyed girl cried out and jumped back to her feet, hands clean and trousers thoroughly drenched.

"Cold! Cold cold cold!"

Their levity could be forced, and yet as Weiss watched Ruby hover precariously over the fire to dry herself, and Blake and Yang return, the former stewing in silence, hair drenched, and the latter beaming proudly, she found it welcome all the same.

Their meal of seared venison and boiled vegetables was as simple as could be. Filling, and although Weiss could have done without the mint her stomach hardly cared for the clashing of flavors. Neither did the sisters, and as any self-respecting cook might Blake kept any dissatisfaction with her creation to herself.

Throughout their meal they chatted amicably among themselves. It was reminiscent of their time in Beacon - Weiss and Ruby's, and Weiss found herself yearning to see their friends again. How were Ren and Nora doing? Were they back in Vale yet? What of Pyrrha and Jaune? Had he finally realized the redhead's pursuit of him? Unlikely. The heavens would have to open up for such a miracle and even then, that might not be enough.

The lighthearted banter wasn't without strain. More than once Weiss caught her own tone as clipped and strained, and no one's smiles tended to last longer than a few seconds. Without saying as much they made a concerted effort to lift one another's spirits.

And somehow even with their possible impending demise looming they did just that. With their stomachs filled and the fire snuffed out they gathered their sparse camp together and mounted up once again. Weiss dug through her bag and retrieved her map, something pilfered from the keep's excessive stores courtesy of Blake, turning her horse and holding it across her lap for everyone to see.

"This appears to be the road we're on now and judging by our bearing we're perhaps two days removed from Plockton, assuming we keep a steady pace." Weiss traced the main road with her finger, pausing at a labeled settlement. 'Ambrose', the name read, barely registering on the map. "As Yang suggested earlier finding somewhere to stay wouldn't be a bad idea. This town is likely abandoned but we should still hopefully find supplies there."

"And a roof over our heads, if we're lucky," Blake added to collective nods.

"Not that it doesn't sound like a good idea," Ruby paused, frowning as she wrung her cloak nervously. "But, isn't it kind of mean to use someone else's house? Or take their things?"

"There's a good chance that those people won't even return home, Rubes. And if they do then it'll be because we made it safe. If we've gotta borrow a few things so they can go back to their town I'm sure they won't mind."

Weiss mouthed her thanks to Yang before offering Ruby a reassuring smile. "Think of it this way: we're on official Church business. If we need supplies from anyone then the Church will reimburse them later."

Not only did Ruby seem unconvinced but so too were Blake and Yang skeptical, the latter openly so. The Dimuran scoffed but stopped short of saying anything, knowing full well any disparaging remarks would only get Weiss arguing again. Instead she smiled, shrugging and swinging one leg idly. "Nothing to do but get going. We'll have to really haul ass if we wanna make it there before nightfall."

"Yang, no swearing!"

"What? Ass isn't even a swear! It's a body part!"

"Yaaaaang," Ruby warned, mustering as much firmness as her squeaky voice could muster.

"Quit while you're ahead," Blake sighed, lips tugging up in the slightest of smiles. "If you lose your money now to her swear jar, we'll have nothing left for supplies."

"Wouldn't it still be our money anyways?"

Weiss rolled her map up and tucked it back in her bag, slinging it over her shoulder and turning her horse back down the road. "We can worry about finances once we reach Ambrose. Let's focus on getting there first, okay?"

Her horse marched ahead at her behest and soon the others followed suit, four sets of hooves setting an arrhythmic beat to their march. With the sun hanging high above and an open road disappearing into an endless blue expanse on the horizon Weiss drew a breath, sitting up a bit taller and putting on a smile.

Expecting to find anything or anyone in a town so deep in the Grimm's territory was foolish, naive even. A little naivete had done wonders for their spirits thus far however, what was a little more?

"Hey, do you think they'll have cookies there?" Ruby asked, eyes widening as she nearly drooled. "It's been ages since I had any…"

There was a limit to naivete and expecting cookies in a Grimm ravaged countryside might be pushing it.

But hells, why not dream? It certainly beat the reality they were marching into.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Grimm hounded them like overeager flies to a piece of rancid meat. By sheer virtue of only encountering lesser variants did they refrain from using magic, much to Weiss' chagrin. A single spell would have eliminated the hordes that assaulted them in an instant.

"A single spell would only bring stronger Grimm down on our heads," Blake warned time and time again.

Whether out of reluctance to hear the Meera's thinly veiled warning again or a desire to appease what Weiss dubbed her companions' paranoia she never cast a single spell. While the horses grew fitful as Grimm drew closer, they remained unharmed, thankfully, and contrary to what they'd expect as the day wore on and night settled Grimm became less prevalent.

The slight chill to the air that nipped at her exposed skin was an unpleasant reminder that Fall was on its way. Thin cloaks designed for warmer Valean summer provided some relief for the sun's derision, yet little from the moon's sapping chill.

 _We could light some torches, I suppose, but then we risk drawing Grimm's attention._ Weiss strained her eyes to stare through the darkness, casting wary glances off the sides of the road, where the ground rose and fell like waves on a shoreline. The road itself had been carved into roving hills with little care for the surrounding environment and it showed. While the path was level, mostly, the terrain surrounding it was precarious, and with little but the occasional, shoddy wooden fence to protect them from sudden drop-offs there had been points in their late-night sojourn that were irritatingly slow.

What would it take to expand the carriage services that worked in and around Vale City? Weiss was weary of traveling for so long without any respite, tired of her loins and back aching. Worse still was knowing she'd likely only be worse if they hadn't been provided horses for travel; only Ruby and her magic could keep pace with a full-speed equestrian. Hells, Ruby could overtake one with ease if she really wanted to.

All she'd need to do was carry the three of them on her back.

After a brief snack for themselves and their steeds they found where the road and land leveled out and became one. Off in the distance, obscured by trees and yet more obstinate hills an orange glow filled the sky.

A fire? Was the forest burning? Weiss consulted her map and her heart sank. With no visible landmarks and no idea of the area itself it was difficult to say where they were exactly, yet if she was reading the map correctly, they had arrived.

"Is that Ambrose…?" Yang wondered aloud as her horse trot up alongside Weiss'. Ruby leaned against her sister's back and gasped.

"What if the town's on fire?! We should go help!"

"There's likely no one left in town still," Blake muttered, voice a bit sluggish from fatigue. The Meera sighed, lifting her arms and audibly popping her back with a grunt. "Considering how many Grimm are likely around."

"Maybe we can put it out? Even a half-burned down would be safer to sleep in than the wide-open outdoors."

"And how exactly are we meant to extinguish fires? You three insist we don't use magic," Weiss quipped. "Unless you intend to use our canteens, which I hate to tell you, don't have nearly enough water to - Hey!"

The sisters' horse whinnied and began to trot towards the glow as Ruby dug her heels into its sides. Yang glanced back and shrugged, waving as they turned off the main road and headed into the narrower side path.

"We don't have a way to combat a burning town!" Weiss heard her voice echo back at her as neither Ruby nor Yang answered. Beside her Blake snorted. What did they hope to accomplish here exactly? Already annoyed by her aches and pains she turned her horse and followed the siblings. "This is a colossal waste of time."

"Probably," Blake acquiesced, smirking. "But at least it's something different than mindless riding. And Yang's right: even a shell of a town would be safer to rest."

Perhaps, so long as they didn't mind encroaching flames engulfing whichever building, they took up refuge in.

The road to Ambrose was narrower than the main road, enough so that before long Weiss and Blake were forced to travel side by side. Trees and brush meticulously cut back to clear the way formed walls of growth to their right, and though Weiss couldn't see it the gentle trickling of water to her left spoke of a stream. The horse's thud against wooden planks as they crossed over one small bridge, then another, supported as much. At least they might have a means of getting more water for the fires.

Except they might not need it at all.

Weiss didn't have much experience with forest fires, and less still with extinguishing a burning town. What she did know was that a fire of such large scale would be causing heat to spill out and warm the very air as though you stood before a great furnace. Yet the night's air remained chilled even as the brilliance of the light increased.

As the road widened again and the land cleared itself to give way to farmland Weiss and Blake finally caught up with the sisters.

"Well then…" Weiss muttered in awe.

Knowing nothing of Ambrose she wasn't terribly stunned to find walls rising up out of the ground, combinations of brick, stone, and mortar sealing off the settlement. What she was shocked to find, as their horses slowly approached the gatehouse, was that the walls were in fact occupied, and not by Grimm.

Several soldiers prowled the walls with bows in hand, silhouettes that stood out thanks to the flames within the town. That none seemed alarmed by the fires was reassuring: Ambrose wasn't burning to the ground at least.

Weiss' arrival, however, caused plenty of cause for concern.

Two armed men outside the gates called for them to halt, pikes raised. Torches above their heads caught their barbute helms, faces obscured in shadows. Their horses came to a collective halt and Weiss' ears caught the faint sound of bow strings being drawn taut. Blake hissed beside her, easing her cloak open and resting a hand on one of her daggers.

"Easy," Weiss cautioned with a whisper, easing Blake's hand off her weapon. Looking at those upon the wall, six in all, bows drawn and arrows notched, she slowly dismounted her horse. Making certain to keep her hands up she approached, stopping again when the pikemen held their weapons mere inches from her face.

"J-Just stay where you are!"

"I assure you we mean no harm. You have no reason to fear us."

"S-Sure, because plenty of folk be travelin' in the dark these days." The pikeman to her left inched his weapon closer and Weiss was forced to step back. "How do we know you're clean, huh?! You one of 'em?"

"One of what?" Weiss asked, trying to not react to the sharp blade hovering before her eyes. She reached for her collar and paused when the men jumped, smiling nervously. "I just want to show you my mark…"

It must have been difficult to see in the light but once the soldiers noticed it they visibly relaxed. One's shoulders slumped and he let out a long sigh while the other, the more tightly wound of the two, lowered his weapon but kept it ready.

"Hunters…? Does that mean the Grimm are dealt with?"

"Er… Not exactly?" One of the men cursed and Weiss finally lowered her hands. "We're working on it however. We just need somewhere to rest for the evening, please."

The two guards shuffled away and spoke between themselves. At least the bowmen above finally relaxed, and Weiss released a breath she had been holding. It was a lot less stressful when you weren't expecting the bite of an arrow at any moment. After a brief huddle one of the guards came back and nodded, clutching his weapon close to his chest.

"Okay. We can't promise we'll have any buildings left but you're welcome to come in. Have a chat with the Hunters inside, they can help you figure out where you're needed." The man paused before shuffling in his armor and adding. "Er… Assumin' you're here to help?"

While hardly opposed to the idea Weiss was a little preoccupied. "You said there are more Hunters here? As in inside the walls?"

"Yes? You mean you four didn't know?"

Weiss glanced back at Ruby and the others, then drew her rapier and frowned at the guards. "Please open the gates and let us inside. There should be no Hunters here besides us." Not unless they had been here before the outbreaks began. The two men held their weapons at the ready again and Weiss kept hers in hand, never lifting it as she stared at the pair.

The White Fang would be making moves to try and capitalize on the chaos. Were either of these men, or the archers for that matter, members of the organization? Their armor made it impossible to tell. Blake didn't recognize anyone but then it was unlikely she'd know every member either. Could they be working with Merlot then? What if the man was here?

A warm hand grabbed her shoulder and made Weiss squeak indignantly. Her cheeks flushed when Yang laughed at her expense, casually brushing the shorter girl aside and approaching the armed guards. She maintained an air of calm even as they held the weapons and aimed them at her chest.

Which appeared fine for Yang as she leaned forward, cocking her head and smiling. That looked to be where she wanted them focusing anyways.

"Relax, guys. We're all on the same side here, right? We've just had a long day is all. We're awfully sore from riding…" The Dimuran sighed, putting a hand on her back and making a show of things, grunting as she popped it. "And we're exhausted. It would be great if we had some strong guards around while we slept. Give us a chance to recover."

"Wh-what are you trying to do, s-seduce us…?"

"Stay back, siren!"

Yang snorted. "Siren? That's a new one. And nah, I was just striking up conversation is all!" She sighed, putting her hands on her hips and cocking one. "Come on, guys. Put the toothpicks away and relax. You too, Weissy."

"Yang, we don't know if -" Weiss' complaints became muffled when Yang clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Don't mind her either! She's usually crabby anyways, and all the riding's not doing her any favors."

"I am not! Release me this - Mmmmph!"

Yang bat her eyelashes at the men while dragging Weiss back. A coquettish swish of her hips made them exchange puzzled glances, while Ruby gagged and Blake rolled her eyes. Whatever Yang was trying to do didn't appear to be working whatsoever. Weiss flailed her arms, then dug the heel of her boot into Yang's foot, stomping again when the Dimuran didn't even react. Was she too daft to notice her foot being crushed?!

The guards turned when the gates to the town swung open with a resounding creak and shudder. Then a single woman emerged from within, a bow slung across her shoulders and arms draped over it. She strutted towards them without a care and let out a low whistle, eyeing up Yang and Weiss. "Huh, no one told me our guests were cute."

Weiss pried Yang's hand from her mouth and she jabbed the blonde in the gut with her elbow, narrowing her eyes as Yang grinned on uncaring. "Hey yourself. Guessin' you're the one who'll let us in?"

Beneath the brim of the girl's cap her dark eyes twinkled mischievously. "That depends if we can trust you. I overheard you say you're from the Church, but I… Don't…"

Something caught the woman's attention and she went silent. Slowly, deliberately, she turned her head and glanced back into the town, mouthing inaudibly to someone beyond the gates.

Blake cursed and Ruby yelped in surprise a second later. Weiss whirled around and saw an orange-haired man in a dark cloak perched on the back of Blake's horse, blade held to her throat. Weiss again went for her weapon and grit her teeth as magical bindings grabbed her wrists. Their horses cried in protest and Ruby had begun to climb from her horse until more bright blue leashes caught her arms and legs, dragging her to her knees and pinning her in place.

"Hey, what are you doing?!" Yang shouted, storming towards the Hunter. Her hands almost reached until bindings caught her arms. The Dimuran snapped one, cursing as another grabbed her, then another. One lashed around her neck and she was pulled off her feet, sprawled across the dirt and on her back. "Let go of us! We're not the enemy here!"

The woman held her hands out and let her bow fall to her feet, fingertips glowing blue. The pikemen shuffled awkwardly behind her and followed as she came closer. "No? You do know who you've got there with you, right?"

"B-Blake? She's with us!" Ruby protested.

"She attempted to kill Arthur Braun, the residing noble and patron of Galloway." The orange haired boy's voice was soft, certainly softer than the blade held to Blake's neck. "She's a criminal."

"Which, by association, makes you three just as guilty for working with her."

Weiss pulled against her restraints as the woman continued towards Blake. "Wait!" She swallowed uncertainly. "Check her neck, or mine. We're all Hunters. Blake was…" Pardoned? Forgiven? Turned into a sacrificial lamb? All true but none would help their situation much. "Blake was conscripted. Ruby and I are tasked with addressing the Grimm outbreak," she explained desperately. "Yang is with us. She's a friend."

"Check her neck if you don't believe us!" Ruby insisted. "She has a mark, just like you two!"

The woman frowned, turning to her partner before nodding. Weiss held her breath as his free hand pulled Blake's scarf back, staring for a moment before looking at his companion with a straight face. "Uh, Coco? I can't see her."

The woman laughed. "Oh, right. My bad, Fox. Just keep her there, will ya?" She stood on her toes and pulled Blake's scarf off completely, raising an eyebrow before whistling. "It's authentic alright. Guards, what about the other two?"

"The Y-Ydran already showed us hers, ma'am," one of the men stammered.

"And the other?"

Ruby's mark was laid bare as well, and while Yang hadn't one to show they didn't check for one either. Weiss didn't miss how Coco kept glancing at the Dimuran however, and neither did Yang.

"Like what you see?" Yang joked, pulling against her restraints halfheartedly. "Let me go and I promise you'll get a much closer look."

"Can we not threaten the people with a knife to my neck?" Blake asked, half whined.

"Yes, let's not antagonize our comrades-in-arms," Weiss added, glancing at Coco. "Because that's what we all are here: allies. We all work for the Church and we're all trying to make this right. So please, undo your spell and let us inside."

Coco entertained the request for a moment, then took a moment longer to stare at Yang again. When Weiss began to worry a fight might actually break out, she stumbled forward, the cold tendrils that had bound her vanishing in an instant. Ruby yelped and fell forward, mumbling as she dusted herself off, and Yang coughed, sitting up and nursing her throat.

Fox landed at Coco's side and stared up at Blake, or judging by his vacant, white eyes, tried to stare. "I'm not sure why they'd pardon you…"

"Same reason they let a blind man become a Hunter," the Meera snapped, rubbing her neck and checking her hand for blood before frowning at the pair. "The Church isn't exactly the brightest."

"Easy there, missy," Coco tutted, strolling past Weiss and Yang to collect her bow. "Just because you're technically one of us now doesn't mean we forget what you did. You'd better be on your best behavior."

Well that was just their luck wasn't it? Weiss collected her rapier and fastened it again to her belt. Yang dusted herself off, grinning at Weiss and flashing a thumbs up. _As if you almost didn't make things worse,_ she grumbled to herself. _You're lucky they didn't shoot you down for attacking Coco._

"Get your horses together girls. And mind the mess," Coco half-joked as she sauntered towards the gates with her bow hung dangling over her shoulder. "It's a bit stinky inside."

Out of curiosity Weiss sniffed at the air and came away with nothing. Blake's face looked pinched, although she wasn't sure if that was because of some scent or their 'warm' welcome. Taking her horse's reins in hand she led her animal through first, pausing as the gates were pushed wider to allow her friends through.

A large bonfire roared just inside the gates, several soldiers and civilians stood around it. A dark mound inside the flaring fires burned away and now that a wall no longer separated them Weiss could finally catch wind, literally, of what Coco had warned about.

Weiss retched and clamped a hand over her mouth, closing her eyes while they began to water. It smelled like burning hair and flesh, and the scent was so sickening, so heavy that she might as well have been slapped in the face by it. Suddenly the strips of cloth she'd noticed many people using to cover their faces made sense.

"What… What is this…?" Ruby's nasally voice asked, both hands clamped over her mouth and nose.

Coco didn't need to answer. Weiss watched as two weary looking men approached the flame, a person-sized lump bound in cloth between them. With a hefty throw the wrapped figure landed in the flames, greedily being devoured by the intense heat as fine green fabrics turned black in an instant. Skin began to sizzle, and pop and the disturbing odors intensified as the wind lifted them.

They were burning corpses. Realizing the mound inside the flames were all bodies Weiss felt faint, stumbling back and catching herself on her horse. There had to be a dozen or so inside, and a smaller mound outside the flames meant more. Her eyes watered and the burning bile in her throat choked her as it went back down, shuddering involuntarily.

Coco turned to the group with a somber smile, heavy bags beneath her eyes visible now that the raging inferno cast enough light on her. "Welcome to Ambrose, kids," she joked mirthlessly. "Come on, let's get you four settled."

On second thought maybe sleeping outdoors wasn't such a bad idea.

Weiss averted her gaze and dragged her horse along with one hand, the other never leaving her mouth. Beyond the walls distant howls echoed and she turned, watching the guards atop the walls shift but refrain from firing.

Given the choice between Grimm on the outside or the pyre within Weiss wasn't sure which she'd prefer.

/+/+/+/+/+/+/

"So… That's it?"

"More or less, yes." Weiss relaxed in her seat, pausing to watch an overworked barmaid hurry to a table of guards, tray in hand. No ale as Coco had pointed out, just clean water. Ambrose had run out of 'the good stuff' some time ago. "I realize it might not make the most sense…"

Coco chuckled. "Nah. You'd be surprised at the stuff I'll believe, kid. Especially after these last few days."

"You believe us then?" Ruby asked eagerly.

"Wouldn't be the first time the Church conscripted Hunters. First time they did so with a murderer though, far as I know," the archer mused, glancing meaningfully at Blake.

"In my defense they're attempted. I never did actually kill anyone."

"Enemy generals only 'attempt' to kill each other, but that's fine since they only 'attempted' to." Fox smiled at Blake and tilted his head. "Want to try that logic again?"

Blake didn't, and Weiss felt a bit of tension unwind itself when neither Coco nor Fox pressed them for more.

What they shared with the pair had been only a sliver of the truth. Weiss, Blake, and Yang had met in Holbrook, then were sent on High Commander Rainart's behest to Plockton. They met with Ruby at Fort Morris, and after ensuring the safety of refugees there - and traveling with said refugees until parting ways, they had come here to rest at Ambrose.

It was as much the truth as Ambrose was proving to be a peaceful rest, but it was enough to satisfy Coco's questions. She and Fox regarded them skeptically still but given no one had a blade to their throat anymore Weiss counted that as a win.

"Well, it's good to know that there are other Hunters out here with us. Fox and I were beginning to wonder what the hell the Church was doing."

Yang opened her mouth to speak and yelped instead when Weiss kicked her leg.

They'd agreed to let Weiss talk if only to keep them from accidentally stumbling into a mess by revealing too much. Maybe it was unfair to think Yang's first words since settling would out them. Her sheepish grin and nervous chuckle said it wasn't completely unfounded.

"From our understanding its to avoid alerting the dastards behind this. If the Church mobilized a force too large then they might be tipped off," Weiss explained. "Rather than risk that they opted to send us."

"As a token force," Fox observed, raising an eyebrow when the four of them stared at the blind man, and Weiss wondered how someone without sight seemed to know it. "It's obvious, isn't it? You four are either new or not really trained for this. You've been sent to try and fix things without really expecting to."

"Which probably means we'd be up next if you failed," Coco mused, without bitterness or animosity Weiss and company felt. The woman regarded that eventuality with the concern that one might being told their favorite food stall had run out of their favorite dish.

Weiss pursed her lips and traced the grains on the table. She didn't know if she was envious of Coco's nonchalance or dubious about the sincerity of it.

The Church was well within their right to dispatch who they pleased. That didn't mean Weiss had to like her assignment.

Nothing kills the mood quite like considering one's own potential death. While their table fell into silence those around them carried on with hushed conversation. Guards gathered to eat and drink, complaining about overlong shifts while cursing about various pains and stiffness. The three barmaids of the inn were in a perpetual hustle, faces red and hair messy as they rushed to serve their overabundance of customers.

At this point maybe 'customers' was a bit generous. Weiss and her friends were paying for everything they got - it was the right thing to do, and Coco and Fox did the same. Besides that most people ate and drank for free.

The inn had been turned into something of a shelter since everything had began in Ambrose. Weiss turned and watched the innkeeper himself, a wizened Kanin with half of one ear, rush to and fro with a tray trying to help his staff, and wondered, not for the first time what had pushed the town to this point.

"Sickness, in a manner of speaking," Coco said. When pressed further she paused, glanced at Fox, then sighed and pushed herself from the table. "Come with us. And uh… Apologies in advance if you've got a weak stomach."

Well that was endearing. Weiss took one last sip of her water and stood, following Coco with the others. Where standing room had become a commodity inside the two-story inn they moved in a single file, pushing and excusing themselves to weave through the crowds. Weiss expected to go upstairs to the rooms to find a quiet place to talk. Instead they moved into the kitchens, past cooks whose clothing clung to them with sweat, and into a storage room just beyond the heated space.

Inside the dim room a storm door sat closed, sealed by a single bar slipped through its handles. Coco pulled it free while Fox ushered them inside, locking the door behind them.

"I'm gonna make something clear, so listen up. What you guys are about to see isn't something anyone knows about yet. We called in a favor to the Church and we're keeping things quiet until we know what the hell's going on."

"The kingdom's gone to shit," Fox lamented. "Figured that was obvious?"

Coco ignored her partner's comment and pulled open one of the doors with an unpleasant creak. Musty air rose up from within and the faint flicker of torchlight below beckoned to them. "Do your best to ignore the smell. It was like that when we got here, if it helps." She laughed. "Probably best that they ran out of liquor in that case, eh?"

The smell alone was enough to make Weiss want to keep out of the basement. The ghostly groaning that seemed to echo throughout the empty room below wasn't helping matters either. Yang moved first, lips pulled into a tight smile and hands balled into fists. Ruby wasn't far behind and clung to the back of Yang's shirt, nose wrinkled in disgust.

Weiss paused at the top of the stairs and grimaced. The scent had become worse, a combination of mold and rot that made her partially filled stomach roil. Blake gagged, still feet behind her, and the Meera drew her scarf tighter around her nose and mouth.

"Hurry up," Coco urged them impatiently, putting a hand on Weiss' back and sending her down before following behind her. "I don't want the whole inn smelling like shit."

Bit late for that, albeit that might have more to do with the building being packed by stressed and overworked guards and townsfolk.

The basement opened up and turned into a wine cellar, or the remains of one. Barrels once set upon racks now stood haphazardly stacked along the wall, many cracked open and now empty. The racks themselves had been lined up side by side and bound with thick twine, forming a cage. Weiss was about to question what purpose it served until the same groan from before made her shudder and draw back. Someone was in pain, quite a bit of it, sounding like they were on the edge of delirium.

Or death.

Wordlessly Coco motioned for them to follow and found an opening between racks, taking them into a space more putrid and dismal still. Here, in the center of the enclosed space a woman laid out on the table, bound to it by leather straps. A tall, broad-shouldered man loomed over her with his back to them, bloodied gloves hanging from his belt.

"Proctor Peach? We have company."

The tall man turned curiously, raising an eyebrow at the ensemble. "Oh, oh my! I thought I'd heard someone coming!" He most certainly did not sound like a middle-aged woman.

Pink hair bobbed excitedly as a woman near half the man's height bound around the table with too much vigor given her bloody smock. Despite the bags beneath her eyes she smiled. "Weiss? Ruby? What are you doing here?"

After remembering she had a mouth to answer that question with, and a voice, Weiss shook her head and frowned. "Professor Peach! Why… We could ask you the same thing!"

Thumbelina Peach sighed. "They aren't. But when I received a letter from a nice young man asking for help, I could hardly say no. Officially, I'm not here." She winked. "Unofficially, I'm trying to sort out this mess."

"Any change in their condition?" Coco asked as she brushed past the rest. "Yatsuhashi, by the way," she added, slapping the obnoxiously tall man on the arm. "Yatsu, the kids."

"A pleasure to meet you. I wish it were under better circumstances, though."

"You're, like… Really, really tall," Ruby muttered in awe.

"Wait, he is?!" Fox gasped, holding a hand to his face before whining. "Coco, I think I'm blind!"

The archer groaned and rolled her eyes. "Not now, Fox. Have a fake crisis later. Right now, any progress, professor?"

Peach frowned, removing bloodied gloves and setting them on a barrel. "I'm afraid not. The patient barely responds to my magic, or any of the medicines I've made."

"Patient…?"

Yatsuhashi moved aside and gestured to the woman on the table. Dirty matted hair clung to her face and fanned out beneath her head. Wounds galore littered her body, or so Weiss assumed. The bloody sheet covering her from the chest down hardly bespoke a picture of health.

"You're… Torturing her?" Blake's voice was more puzzled than offended.

"'Studying' has a far nicer connotation to it, but you're not entirely wrong." Well that was sobering. Peach frowned at the woman and grabbed the top of the sheet, drawing it down. "What we're doing is trying to figure out what's driving people mad."

With just barely enough clothing left to keep the woman modest their 'patient' groaned again, eyelids fluttering but never opening. Sickly pale, clammy skin mixed with blood and caused a viscous pooling of liquids beneath her, some congealing into disgusting clumps.

Off-putting as the sight was Weiss found her eyes stuck on the woman's frail form. The entirety of the right side of her body, from her fingertips to her shoulder, down her abdomen and her leg, was littered in black, pulsing veins. While barely perceptible a fine black mist oozed off her body, too thinly spread to coalesce or create a cloud. That didn't keep Yang from stepping back and catching her breath.

"Recently we found miasma in the crops, and according to reports other towns had encountered the same thing." Peach moved to the head of the table, extending a hand over the woman's face. A gentle green glow flashed, and the woman's groaning ceased, although her restless twitching continued. "Right around the same time Grimm began to appear en masse. It appears the panic resulting from the miasma outbreak is what brought so many Grimm into the region."

"While that all makes wonderful sense it's this illness that has me stumped. In all my years working as a healer for the Church I have never, not once, encountered a sickness quite like this."

Weiss licked her quickly drying lips and stepped closer to the table. The woman twitched and her head turned slightly, facing her before rolling back. Her arm tensed, fingers clenching and unclenching before coming to rest. "What are the symptoms, exactly…?"

"Batshit crazy," Coco scoffed, sitting down on an overturned barrel and slouching forward. She removed her cap and fanned the air in front of her face with a scowl. "Those marks appear and then people just go nuts. Start attacking each other, other people. And that's hardly the worst of it."

"They change. They become something not quite… Natural." Yatsuhashi's brow furrowed as he looked down at the restrained woman. "It sounds insane, but they almost become Grimm, in a sense. Feral, without any sense of purpose beyond a wild killing intent."

Their cage clattered and Yang left in a hurry, covering her mouth while trembling. Ruby excused herself and followed her sister, their hasty footsteps ferrying them upstairs.

"Couldn't take the stink," Fox mused. With a shake of his head he rubbed one of his forearms, and for the first time Weiss realized it was bandaged. "At first it was one or two, and then more and more started going mad. They were trying to kill the villagers, and more than once we woke up with a few banging on our doors."

"People seem to have grown ill before going mad," Peach added. "Feverish, with shakes, sweating, reports of pain and nausea. Then a sense of dread, and finally the frenzy begins. These are of course only symptoms we've observed. No one has had the wherewithal to actually self-report, so these are guesses at best."

Weiss knew someone who could tell the healer everything she might want to know and more. Unfortunately, that person had just left, and she doubted anything on Remnant could convince Yang to come back.

Could miasma do that to people? She knew it could make them horribly, terribly ill. The class of magic was so atrociously effective at killing swathes of people that the Church outright banned its use beyond study, and even then, only a select few individuals could practice with it.

Individuals like Merlot.

"I'm guessing you figured out by now what that pyre was for." Coco hung her head and exhaled, running a hand through her hair. "We're supposed to be protecting people, that's a Hunter's job. Instead we're being forced to kill them and burn the bodies in hopes this madness doesn't spread." She looked up at Weiss and Blake with a bitter smile. "You sure picked the worst place in Vale to visit."

Quelling her stomach's desire to spill itself Weiss moved closer to the table, holding her breath before clasping a hand over her mouth and nose. The air was thick with the smell of iron, and though the woman had hardly begun to decay the smell of rotting flesh was unmistakable and overbearing. "Does she have a mark on her back…?"

"A mark, dear?"

"A symbol of sorts. Maybe it's not on her back, maybe on her neck? Somewhere out of sight." Weiss shuddered. "Have you noticed anything like that?"

"I can't say we have, although…" Peach glanced at Yatsuhashi as she grabbed her bloodied gloves. "We left the woman mostly decent, so I suppose there might be something in places we haven't looked." Yatsuhashi shifted uncomfortably but put his gloves back on as well. Following Peach's lead, he grabbed the woman's arm and leg, lifting her with all the gentleness a man his size could.

Clothing was cut away and the woman's bare shoulders tensed. All eyes fixed on her back, on the spot square between her shoulder blades.

Nothing was there.

Puzzled and not the least bit disappointed Weiss stepped back, frowning and dropping her hand. All the signs were there though. Frenzy, no regard for friend or foe, the veins. Everything suggested a condition not dissimilar to Yang's own, so why wasn't there a mark?

"There's one last place we haven't looked, but if it's all the same, I'd like to wait and check," Peach said while Yatsuhashi set the woman back down. He redid her bindings and pulled the blanket back up. "What made you think that there might be a mark?"

For a second Weiss feared she'd just completely exposed themselves. Poor wording given the woman's state of undress but nonetheless apt. Peach didn't regard her with anything besides curiosity however and neither Coco, Yatsuashu, nor Fox looked any more suspicious than before.

"We encountered something similar before." Again, half-truths and a little withholding of information. "The person we found had a mark on their back. Same symptoms."

Though faring markedly better, Weiss couldn't help but notice. Why was that? What difference did the mark make? Did that allow Yang to exert some measure of control, or did it act as a seal like she had suggested? Suffice to say the condition was the same, of that Weiss had no doubt. Yet where Yang appeared to be a 'final product' of sorts the people here by comparison were cheap copies. Incomplete.

"Whatever you know, dear, it would be of great help to us." Peach smiled gently despite the macabre setting. The patient groaned again, and she took a moment to soothe her suffering, for whatever good that might do. _For all we know her healing is making the condition worse._

While performing mental gymnastics and trying to decide what to divulge Coco reached out and grabbed her shoulder, squeezing it firmly. "Weiss, if we can do something about this, or if you know anything at all, please," she begged wistfully. "We're getting really tired of killing civilians here."

Outing Yang and revealing her condition wasn't an option. Besides, the Church already knew about Yang's being here, didn't they? Hazel had known anyways, and Weiss would assume discussion had taken place between the crown and the Church concerning Yang's status. That Peach hadn't seemed fussed about the Dimuran's presence despite undoubtedly knowing who she was had suggested as much.

Weiss glanced at the near naked woman and bit the inside of her cheek. She wouldn't say anything about Yang if it could be helped. Dubious as she might be, she wasn't about to turn the blonde in for experimentation. Luckily there was someone else she could throw under the carriage.

"Merlot." Just uttering the name brought a sharp curse out of Peach while Coco and Yatsuhashi exchanged worried looks. Weiss swallowed, nervous but glad that the man's name seemed more than enough. "He appears to be connected to all of this. That's only a working theory of course, but…"

"Of course, it makes sense now!" Yatsuhashi jumped slightly at Peach's outburst, and the pink-haired woman began to pace, almost rubbing her face with her bloodied glove before thinking better of it. "Jacobis Merlot, for those who don't know. He was a researcher with the Church for nigh on forty summers. Damn good one too," she recounted, ceasing her pacing and frowning deeply. "He was chased out and branded rogue some years ago however for performing unethical research. Something to do with miasma, I think."

Weiss knew that, naturally. This absolutely wasn't her first time hearing about any of it, not at all. In a sad sense it was comforting. Not comforting to know a man with more than twice her lifetime's worth of research was plotting this, no, but comforting to know their hunches had been proven founded.

Thankfully Peach didn't question how they had come across the man's name or why they might know him. Much too engrossed in Weiss' disclosure she took to her patient again, studying her intently for… Well Weiss didn't know what, she wasn't a healer.

"Yatsuhashi, I'll need your help for a bit longer, dear. Coco, Fox? If you two could bring anyone else who's exhibiting symptoms to us, I think I might know a way to cure this."

What ought to be exciting news looked to deflate the pair immeasurably. While Fox slumped against the racks Coco let out a shuddering sigh and ran her hand down her face. "You mean, all this time, we could have cured these people…?"

"What's done is done, child. You did what you needed to in order to protect innocent people. It's unfortunate," Peach began, pausing when the older Hunters all shot her an angry look. "It's unfortunate that we didn't realize sooner, but we can still save others. Do not blame yourselves. If anyone here is at fault it's me for not realizing it sooner."

"You aren't the one who put your blade in their chests," Fox muttered.

"Or shot them like they were some wild animal," Coco added.

Yatsuhashi remained silent, though his pained expression said enough.

"I'm the senior Magi here, and one who should recognize the signs of miasma poisoning. The fault lies with me, and me alone. Regardless of who is at fault," Peach continued while examining the woman's eyes. "There is work to be done. We can hate ourselves later, for now please… Do what you can. There are still those we can yet save, and if we make a breakthrough here then healers can be dispatched to other towns." She smiled sadly. "We'll win this yet, children. Have faith."

Faith. How many of those afflicted had faith up until they went rampant? Weiss found little comfort despite the potentially momentous breakthrough. They hadn't had to kill anyone in all their travels, only Grimm. She couldn't imagine what it was like. And to learn that those you killed could have possibly been saved?

Coco and Fox didn't say a word as they lead her and Blake upstairs again. After sealing the door again and leaving the storage room behind them the pair excused themselves, pushing through the crowd and heading towards the exits.

Weiss certainly didn't envy them. If anything she wondered how they might come out of this not hating themselves. Even now they had to think they had made a terrible mistake. She knew she would in their position. Back in the dreary environment that was the overstuffed inn Weiss felt no desire to return to their seats, and certainly no desire to go out and face the pyre or the despondent citizens again. At the stairs she spot Ruby waving for them, with Yang higher up the staircase. Blake grabbed her arm and pulled her towards others, taking the steps two at a time.

Most rooms had been stripped bare, doors left open as nothing remained to steal. A few were occupied by people sleeping on cots, bed rolls, or the floor itself. Finding a vacant room for themselves Ruby ushered them inside, closing the door and using her scythe to prop it closed.

In the center of the room Yang waited for them, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently. She'd regained some of her color from before but still looked stressed, face sheen with sweat and jaw clenched.

"Girls, we gotta talk."

"What about exactly?" Weiss asked, exasperated. "The greatest crisis the kingdom has seen in decades, Merlot, the Church and this conspiracy of yours?" Coiling herself up with tension she threw her hands up and groaned. "Or do you have another yet undisclosed disaster to share with us? Because we could certainly use another!"

Devoid of her usual smile and visibly straining Yang nodded slowly. "The Church. We can't not talk about it, Weissy, and we gotta figure out what we're doing from here. Now's a good a time as any."

"Well I don't _want_ to talk about it!" Weiss snapped. "The only thing I want right now is to give that man Merlot a piece of my mind!" Or better yet a piece of her rapier, or a good spell or two.

"Weiss. The Church clearly knew what was going on. If we figured it out, if Raven figured it out, then surely they did too." Blake moved closer to Yang and frowned. "You can't ignore that. They're withholding things from us. Unless you think we're more competent than Ozpin?"

She didn't believe that in the slightest. Ozpin must have had his reasons for not telling them everything though. Maybe he knew they would figure it out. Maybe it had been a need to know basis.

Maybe the Church legitimately didn't know.

As unlikely as it sounded Weiss couldn't deny that possibility, and yet acknowledging that meant the Church was incompetent at best, and just ignorant at worst. If what Peach had said was true then Merlot was a monster of their own making. They'd have kept tabs on him. They had to know.

Ruby took Weiss' hand in her own and smiled reassuringly before addressing her sister and Blake. "Look. Maybe we don't know what's going on right now, and maybe we don't know who's right or wrong. But what I _do_ know is that the four of us are in this together. Right now we're all we have to rely on, and we can't do that if we're arguing. I doubt the Church is trying to trick us," she said, then added with an apologetic smile. "But we're obviously being kept in the dark too, Weiss. We should figure this out instead of yelling at each other."

Weiss wasn't happy about it but Ruby spoke the truth. Maliciously or not the Church hadn't told them everything, but neither had it, or Ozpin, not given them a chance to figure things out on their own. Given the Archbishop's penchant for vague lessons Weiss wouldn't put it past the man to expect them to learn it all themselves.

They could sit here all day and debate whether the Church was hiding something. They could doubt each other and tell the other they were wrong until they were blue in the face. They each had their own ideas of the Church and none of them lined up, not entirely. That was fine.

What they did know was Merlot was behind this. Merlot. Not the Church, not the White Fang, and as deplorable as the woman had been, not Raven. The crisis had a face now and they had a chance to do something about it. Only if they could quit fighting each other.

"I shall… Try to see things from your perspectives," Weiss acquiesced, smiling when Yang finally seemed to relax. "But I ask that you don't blindly bash the Church either. We can discuss this, and our plans, without insulting one another's beliefs."

"Even if those are false?" Blake asked, then grunted and rubbed her side, narrowing her eyes at Yang.

"Play nice, kitty. We're all friends here."

"Pretty sure that's racist and speak for yourself. I tolerate you at best."

Yang chuckled. "Aw, I tolerate you too, Blakey. Now come on, let's spin us a yarn."

"Yang, please…"

"What? Aw come on, don't glare at me, Blake! I was just _kitten_ around."

Unanimous groans. Ruby released Weiss' hand and stomped her foot. "Yang, this is serious!"

"So am I! Besides, some good jokes are just what we need to lighten the mood and get us working together."

"Good jokes, perhaps," Weiss sighed. "Yours are anything but."

Yang gasped and clutched her chest. "Weiss, that was cold! I'd even say… _Weiss_ cold."

Ruby shook her fists before whining. "I changed my mind! First order of business: we make Yang stop telling jokes! All in favor?"

Three hands shot up. Yang gawked, then crossed her arms again but grinned unabashedly. "Look at that, you're all agreeing on something! Told you my jokes were just what we needed."

* * *

 **See ya'll next time. Love each other, be good, and have a wonderful rest of your week!**


	32. Chapter 32: Healer's Aides

**Fair bit of switching between characters this chapter. You have been warned.**

 **Me: I could maybe do this all through Weiss' perspective.**

 **Also me: But you could do something else too?**

 **Me: Good point, me!**

 **I'm a pushover. Also potentially insane? Eh, par for the course in 2019!**

* * *

"So…" Yang pressed her fingers into a steeple and collapsed back onto her bed. It cracked, aged fame giving away and she winced before flashing a forced grin. "Who wants to start?"

Weiss was reluctant to begin these conversations again. Yang would say how awful the Church was, Blake and Ruby would argue Raven had convinced them, and she herself would be the lone voice of reason. Except unlike before she had no excuse of Raven somehow manipulating them, not when magic like that required proximity.

Her companions were just that delusional.

Blake stepped forward, looking at Weiss askance before frowning. "I will, and I'll start off by being honest with you all. I don't care." The Meera folded her arms and scowled. "If the Church is manipulating everyone? Fine, I never liked them to begin with. If Raven is lying? It doesn't matter, we likely won't have to deal with her again any time soon."

If they were lucky, they wouldn't, though the woman did seem interested in their business. In her, Weiss reminded herself glumly. The woman never had explained what it was that Weiss could offer which made her so intrigued. Was it her runes? Sure, a rune Magi were rare, especially compared to your typical elemental-flinging spell casters, but there were others in Remnant, perhaps some more inclined to Raven's way of thinking.

Why her specifically then? All the convoluted steps to ensure Weiss would arrive at Fort Morris, all the planning it must have taken.

What did Raven know that she didn't?

"Weiss, you asked why I changed sides before," Blake went on. "I didn't. I fought for myself before and I fight for myself now. I want to learn what happened to my parents, and why they - peaceful leaders of a peaceful movement, were struck down. I'm here because I want answers and I figured this was my best bet at getting some. That…" She glanced at Ruby and smiled. "And I owe you for keeping me from the gallows. And now that I'm here I can't exactly leave, can I?"

"Revenge is what motivates you, then?" Weiss asked, particularly nonplussed.

Then again was Blake truly as single-minded as she claimed? Revenge seemed like such a base motivator, too simple. She'd spoken of helping her friends in the White Fang, and they had fought side-by-side now, laughed together, and very nearly died together. Maybe Weiss was reaching but she felt there might be more to the Meera's claims than she cared to admit.

"I don't think anything is wrong with that," Ruby voiced carefully. "Back in Vale, before I left, I talked to my dad about Summer - my mom," she clarified for Blake. "Qrow too. Maybe it's not revenge exactly, but I do want to know what happened to her. And… I don't know what'll happen when I found out, but I want to know the truth, too."

"That makes two of us, sis." Yang rolled her shoulders and sighed, scratching at the scales on her neck. "Hunters die, we all get that, but mom was… She seemed like she'd live forever, ya know? Super mom. Strong, smart, and the best baker of cookies on Remnant. The fact that we've been told nothing, and that I could hardly find anything, is really weird."

Perhaps there was nothing to hide. Perhaps Summer Rose had simply died fighting against Grimm. Mistakes happened, and all the training in the world would amount for naught with a single misstep. No one was immune to mistakes. Not Summer Rose, not any of them, nor even someone like Ozpin.

Ruby settled against Yang on the bed and closed her eyes, face drawn tight as she leaned into her sister's embrace. From what Weiss knew Summer had vanished years ago, even before Yang went missing. Evidently, pain from losing family lasted much longer than she gave it credit for.

Weiss ought to understand that better than anyone.

The brunette took a deep breath, rubbed at her face, and stared ahead blankly. "I don't know if Raven's telling the truth, and honestly? I really, really hope she isn't. But things really do look that way."

"So, you believe that the Church truly is deceiving us?" Weiss asked, almost mockingly so. Ruby shook her head and shied away, withering under her gaze. "What, then? What are you suggesting, Ruby?"

"Maybe the Church doesn't know? It seems like a stretch, but…" Ruby shrugged.

"Or maybe they do know but they accept it anyways. Consider it for a second, think about why Magi and Hunters are so effective at combating Grimm. Without our magic we're a little better than the common soldier." Blake glanced at her hand and frowned. "It's only because of our spells that Magi can kill Grimm so easily. And, even if we do cause more to appear in the process, clearly Hunters have had no problem slaying them too."

"Maybe Raven is right. Maybe magic _does_ cause Grimm to appear. That doesn't mean we have to agree with her on everything, or even pick her side." Yang hugged Ruby before snorting. "Hell, if she runs her tribe anything like her family then she'll leave that before long, too. No sense in joining up with them now."

Not that anyone intended to do that. Weiss certainly hadn't. Barring the obvious implications of becoming rogue, becoming a criminal, and becoming subservient to a bandit of all things she hardly wanted such a rough lifestyle. She might be a bastardized Schnee, but she was still a Schnee at heart: a Schnee did not live in squalor. That was maybe the one real trait she inherited from them.

"I don't think siding with Raven would work anyways. We really can't trust her."

"Tell us something we don't know," Yang grumbled.

"Why not?" Ruby asked, shrugging off Yang's embrace and leaning forward.

"The other night, when Ilia appeared, Raven caught us speaking. I told you all that." Blake frowned and pulled at her scarf, ears flattening. "Maybe it slipped my mind until now but there was something, she said to us. She told us that Vale doesn't belong to the White Fang, and I imagine she doesn't believe it belongs to the Church either." She eyed them warily. "She said that Vale belonged to her, not any of them. And it could have been idle threats, but she doesn't seem the type to make those. I think it was genuine."

"Raven wants Vale?" Yang laughed sharply. "Sorry, Blakey, but I'm calling bullshit there. Even if she did somehow take down Vale's Church there's the other three kingdoms, their royal families, their own branches of the Church, and the military. No one can fight all that."

Maybe Raven didn't intend to, at least not in the traditional sense. What would happen if Raven were to somehow proliferate the news that magic, and by extension Hunters and Magi, were the reason Grimm were so prevalent. Whether Weiss thought the claims legitimate or not didn't keep her from considering the potential fallout from that.

People would panic. Some would deny it like she had, but the common man would likely have a knee jerk reaction, especially those already against the Church.

Cities and towns afforded a ward wouldn't care, they were protected. All the other settlements though? If even a portion of the population in Vale rose up in protest, and the same hysteria spread to other kingdoms? Raven wouldn't need to wage war against Ozpin, she'd have thousands, if not tens of thousands disillusioned citizens to do that for her.

"Until we can verify Raven's claims or not I think there's one thing we can all agree on: she is not to be trusted."

"Never did to begin with," Yang said dryly.

"I figured she was more like mom, since she saved me and those people…" Ruby sounded dejected by the revelation, or maybe because she could no longer ignore the obvious truth before her. "We can't have people panicking like that. So many would die…"

"And who knows what would happen after that. The Church would likely need to take measures to prevent another upheaval. And who's to say people in the warded settlements don't take up arms seeing Hunters used to slaughter friends and kin?"

"I just want to make it back to Vale with you three. I want us all to be able to just… Be happy." Ruby smiled wistfully, hugging Yang before looking between Weiss and Blake. "All of us."

Weiss swallowed and cleared her throat. "Regardless of what we may or may not believe, I share your sentiment." She blinked, wiping at her eye before smiling. "We can worry about grand conspiracies once this matter is settled. And I mean it. I'll research what I can once we return to the city and try to find merit to these claims."

"You've seen plenty already though! Back in the cave, and even outside Holbrook. Hells," Yang waved her arm. "When Blake and the Fang attacked your spells made Grimm appear."

"The cave is difficult to explain, but not the incidents at Holbrook, or on the road. People were panicked, uncertain, and for good reason. There was ample negativity to spawn Grimm." Weiss held up her hand before Yang could argue. "I'm not saying your claims are impossible, am I? I'm merely pointing out that there are other explanations, and until we rule every other possibility out I cannot believe it."

Ruby nodded along, offering an apologetic smile to her sister. Blake shrugged, ambivalent as ever.

Outside the moon vanished behind clouds, blanketed and robbing Ambrose of its light. Not that there wasn't more to spare, not with numerous torches and a pyre burning brightly outside, and a simple oil lantern in the room. It gave the room a warm if eerie glow, casting long shadows against the walls that danced with flickering flame. Rubbing her arm and glancing out through the dirty windows Weiss sighed.

"That was much more… Civil than our last discussion. I think it's good enough for now." She eyed the far bed before smiling, eyelids heavier with each passing second. "We can continue it in the morning, but for now let's get some rest. It might be our last chance for a while to enjoy a good bed."

"Of which we only have two," Blake pointed out.

"We could share? Yang and I used to share a bed all the time!"

"Ruby, we were little kids. I don't even know if we'd fit now."

"Uh… I can scoot over!"

Weiss laughed under her breath, covering her mouth. "Perhaps you two can take this room? There might be another."

"Doubt it, you saw the rest of them. Most are stripped bare, and the few that weren't are filled already." Weiss glanced pointedly at Blake until the Meera let out a sigh. "Sure, you two take this room. We'll find somewhere else."

"What? You guys can stay, too! Yang and I will share!" Ruby protested.

"And what, Blake and I will share as well?" Weiss raised an eyebrow while Ruby shrugged. "I've come to not loathe her, but I don't want to share a bed with her regardless."

"Why not? I'd share a bed with her," Yang laughed.

"Yang!" Ruby and Weiss yelled in unison. The Dimuran howled louder and Blake rolled her eyes, pulling up her scarf to cover her mouth and her cheeks.

"What? Cats like heat and I'm warm! I bet she'd like it too!"

"Not a cat, and you're too loud when you sleep. You snore."

"Do not!"

"Do too," Weiss muttered, shaking her head. "I'd thought Grimm were descending upon us on the first night. Maybe they should have, then we'd have slept easier."

Yang gawked, then frowned. "Guys, I do _not_ snore. Tell them, Ruby!" Her little sister squirmed on the spot, pressing her fingers together and refusing to make eye contact. "Ruby?!"

"W-Well… I guess you are a little loud…?" She squeaked, kicking her legs and reaching for Blake or Weiss as Yang held her close. "Guys, I changed my mind, I'll go somewhere else! Don't leave me with her, I'll never sleep!"

"Oh hush! You slept fine before!"

Not that Weiss was considering taking Ruby up on her offer, but seeing the girls wrestle, giggling and smiling, she hadn't the heart to separate them now. They hadn't had much time together by themselves since reuniting, far be it from her to separate them any longer. Gathering her bag and joining Blake at the door she poked her head back inside just in time to watch Ruby grab the pillow, fending off Yang as she threatened to tickle her.

"Have a good night, you two!" Both girls offered a quick goodbye before resuming their antics. Happier for her decision even if it meant going without a bed Weiss closed the door, rolling her eyes as giggles erupted from inside the room. "I doubt we'd sleep with them anyway, the way they are."

"And now you see my reason for sleeping away from you three." Blake wiggled her ears to illustrate her point further, then turned and started back towards the stairs. "Have a good night, Weiss. See you in the morning."

"Wait, you're not helping me find a room? Where do you plan to sleep?"

"Outside. I'm used to it, and besides, I'm still hungry." The Meera smirked. "I'll grab a snack and maybe see if they need help with patrols or anything. You'll see me in the morning, don't worry."

She wasn't worried, and what a refreshing change of pace. Worried about plenty of other things but not Blake running off on them in the middle of the night. After bidding her goodnight she moved through the hall, finding a small room that might well be a storage closet than a bedroom. It was empty, and more to the point, available. With the ground floor still bustling and the sisters enjoying some much-deserved alone time it was as good a spot as any.

Weiss propped her bag against the far wall, sitting on the floor and shifting with a grimace. Floorboards, unsurprisingly, were uncomfortable. At least the ground gave way somewhat and grass and leaves helped.

Just barely long enough for her to fit with the door closed she removed her cloak, fumbling in the pitch dark with her clasp until it came loose. Giving it a shake, she laid her head on her bag, draping the cloak over herself and staring up at the invisible ceiling.

Even with the nearby sounds of giggling and tussling, and with the knowledge of the macabre events happening just below, sleep caught up with her quickly.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Weiss slept as poorly as one might expect. Between kicking the door when she stretched, aches being agitated and new ones forming, sleep had been a fleeting thing. And that was all before the bells began to toll.

Ringing bells were hardly a rare thing. The Church used bells as signals, both to its Hunters and for the masses. Services were commenced and ended with the chime of a bell and certain tones were used to convey unspoken orders to Hunters across the city. Only once had Weiss known the latter to be used but the services were an everyday occurrence. That was normal.

The frantic chiming that shook Ambrose awake was not.

By the time Weiss stumbled out of her 'room' Ruby and Yang were already waiting for her, or rather, looking around frantically for any sign of her. Ruby rushed over and skid to a halt, examining Weiss' disheveled, fatigued state before whining. "Weiss… You should have stayed! We only needed the one bed!"

"Jeez, Weissy, you look like crap," Yang said, looking far more rested and better for it.

Weiss invoked Ruby and stuck out her tongue, rubbing at her face in agitation. Gods, why was that bell ringing? Why so early? What time was it anyways? "Never mind that, what's the commotion for?"

"We don't know! We just woke up too." Ruby glanced around again before frowning. "Hey, where's Blake?"

"Not here, obviously," Weiss grumbled. Her joints popped as she moved and she winced, rubbing a particularly sore patch on her back. "Come on, let's find where our intrepid friend has gone. And why this town seems to hate us."

It might hate them but not its own residents. Rooms beside their own remained quiet, people sleeping through the tolling bell. Not a fire then, which had been Weiss' first assumption, and perhaps not a Grimm attack either. In the dining room people ate their breakfast and kept to themselves, although a handful did congregate at the windows. Exchanging perplexed looks with the sisters Weiss made a beeline for the door, throwing it open and bracing at the chilly morning air.

Much of the town had woken from the bell and gathered in the square. From the front of the inn to the tower in the middle of Ambrose people stood, packed tightly and shouting up to the figures above. The bell ceased tolling and Coco strode to the edge of the lookout, trying and failing to shout over the masses. She raised her arms to try and settle everyone down. A rock narrowly missing her head was her answer.

"The hell's going on?!" Yang shouted.

As if Weiss or Ruby would have an answer. Coco and Fox were stuck atop the watchtower with a handful of guards, and a few more stood at the base, pressed flush against the supports as the crowd pressed in.

Where was Blake? Weiss tried to pick her friend out in the crowd but failed to spot her; having to get on her toes just to see over Ruby didn't help. They had to settle this. Didn't these people worry about negativity drawing Grimm? As far as they knew it would.

Maybe they just didn't care.

Coco tried again and failed to get her voice across. From the base of the tower maybe she was audible but from afar she may as well be whispering for all the good it did. How did they settle a panicked crowd down?

"Cover your ears, girls!"

Weiss just saw the crackling flame in Yang's hand before clasping her hands over her ears, and even then, it was startlingly loud. People closest to them jumped away in fright, one man even diving over the railing to get away. Close as she was a faint ringing persisted when Weiss lowered her hands, glaring at Yang and stomping her foot. "Some warning would be appreciated!"

"I warned you," Yang responded with a lopsided smirk. "'Sides, it worked, didn't it?"

Oh, so it had.

People had quieted down at last which was nice. Having most of the town staring at them? Not so much. Ruby shuffled and hid behind her older sister while Weiss tried not to let dozens of sets of eyes unnerved her. She was used to plenty of people staring. Less so when every face looked ready to tear into her.

Coco clapped her hands twice and thankfully took the crowd's attention back. Now that people had calmed the guards below eased them back from the tower, a few citizens taken off the backs of carts or barrels.

"Thanks for that! If you're all done trying to bring Grimm to our gates maybe now, I can say what I wanted to say!" Grumbles of discontent but no shouting. Satisfied, Coco dropped her hands. "I know you're all angry, but please, we're doing the best we can! We need you to calm down and -"

"Calm down?! We're dying! People are getting sicker by the day!"

"You haven't done anything since arriving!"

"How long are we supposed to wait?!"

"There's going to be no one left!"

Coco waved her arms and miraculously people quieted down, although Yang having her own arm raised might have had something to do with that.

"Look, you're angry, I get it. We're just as angry with ourselves. We didn't come here expecting any of this but we're doing the best we can…"

"My husband is dead because of you! Because you can't figure out how to fix this! Your best isn't good enough!"

Weiss jaw ached as she grit her teeth. Who were these people to yell at Coco? They had no right! All of this was Merlot's doing, not theirs. They were protecting the villagers! Finding the inconsolable woman in the crowd she stepped forward to give her a piece of her mind but stopped short. Ruby clutched onto her arm, shaking her head with a worried look.

"If you're angry at us I don't blame you. If you hate us, I don't blame you. But please, you need to calm down. Any undue panic will bring Grimm, and I don't have to tell anyone here what that means."

A town already at its end, in the clutches of hysteria with a mysterious illness ravaging its people. It'd be the end of Ambros, even with Weiss and company there to help.

"Continue as you were! We've taken measures to make sure no one else falls ill. As we speak, one of our best healers is working to develop a cure, but in the meantime, we need you all to remain calm." Not a few worried glances went to Yang who still had her arm raised. "Until we develop a cure you need to remain strong," Coco urged, slumping and running a hand over her face. "I know 'hope' isn't much, but that's all we can give you for now."

Weiss appreciated optimism as much as the next person, but it wasn't much assurances here. No one knew why people became ill or how it passed between people, if at all. All they had were signs, and the cure, if it could be called that, was death at the hands of a Hunter.

Hope might as well be a paper dam against a raging river for all the good it served them.

Yet people seemed to accept that. Through either quiet resignation or dejection, the crowd slowly but surely began to disperse. Not without a handful of hurled insults and one or two stones, but that too was quickly settled.

Guards stationed at the base of the tower relaxed visibly, embracing one another and retreating for the barracks the moment they could. Weiss watched the tower as a man inside spoke with Coco, and Fox remained by the ladder, feet dangling while sitting on the edge. Bold for a blind man. Coco's conversation turned heated briefly and Fox turned to speak, then both parties shared a look before the man descended as well, leaving the young Hunters alone.

"That was exciting…"

Weiss nearly jumped out of her skin, spinning around and grabbing for the rapier she didn't have on hand. Blake smiled innocently, raising an eyebrow at Ruby sat in Yang's arms, silver eyes wide in fright.

"Gods, don't do that!" Weiss snapped.

"What? I waited, didn't I?"

"I almost had a heart attack," whined Ruby, looking at Yang before squirming and standing again. "How long were you there?"

"Oh… Most of the rousing speech." The Meera glanced briefly at the tower. "They're completely at their wits end. I don't think this town is going to keep it together much longer."

"Because they're holding it together so well now," Yang quipped.

"Blake, where did you go last night? I know you said you were hungry, but after that? We never saw you."

Not that Weiss would have had company in her cramped quarters, but the sisters hadn't seen Blake either from the looks of it.

"I poked around a bit, eavesdropped on a few conversations." Yang gawked and the ravenette snorted softly. "What? My shadows make sneaking around easy, it's kind of my specialty." She paused before frowning at Yang. "Speaking of which, what happened to not using any? Ignoring my obvious hypocrisy for the moment…" she added bashfully.

"It's not _all_ magic that does it." Yang checked around to make sure they were alone, and then waved them along. From the front patio of the inn they moved around to the side, tucking themselves into the adjacent alleyway. It absolutely reeked of unmentionable things.

"Here, of all places?" Blake griped, nose and mouth covered.

"Go on, Yang," Weiss insisted, mirroring Blake. "What were you saying?"

"Not all magic makes Grimm appear, or at least, not small amounts of it. You can still do little stuff and be fine. It's like…" Yang scratched her cheek, tilting her head as she pursed her lips. "Put down a tiny bit of seed and a few birds show up. Put out a trough of it and a whole flock appears."

"So, it depends on the quantity of magic expended as well?"

"Pretty much. But even then, doing something for too long runs the same risk. Every spell is kinda like a beacon, and the longer it burns the likelier you are to attract somethin'."

"Is it bird seed or a beacon?"

"Both! My point is that it attracts Grimm, but only a point. Which is something Raven didn't exactly tell you guys."

"Nor did you," Weiss said curtly. "When did you intend to fill us in on that tidbit?"

The Dimuran grinned. "Well, soon as possible, but someone didn't wanna talk about it. That means we're good to use magic, in little bits here and there. And yeah, I'm okay with it too. Won't agitate anything if you use a small spell or two."

Lovely to know, but not helpful for their current situation.

"More to the point, you said you had been looking around last night. Did you find anything of value, Blake?" Weiss asked.

"At first? Not much really. Some people think its a plague brought on by the gods, others think the Church itself is causing this. Which I guess has some merit, except this has happened only in this region according to what I heard. It's mostly towns further south in the kingdom."

"Closer to Plockton," Ruby said.

"Right. Which further supports our idea that Merlot is somehow behind this. It doesn't explain why only some towns were affected though. If the miasma we've seen is his doing then Yang found that in Holbrook, which brings me to my next point. People here, or at least the residents, seem to think the refugees are the cause," Blake recalled, frowning and shaking her head. "Which also doesn't make sense. If what we've been told is right, then the illness comes on suddenly and doesn't take long to drive someone mad. For people to be able to travel while sick, well, it just wouldn't work."

Which ruled out refugees. Not much but it was a start. People couldn't be carriers if the sickness was quick to onset, at least none of the refugees. There was a chance that one of the residents had been patient zero, but a cursory glance towards the smoldering pyre was a ghastly reminder that checking them for clues was likely out of the question.

"Well, back at Holbrook a bunch of the trees died, right? And some of the crops too," Yang said, tapping her chin. "So… Maybe we should start by checking crops? Maybe Merlot did something to those."

"Hey, yeah! And if we find out those are bad then we'll just burn those!" Ruby exclaimed, clearly delighted by their breakthrough. "How do we test though?"

"Merlot uses runes for all his magic, and the miasma isn't an exception. And… We just so happen to have a little rune Magi of our own, don't we?" Yang snickered as she slung an arm around a protesting Weiss' shoulders. "What do you think, princess? Can you test for runes?"

"N-Naturally! I should be able to reveal anything left behind with a simple uncoding spell. But that does me little good if I can't figure out the counter-runes to undo the spell." Weiss shrugged Yang's arm off and sighed. "Runic magic is complicated. Where fire and ice - in theory, cancel each other out, rune magic requires specific characters for our spells to take effect. And the only way to counter a spell is to understand the characters' opposite mark."

"How hard can that be! You're super smart, Weiss!" Ruby encouraged. "If anyone can do it, it's you!"

"There are approximately 3,524 runes. I know perhaps a thousand and utilize a quarter of that at best."

"Oh."

"That being said… Perhaps we can find some kind of resource here in town. A book or maybe someone familiar with the system itself. This is all assuming that I'll need help." Which there was a very likely chance she would. Weiss nonetheless smiled, feeling confident. "I'm certain I can recognize the runes used, and through trial and error I should be able to figure out the counter spell for it."

Which was to say nothing of curing the residents themselves. Curing some vegetables and healing a living person were two entirely different beasts. Weiss didn't have to worry about dispelling magic killing a piece of produce; it was anyone's guess what curing a person might do.

"At any rate, I believe we have our first step. Let's get out into the fields and examine the crops. If it's a similar case to Holbrook as we expect then I can expose, and hopefully remove, the miasma."

"You can do it, Weiss!" Ruby saddled up beside her, bumping shoulder to shoulder with a bright smile. "And we'll be there to help you figure it out! Our team has got this!"

"Oho, we're a team now, are we?" Yang mused. "Does that mean we need a name?"

"We really don't…" Blake breathed.

Ruby was having none of it, mumbling to herself as she gave her best efforts to devising a team name. Yang led her sister by the shoulder out of the dank alleyway and Weiss followed alongside Blake, the Meera taking a gratuitous gasp of fresher air once free.

"Jeez, holding your breath, Blakey?"

"You try standing beside rotting garbage with my sense of smell…"

"Blake, no passing out! We need you here to come up with a name!"

Weiss reached out past Yang and gently chopped Ruby's head, smiling amused while her partner stuck out her tongue.

"Saving Ambrose first, team names later."

"Weiss," Blake whined. "Don't encourage her…"

"I think it would be fun!" Yang bellowed, laughing as she hugged Ruby with one arm, dragging Weiss in with the other. "Come on Blake, team hug!"

"Pass."

/+/+/+/+/+/

"Sir, if you could only answer our questions…"

"And I told you we don't want your sorcery!"

Ruby pressed herself against the door. "We just need a few answers, that's all! We're here to help!"

"You Hunters have helped enough already!"

"Sir, you're being unreasonable!" Weiss snapped.

The door creaked, opening and closing, tossing and turning as a restless sleeper in bed. Ruby yelped and tumbled back as the door was torn from her hands, landing with an 'oof!' Weiss stumbled back, gritting her teeth before stomping her foot.

"You lot are insufferable; do you hear me?! We. Are. Here. To. Help!" No answer and the door remained firmly closed. Scoffing, she threw her hands up in defeat. "Incredible! Don't they realize we're their only chance at survival?" She helped Ruby to her feet. "And yet they're blaming us, the Church, for all of this!"

"We could tell them what's really going on…"

They could but it wouldn't amount to much. The fact remained Coco and company had arrived, failed to cure anything, and subsequently began killing the sick. To no one's surprise that had barely built a good rapport with the townsfolk.

Weiss glared at the sealed home before stomping away, chewing on one knuckle. No resident had been forthcoming with them yet and every visit had been the same. A cursory glance up and she watched a family hurry out of their path, the father glaring at them until they disappeared.

Ambrose was gripped in terror and rightfully or not they blamed Hunters for their misfortune. _Even if we explained our theory that Merlot caused this, I doubt it would do any good. They seem completely reluctant to listen to reason. Or incapable._

Which meant that they were on their own with this.

"I hope Blake and Yang are having better luck…" Ruby muttered. "Weiss, maybe we should go try to find them? They're bound to have found something by now!"

Given the option of checking in on their friends or continuing this fruitless endeavor? Weiss cut left at the town well and made way for the town's gates, sealed as always. One of the towers had been opened for ease of entry but the gates remained closed in case of Grimm. A fair trade, Weiss supposed, if an inconvenient one.

"Let's hope so…"

/+/+/+/+/+/+/

Yang huffed, lifting the pumpkin and setting it on the rickety table. "That's the last of it! One of everything from the gardens." The Dimuran whistled, patting the orange fruit. Cabbages, cauliflower, pumpkin, and potatoes adorned the table. A small wicker basket of apples teetered on the edge, plucked from various trees in the orchard. "Ready to start checking, Blakey?"

The Meera stared at the table, caught somewhere between reluctance and… Fear? Blake stumbled when Yang shook her shoulder. "Oi, Remnant to Blake, you okay? You're spacing out on me there, partner."

"What…? Yeah, y-yeah, I'm fine, sorry. Just didn't sleep much last night."

Uh huh, and she was blue with pink scales. Yang took one of Yang's daggers, tested its edge on the pumpkin, then began to carve away. After slicing a hole large enough to peer through she peered inside, huffing, then using a small flame to illuminate the interior. "Looks like a plain old pumpkin to me… No signs of miasma or anything here."

Leaves cracked loudly as Blake tore into the cabbage head, tossing leaves aside. Shaking droplets from her hands the Meera shook her head. "Nothing in the cabbage either. No rot, no signs of tampering, nothing."

"Welp, keep looking! Trees mighta been clean but the crops could be bad."

"Wouldn't we have noticed…?"

Yang snorted. "Don'tcha remember what Weiss said?" She stood rigid and held up a finger, clearing her throat loudly. "Miasma does not transfer between organic beings the same way traditional illness might. If multiple plants, or people, show signs of miasma poisoning then the spell was wide cast," she recounted, pitching her voice higher and sounding the slightest bit pretentious. "In other words, miasma can't cross-contaminate. Or… Something like that," Yang laughed. "I kinda half listened if I'm honest."

"Weiss would be angry," Blake muttered, slicing a potato in half.

"Probably, but Weiss ain't here and you're not going to rat me out, right, kitty cat?" The Meera sniffed and remained silent. Yang pouted. "You won't rat me out, right…?"

"Depends, are you going to keep referring to me with nicknames?" she asked raspily.

"Um… No?"

Maybe. Totally. But come on, where was the loyalty? What happened to having her back? Yang huffed, her smile returning despite her attempted sulking.

The pumpkin was a no-go, as were the cabbages, potatoes, and cauliflower. The tomato was, well, a tomato: juicy, ripe, and completely devoid of contamination. Yang popped another slice in her mouth and hummed, using Blake's dagger to cut thin slices. A girl couldn't work on an empty stomach! Besides, just throwing the food away seemed like an awful waste, and gods know it was hard enough convincing the villagers to let them take any to begin with.

' _Course, it's hard for them to say no when we're sneaking by them._ Yang grinned, flicking the leftover tomato aside and glancing at Blake. _That shadow stuff sure comes in handy._

Having cleared the table and thrown their mutilated goods into a bin Yang grabbed the basket of apples, dumping them and hastily working to keep them from rolling off. Yellow, red, and green skinned fruits gleamed temptingly, torchlight making the colors pop in the dim shed. "So, do we peel or…?"

Blake cleaved an apple in two, examined both halves, then sighs and tossed them away. Good answer! Yang grinned and followed suit, cleaving apples in quick succession. The table grew damp with spilled juice and she paused now and again to sample the fruits. Tart, sweet, bitter - ew, and sweet again. Who knew Ambrose had such an awesome orchard? It'd explain the ciders their inn sold, or the apple pies, or pork with apple pieces.

 _They sure do use apples for a lot…_ Yang cracked another red one, examined it, then flicked it casually over her shoulder. It struck the door with a faint splat and rolled into a corner behind them. _How come they don't grow strawberries? Apples are so… Blah._

Hearing a bird call outside Yang lowered her knife and glared at the lone window, half expecting a nosy raven to be peering inside. Then a robin flew into the window, bouncing off it and tumbling away before taking off. Snorting loudly, she began to laugh. "The fuck? There's a window there, birdbrain! Oh wait!" The Dimuran grinned broadly. "He must be feeling some _pane_ after that one!"

"Yang."

"No wait, I can do better!"

"Yang, shut up and look!" Blake hissed.

"Aw, come on Blake! I was on a roll!" The Meera glared and held her hands out. Two halves of a yellow apple, whites facing up. Yang raised an eyebrow and lit her palm for extra light, eyes widening. "Oh."

The flesh of the apple was normal, and the skin was healthy - which felt weird to say considering it was bright yellow. Apple cores weren't usually black though, were they? Or… Was that _twitching?!_ Pulling a face Yang took the clearly abnormal half and examined it closer, giving it a sniff and frowning. No scent to it, not unless Merlot managed to make a horrible sickness smell like sweet apples.

"Well… Hey, at least we've found something…?" Blake stared in silence, growing paler by the second. Yang turn the half over and shook it, grimacing as the core plopped into her outstretched hand. Warm to the touch, oddly slick, and definitely writhing. It almost felt _alive_. "The fuck is this stuff…? This isn't miasma…"

The shed doors opened, and Blake rushed out. Yang took one more glance at the apple 'core' and chased after her partner, following her right back to the orchards. By the time she arrived Blake was cutting into the bark of an apple tree, one of the few growing the yellow variants. Pale white and decorated in lichen, the bark peeled away with ease, flakes landing at Blake's feet.

Yang had been about to ask what Blake was after until the bark peeled away and revealed a thin membrane of black beneath. Running like veins through the tree it looked to run the entire length of the plant. It pulsed and gave off the peculiar black smoke that miasma often did when exposed to air.

Only it wasn't miasma. Miasma didn't look like it was alive, it didn't move, pulse, twitch and quiver in her hand. Yang watched as Blake dropped her dagger and stumbled away from the tree, scrunching up her face when the Meera doubled over and began to gag. "H-Hey, what's wrong?! Blake?"

Her partner coughed, shuddering and clamping a hand over her mouth. Her shoulders scrunched and she squeezed her eyes shut. After a moment of coughing she opened them again and slowly lowered her hands, sweating and pale. Letting out a whining sound more fitting for a child Blake turned her head away, holding out her hands away from herself.

Yang grabbed one of her wrists and turned Blake's hand over, staring at the black goo that coated her palm.

"Oh…"

Well shit. Yang glanced down at the rotten core again, dropped it and crushed it underfoot. Plucking another apple off the tree she twisted it in her hands and found a similar blackened pit, then another. Even checking another yellow-bearing tree she found more and more like it.

Tucked away in the center of the orchard it was inconspicuous. Unless you were on Ambrose's walls the line of sight was completely blocked off from the outside. No one would have noticed somebody coming in here and tampering with the trees. Yang growled, glaring at the warm core in her hand and crushing it beneath her fingers.

"Come on, Blake." Yang all but carried the Meera out of the orchard, one arm over her shoulders and the other around Blake's waist. They had only just emerged from the orchard when she spotted Weiss and Ruby heading their way. Blake cursed beside her, a trembling hand lifting her scarf to conceal her face.

"Don't… Tell them…"

"Blake, you know I can't do that. They gotta know."

The Meera grumbled incoherently and went silent.

Ruby skidded to a halt before them, wearing a nervous smile as she looked between the two of them. "Well? Did you guys find anything…?" Her silver eyes drifted to Blake and her smile fell, reaching out slowly. "Blake…?"

Yang bat her sister's hand away and eyed her warningly, shaking her head. "Don't, trust me."

Weiss caught up, face flushed and panting. She didn't reprimand Ruby though, even if she did glare daggers at Yang's little sister. The moment she saw Blake's unusually pale complexion her brow furrowed with concern.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

Yang raised an eyebrow incredulously as if to ask 'really?'. "We found something, but uh… Blake might've gotten sorta sick somehow…?"

Both girls stared at the Meera who hung her head, panting hoarsely. "Blake…?" Ruby asked in a small voice.

"Gods… How? We've only been here a short while! How could she become ill so quickly?"

Thumbing over her shoulder towards the orchard both Ruby and Weiss stared in horror.

A sickly-sweet scent blew on the wind and Blake groaned, clutching her head and leaning against Yang. A pair of guards none the wiser walked by atop the wall, pausing to look down. Yang quickly stood Blake up and nudged her partner's ribs while whispering to play it cool. She grinned and waved at the pair, keeping her smile until they moved along.

"We have to tell the others!" Ruby insisted immediately.

"We can't take Blake back into town like this though," Weiss lamented. "Not unless we want to risk the townsfolk turning on her."

Right, hysteria and all that fun stuff. Blake leaned back into Yang and waved her trembling hand at Weiss and Ruby. "G-Go tell Peach and Coco, we'll… Stay out here. Let them know wh-what we found…"

"You'll be okay? How do you feel right now?!" Weiss cringed. "Er, right… Stupid question."

"I think I've got time until… Until I go crazy." Blake coughed behind her scarf and yanked it down to spit black phlegm away. "Pretty sure I do…"

 _Real encouraging there, kitty cat…_

Weiss nodded, grabbing Ruby's hand and pulling her back from Blake. Or trying to. Ruby pulled back, frowning as she looked at Blake. "We shouldn't leave, Weiss! Maybe we can do something to help Blake now? We should stay!"

"And do what, Ruby? We don't know how to cure this yet and Coco and the others need to know."

"W-Well, maybe we could, I don't know, try helping Blake now? Maybe you have a spell -"

"Ruby, I'm not a healer," Weiss sighed, patient as she extended a hand to her partner. "Now come along, we have work to do. Blake will be fine."

None of them knew that, and Ruby certainly didn't buy it. Yang smiled and clasped her sister's shoulder. "Hey… I can watch after her, alright? 'Sides, I can't get sick from miasma, or… Whatever this stuff is, right? It makes the most sense for me to be with her."

"Wait, what do you mean 'whatever this stuff is'?" Weiss questioned. "Are you saying it isn't miasma?"

"We'll show ya when you get back. Right now, though you gotta tell them that apples are bad, the yellow ones," Yang clarified. "And, you know, do it without telling the fine folks of Ambrose too. I doubt they'd take the news calmly."

"You don't need to tell me to use discretion, I know that." Weiss rolled her eyes. "We'll come back as soon as we're finished." She took Ruby's hand again and tugged.

"Ruby, I'll be fine…" Even as she spoke Blake sounded poorly, her voice gravelly. "Go on, we'll be out here when you get back."

Ruby lingered a moment longer before nodding, stumbling after Weiss. "Just hang in there, Blake! We'll figure this out!"

With some luck they would. Yang wasn't exactly the type to bank on luck though. Especially not when their whole theory just got thrown out the window.

Taking one of Blake's arms again she eased her back into the orchard, pushing aside branches as they went. Miasma wasn't the cause, which was… Good? Good in the sense that they didn't have to cure a nigh incurable disease. Bad because they had absolutely no idea what they were dealing with.

"Being totally honest, how're you feeling, Blake…?"

"Aside from feeling panicked? Not bad, all things considered…" The Meera snorted, then cleared her throat. "I feel cold, yet warm at the same time. It's like I'm coming down with a fever…"

"Well, we could have Peach come out and take a look at ya? Or, you know what they say…" Yang paused and plucked a red apple from the tree, presenting it proudly. "An apple a day keeps the weird sickness at bay…?" She went cross eyed as Blake bounced the apple off her forehead, pouting. "Hey! I was just trying to lighten the mood."

Blake wasn't having it. "Maybe you would be if your jokes were any good."

"Ack! I'm letting that one go because you're sick."

"Just… Get me back to the shed, please?"

Yang grinned, glancing at the yellow, tainted trees as they passed. A handful of them were nearly plucked bare, and the few apples they took were only a fraction of what was likely used. Just how many were inside the town? How many had been eaten?

How long did they have until all hell broke loose?

/+/+/+/+/+/

Weiss wasn't sure what frustrated her more: knowing their working theory was now defunct or that she had so little to actually share with Peach.

Miasma couldn't be responsible in this case. Miasma killed, obviously, but not in the way this disease was. It didn't cause wild aggression nor mark those suffering from its effects. The plants of Ambrose weren't withering or sickly in the same way those around Mount Glenn's settlements had been either. Really it should have been obvious from the first, but with no other ideas to work off how could they have guessed otherwise?

Just as she had been before the woman bound to the table remained unconscious, put under a deep sleep by medicine and magic both. Black markings continued to cover her body, encroaching on her face as they spread even in her dormant state.

Yet it wasn't miasma causing it. Merlot hadn't implanted a Grimm into every sick person either, that much was obvious. Blake had fallen ill after they arrived in Ambrose and with no interaction with the wretched doctor. The patient Peach and Yatsuhashi had been working with sported no seals even after Weiss' attempts to reveal any. While the signs suggested something similar to Yang's case it couldn't be, not with so much missing, and so much not adding up.

While Peach and Yatsuhashi spoke in hushed voices Weiss continued to wrack her brain for answers, tapping her foot on the floor as she furrowed her brow and stared straight ahead.

 _Yang mentioned apples, but how are those related? Is it some kind of poison?_ That didn't make sense for the same reason miasma didn't: poison wouldn't explain the markings. Clearly magic of some kind was involved. _What causes this besides being made a host to Grimm? Confound it all!_

Nothing in their training spoke of anything like this. Judging by Peach's lack of knowledge clearly that extended to the Church's medicinal branches as well.

"With luck Coco and Fox will return shortly with apples. Maybe then we can try and solve this mystery." Peach turned to the bound woman, leaning against the table and peering down at her. "Or maybe we're chasing ghosts, and this is beyond any of us."

Hearing one of Vale's premiere healers say that was nerve wracking. What if this was beyond their ability? What if Merlot truly had found something none of them could counteract? Weiss slapped her own cheeks, earning a confused look from Ruby beside her.

Every magic had a counter, especially runic magic. If Merlot relied on the same system she did then she could undo his work. They only needed to find the source of the illness.

Hurried footsteps came down the stairs, the sound of chainmail rustling loudly with it. Not Coco, but instead the elder guard who she and Fox had spoken with earlier in the day. The man's face was pale, and blood soaked his leather mitts.

"Miss Thumbelina! Your help is required at once!"

"Jorah? What is it, has someone else fallen ill?" Peach asked. The guard shook his head quickly.

"No! It's miss Adel, she's been injured!"

Yatshuashi was out of the room in an instant, pushing past the guard only to stop at the base of the steps. More footfalls, and an injured Fox clutching one shoulder stumbled down, blood seeping through his fingers. Behind him another pair of guards came, and between them they carried Coco, face bloodied and clearly unconscious.

"Gods… Okay, make space for her!" Yatsuhashi and the older man gathered crates and pushed them together for a makeshift table. "Gently now, gentlemen, gently. Get something to support her head!" Peach rushed over and immediately began to remove Coco's vest and jerkin, and after finding no wounds inspected her head. "What happened? How is it you two were injured?"

Fox slumped against a pillar and sighed. "We were jumped. We went to check the storehouse for the apples, and someone must have been waiting inside for us. They caught us by surprise." He scowled, pressing against his shoulder and shaking his head when Yatsuhashi moved to inspect the wound. "I'm fine, make sure she's okay."

"Don't be ridiculous, Mr. Alistair. Let Yatsuhashi tend to your wounds." The gentle giant nodded stubbornly. Peach peeled back Coco's hair and frowned, gingerly pressing against a gash just above her right ear. "Likely concussion. Poor girl was likely out almost instantly."

Weiss gasped. How had two Hunters been taken down so easily? They were trained, they had magic, and all of that besides Coco and Fox seemed highly capable.

The answer was simple really. For all their magical abilities they were still only people at the end of the day. A Magi could be felled by an arrow just like anyone else, or succumb to a cold just as easily as the common man. Hunters were no exception to that.

"Fox, did you see the people who did this?"

Fox scowled, then shook his head slowly. Yatsuhashi bound a cloth around his shoulder and he grit his teeth as it was pulled taut. "No, they covered their face. It was one person though. About Yatsu's size. Bastard stuck me with a dagger when I tried to stop him."

"And you're lucky removing it didn't make you bleed out," his large companion chided, earning a look that screamed 'Not now.' Yatsuhashi used a rag to wipe away lingering blood before looking at the guards crossly. "And none of you saw anything?"

"Sorry, b-but no! The warehouse has multiple doors, and we hardly guard it all day. They could have easily slipped out unannounced."

"They didn't escape through the front though, we know that much," the other guard explained. "We were stationed outside while they searched. We'd have known if someone came and went."

"Fat lot of good you did then," Peach mumbled. "Yatsuhashi, we'll need some fresh bandages, and some of my salves as well. And give Fox a vial of antidote while you're at it." She looked to the blind boy with an uneasy smile. "Better safe than sorry, dear."

Weiss shuffled her feet uncertainly, yearning to help yet having no place. She couldn't heal, nor could she even apply first aid, not nearly as well as a trained healer and her assistant could. Ruby was just as restless beside her, endlessly twisting her cloak and chewing on her lip.

They couldn't be of use here, but perhaps elsewhere their talents might be of some help. Weiss stepped forward. "Let us go check the warehouse. Maybe there will be some signs of what happened? Some kind of clue as to where the culprit went." She halfheartedly smiled. "We'll at least be of more help there than we are here."

Peach seemed to agree, nodding before directing her attention back to Coco's wounds. "Take these two men with you, let them help and make up for their blunder."

If the dynamic duo had a complaint it was silenced the moment their superior seconded the orders. "Dee, Dudley, get your asses back up top and help these girls investigate! And make damn sure no one else slips by you this time!"

"Sir, yes sir!"

"You can take more of my men if you think you'll need it," Jorah said. "Just pull them from their posts. Preferably not from the walls though."

Weiss wouldn't dream of it, although she hadn't planned to ask for more help either. Too many guards would make it obvious something was amiss. As if a pair of bloodied Hunters, one being carried, wasn't telling enough. Still she nodded graciously, returning to the makeshift cell to retrieve her rapier, just in case. Ruby fetched her scythe and carefully balanced it over her shoulder, earning nervous stares from the guards.

"If you find anything at all girls, I leave it to your discretion as to how to handle it," Peach dictated. "I'll have my hands full down here, so as your senior I'm giving you jurisdiction. Be safe out there."

Sure, because that wasn't a sudden, immense sense of pressure put on them. What if they made the wrong choice? What if again they had a theory only for it to explode in their faces?

Ruby bumped her hip against Weiss' and smiled. "Ready, partner?"

No, she wasn't. Blake had fallen ill, the town didn't trust them, and now Coco and Fox were both injured. Ambrose was a veritable timebomb and they had no idea where the fuse was or how to extinguish it. 'Ready' wasn't even remotely close to how Weiss felt.

But it hardly mattered whether she was ready or not; Ambrose might fall if they failed, but it would definitely succumb if they stopped trying. Weiss' smile waned almost instantly, and she gave a curt nod, taking two steps at a time as she rushed up them.

They needed answers, and with some luck the warehouse would provide them.

* * *

 **Don't you love finding twitching, gooey cores inside your apples? It's like a worm, only worse!**

 **As for the magic thing, here's a bit of an analogy, in case I put it across poorly. A single grain of sugar won't likely stir an ant hill, but pour a cup of sugar on the floor and it definitely will. Magic and Grimm work the same way. Leave a bit of sugar out for long enough and you won't need much, either. Basically magic is safe to a finite point, and naturally no one knows what that point is.**

 **I'm sure the girls will be fine though!**


	33. Chapter 33: Core of the Problem

**This may come as a delight to some readers but we're wrapping up this whole arc finally! Ala some anime I seem to have padded a wee little bit, but we're finally there! Hooray!**

 **This itself is the penultimate chapter, and next week should be the conclusion... Right in time for V7 to air!**

* * *

The warehouse was everything Weiss expected and more. Dark, dank, and musty, her nose wrinkled when they pried the doors open, fanning her face to keep dust at bay. A cobweb from somewhere clung to her ponytail and she whined, freezing up until Ruby graciously cleared it away.

"Don't you dare say it…"

Ruby smiled innocently. "Say what?" Her fingers, covered in sticky web, wiggled in Weiss' face, snorting laughter bubbling free as the Ydran slipped away.

Dozens of crates stacked upon each other filled the warehouse. Many looked to have not been touched in ages, cruelly sealed forever by webbing. No one would ever pry those open again. Nope. Certainly not them.

Thankfully they didn't need to go and search every single container. Weiss searched for something to use as a light source and found a dried-out torch hanging from a nearby sconce. One rune later and a wonderfully convenient light filled the immediate area; sparsely placed, narrow windows well above their heads afforded little in the way of illumination.

"Search for signs of a struggle," she called back, rising on her toes to peer over a crate. "Disturbed dirt, blood, maybe a broken door…"

"Can do!" Ruby saluted and cut between a tall stack of crates.

Splitting up might be an idiotic move on their part, especially if whoever attacked Coco and Fox was still around. Weiss doubted they would be. Their attacker would have known they'd find someone, and people would have come searching sooner or later. _Unless they wanted more people to come through…_ Weiss lifted the torch higher and cast a paranoid glance behind her. _No, it wouldn't make sense. What would they gain from attacking people?_

What would someone gain from causing a miasma outbreak, or the Grimm to appear in unheard of numbers? She clicked her tongue and wiped the dust from a crate, coughing as particles filled her lungs.

She was trying to apply reason to the unreasonable. Why would anyone do any of this? Insanity? Depravity?

On a whim?

A dark and dingy warehouse wasn't the place to be pondering the morality of recent events.

The dirt floor of the warehouse couldn't help but speak to her. Footprints showed where the heaviest traffic tended to congregate, and square-shaped vacant spots indicated where crates had sat. Unless she was here to conduct inventory however both showed little of use. Blake would have been able to find discrepancies, but Blake wasn't here. It was up to her and Ruby to find clues.

 _Shame that I sounded so confident moments ago,_ Weiss mused sourly, huffing as she walked through a row of crates. Not a single one out of place, no footprints besides her own. _I haven't the faintest idea what to look for._

"Weiss! Weiss come here!"

And perhaps that was fine. Following the sound of Ruby's voice - it wasn't hard, the warehouse wasn't terribly large, she circled a few piles of containers before chancing upon her partner. Ruby knelt beside a crate and looked up when Weiss approached, waving before pointing to the lower corner of the wooden box.

Dried blood spattered across the face of the container. Well, either that or jelly, which Weiss sincerely doubted.

"There's more!" Ruby's finger traced a narrow trail of blood across the path between crates. Of the three crates stood on top of each other the topmost two were pushed away slightly, with more blood apparent.

"Well done Ruby!" Weiss stared before high-fiving her partner, rolling her eyes and smiling while Ruby pumped a fist in celebration. "We still have work to do, don't get too excited yet."

"Right!"

They had found the spot where Coco and Fox were attacked, which was a start. Where had their assailant come from? Or where had they been hiding? The thought went unspoken between them and they split up again, circling the immediate area for any signs. The nearest door was some fifteen feet away, partially obscured by hanging cloth. It seemed like an ideal hiding place until Weiss cracked it open and stared awkwardly at a group of villagers relaxing nearby playing a game of dice.

Assuming those people hung around regularly no one would have come out the door without being seen. The only other door in the building had been back the way she'd come from, and she'd half a mind to go check it.

Would the attacker have had time to cross the length of the warehouse? Coco had been injured and couldn't fight, as had Fox, but the latter was able enough to defend himself. A surprise attack had given the aggressor the edge, but clearly, they'd had no intention of trying to linger and finish the job.

Weiss paused when an obviously rearranged stack of crates caught her eye. They formed a wall of sorts and blocked line of sight except for one specific approach. Lifting her torch higher she slipped between two containers and crouched down, narrowing her eyes and brushing her fingers across charred earth. Perfectly circular and with no signs of anything else being burned, it was faint yet undeniable. Running her hand over the nondescript ring burned into the ground she felt her palm prickle.

Magic. Residual magic anyways. Standing again she located the spot where they believed Coco and Fox had been attacked, some twenty feet away. Crates stood between her and the spot, and with little in the way of light from the windows the route was well hidden.

"Ruby?" Weiss heard feet quickly rushing towards her, stepping aside and waving Ruby into the cramped space. It didn't take long for her partner to reach the same conclusion she had.

"The only question remains is what kind of magic was used?" Weiss mused aloud.

Invisibility would make sneaking up on people child's play but with the low illumination and poor lines of sight it felt redundant. Neither Coco or Fox reported being attacked by spells, so it hadn't been an offensive cast either. Stepping away from the spot Weiss drummed her fingers on her raprier's guard, chewing the inside of her cheek as she gazed around.

No one noticed an attacker enter or exit, and to be able to get the jump on seasoned Hunters would have required some ingenuity. Come and gone without a trace, save for the faint outline of some kind of spell going off.

Moving without a trace…

"Of course!" Weiss hurried back to the scene of the attack and began to scour the area. "Ruby, look for a similar mark!"

"Uh… Okay!"

Her hunch proved correct and Ruby found another ring not long after, tucked only a few feet from where the attack had happened. Using the light of her torch they found a trickling trail of blood leading to the spot too, and a smaller, dried up pool just beyond the blackened ring.

Whoever had attacked Fox and Coco was a Magi, had been injured, and more importantly - and distressingly, had a teleportation spell.

The knowledge was useful as a match in a rainstorm. Teleportation involved using fixed points and warping between them. Typically. An errant, hurried spell could ferry the caster away but it was up to the gods then where they might land. The hidden spot of the first made it seemed calculated and planned. The second looked harried, like a desperate effort to evade capture.

For all it told them it refused to give them anything of substantial use.

Where had the person gone? How had they known Coco and Fox were inside?

Weiss kicked the dirt and huffed in frustration. A handful of answers and a plethora of more questions was not how she'd hoped their investigation would end up.

Perhaps it wasn't a total loss? Her eyes drifted back to the point of attack and she nodded her head, walking alongside Ruby back to the still sealed crate. Being mindful of the blood they positioned themselves on either side, fingers blindly groping for purchase. When they found none Weiss set aside the torch and drew her rapier, wedging it between the cover and the lip.

"Aren't you worried about breaking it?" Ruby asked.

"I'm more worried about letting a potential murderer escape. I'll pry, you lift."

Taking more effort than Weiss would have liked her arms trembled as she pushed, using the crate itself as leverage. Wood cracked and splintered, and with a groan she leaned into her weapon. Nails pulled free and Ruby yanked the lid off, yelping as she fell onto her rear, blinking owlishly before holding it up in triumph. Weiss ran her fingers over her rapier and breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't warped, thankfully, although she didn't plan on trying it again and testing her luck.

Torchlight made the golden apples inside the crate sparkle brilliantly. Ruby reached for one and Weiss slapped her hand. "Careful, you dolt! What if they're tainted?"

"They're only bad if we eat one," Ruby argued, grabbing an apple and holding it at arm's length. "We need to be sure, right?"

"Well yes, just be careful. We already have one member sick!"

"Careful's my middle name!" She grabbed her scythe and twirled it, slapping a crate with the haft, knocking over another, and gasping as the blade punctured another crate. Ruby smiled sheepishly and hugged her weapon close. "Uh… I mean it's my _dad's_ middle name?"

Weiss slapped her own forehead. "Just check the apple before you destroy the building, please?"

Ruby nodded and placed the apple at her feet. Then she used the handle and drove it down like a spike, cracking the fruit, and finally using the blade to wrestle it open.

They didn't need a torch to see the black core that sat in the apple's white flesh, nor did they need it to see how it pulsated and twitched. Darker than the shadows around them and giving off a faint mist it shone like a charcoal encrusted gemstone, turning crimson against the torch's reddish glow.

A second apple revealed much the same, as did a third. Sickly pale and feeling every bit as poorly as she looked Weiss stepped back and leaned against crates.

"How many…?" she whispered hoarsely, gazing at the containers surrounding them. "How many do you think there are?"

Ruby offered a pitiful shrug, poking and prodding at the split apples tentatively. One of the cores wriggled and she let out a shrill squeak, stomping down on it with her boot. The black mass squashed underfoot with a wet squelch, spraying black liquid across the ground that soon turned to mist.

Weiss groaned through her hand clasped over her mouth. They hadn't eaten any of those apples, had they? She wracked her brain to recall every morsel she'd dined on since arriving in Ambrose. No, she hadn't eaten anything of the sort, and unless Ruby or Yang had snuck out for a midnight snack neither had they.

Only Blake. The Meera's innocuous trip to fetch a last-minute treat before bed had turned out disastrously for her.

Regaining some of her composure Weiss and Ruby searched nearby containers, relieved to find that no others held the same bounty. That didn't mean the food was safe however, and that was more troubling than anything.

"A-At least we have an idea of what happened…" Weiss muttered, running a hand over her face. "Coco and Fox came here for something and their attacker somehow knew they'd arrived. They came by way of magic…" She glanced towards the hidden spot among the crates. "And left the same way in a hurry," she added, retracing her steps to the blood-speckled scorch mark.

"There's no way they could have known about the apples though! Blake and Yang found out about them after they came here." Ruby tapped her foot nervously. "So… It was a complete coincidence?"

"An unfortunate one at that, but yes, it seems so. They have no idea what they were happening upon."

How their assailant had known Coco and Fox were close to discovering their secret was beyond Weiss. Hells, there was a good chance that they'd have taken the apples and eaten them none the wiser which seemed exactly like what the perpetrators wanted.

Why stop them then? Why attack them and risk exposing themselves?

Once more trying to apply logic to the illogical Weiss shook her head. "Come on, we have to tell Peach and the others. Hopefully Yang and Blake have made some progress on their end…"

"Do you think Blake's okay…?" Ruby asked, nervously gripping her scythe as she followed Weiss to the front door.

Weiss wouldn't lie to her partner and shook her head. "I think she has a bomb inside of her just waiting to go off. And we have no idea how long the fuse is."

Or how many people had the same bomb inside them. Was the entire town effected? Half? Plenty had died and been burned to contain the mysterious plague.

The pure loomed in the center of town, bodies no longer recognizable, a monument to panic and frenzied terror. A handful of people gathered nearby and openly wept, keeping their distance and covering their mouths with strips of cloth.

Those would do no good if the illness was already inside of them.

Weiss thought back to the core, how it appeared alive somehow. How it had given off a black mist when killed. She felt her blood chill and her heart dropped, stopping dead in her tracks, hand hovering over the doorknob. She heard Ruby but didn't respond, slowly glancing back in the direction of the crate.

The mist was indicative of miasma, yes, but it wasn't the only thing that gave off the strange smoke.

She threw the door open and nearly hit Ruby with it. Dee and Dudley jumped at the sudden exit, each sporting worried looks when a pale Weiss rushed over to them.

"The open crate inside, take it out and burn it. Burn any of them like it!"

Weiss ran off before either man could question her, pushing past the morning crowd exiting the inn and ignoring angry shouts. This was worse than she could have imagined. People still inside continued to eat blissfully unaware, chatting away without a care in the world. Ruby almost collided with her and looked on nervously.

How were they going to do this without inciting panic?

/+/+/+/+/+/

"Okay, uh… Don't panic! You're fine! Toooootally fine!"

Blake would have glared at Yang if she wasn't becoming intimate with the barrel. Her body shuddered, her breath hitched, and with a strained groan her stomach churned, spilling black goo and bile into the container. Tears ran as her nostrils burned and she spat out as much as she could before staggering back.

Fine? Nothing about this was fine! Wiping spittle on her sleeve she hugged herself, shivering refusing to cease. Incessant ringing in her ears continued even as she folded them flat, and the darkness encroaching in the corners of her vision continued to swim.

Put off by the stale odors filling the shed she staggered to the door and threw it open, collapsing to her knees and shuddering again.

Was it normal to be able to feel your blood pulsing through your veins? It was unnerving, like innumerable worms were working their way through her body. Gods, that might actually be happening! The very notion nearly made Blake toss her uneaten lunch again, barely keeping it down as a hand clamped over her mouth. Another settled on her back and she glanced at Yang, nearly pale as herself and straining to smile.

"Hey… Hang in there, okay? Weiss and Ruby got this! They'll figure it out!"

Would that be before or after she turned into a wild animal?

Would she warp like Yang had? Would she lose all sense of self?

Even now she felt the edges of her mind fraying, like a tapestry being slowly pulled apart by a single thread. Sensations became hyperactive, ever blade of grass dug into her skin like a knife, every small rock burrowing into her flesh. Even as she shivered, she fought with her cloak, opening it and tearing her tunic open, squeezing her eyes shut and hanging her head as fatigue and nausea washed over her.

Relying on Yang for support she fought to get to her feet. Blake's legs buckled and she clung to the Dimuran desperately for purchase, feet dragging as they walked. She didn't know where as her eyes remained closed, the slightest bit of light sending a piercing jolt of pain through her skull.

Birdsong was grating. Every leaf rustling in the wind, unpleasant as shattering glass, made her teeth itch and skin crawl. Her stomach seized and she lurched forward, digging her nails into Yang's shoulder and clutching her gut in a bout of agony.

"You're okay… You're okay…"

She wasn't. Her very being was coming undone. A prickling, burning sensation at the very edges of her awareness appeared, crashing against the unnatural chill that left her fingers and toes with a pins and needles sensation, only worse. Before long they stopped walking and only once Yang lowered her to the ground did Blake crack open one eye; it was dark, though not nearly as dark as inside the shed.

Yang smiled as she placed herself between Blake and the sun, using her sleeve to wipe the Meera's face. The gentle motions made her head loll to one side and she groaned, hand shooting to her mouth as another coughing fit wracked her body in violent shakes.

"I'm… I'm gonna try something, okay? Blake, you with me?" She bobbed her head, reached blindly and grabbed Yang's shirt. "Okay. This is probably gonna hurt, so you might want to bite down on something. Here…" Fed her own scarf she furrowed her brow, lifting her gaze skyward to question Yang.

A searing pain exploded inside her body and she screamed, arching her back and spasming.

The ringing intensified, her vision blacked entirely, and her body convulsed. A hand pressed to her chest, pleasantly warm at first, might as well have been molten tongs for how hot and painful it felt. Her lungs felt like they would burn up and her cries of pain were reduced to muffled, weak shouts.

When the heat subsided, she collapsed back against the tree, bark digging through her tunic. Sweat drenched her and as the scarf fell from her mouth; she hadn't the strength to curse Yang, or her illness; breathing took every ounce of energy she had remaining. Something cold spilled over her face and she swore she heard it sizzle on contact. Her faltering vision managed to catch Yang recorking her waterskin and stowing it away, closing her eyes again as the Dimuran began to wipe her face.

"How are ya feeling now…?"

If she could answer she would. Her body was numb, which compared to the building pain and nausea just moments ago was pleasant, if concerning. For all she knew Yang had paralyzed her somehow and she couldn't even feel her illness taking hold.

That concern was dismissed the moment Yang grabbed her arms and lifted her to her feet. Blake swayed and would have collapsed if her partner didn't sling one arm over her shoulders, grabbing her hips for added support. All but carrying her along Yang continued to move back down a hill Blake hadn't realized they'd climbed and towards the orchard. Colors which had begun to blend together slowly separated and clarity gradually returned.

"Little trick I figured out ages ago. I can hurt the thing inside of me if I apply enough magic," Yang explained softly, having the sense to mind Blake's heightened senses. "Sorta… Overwhelms it or somethin' I guess, ya know? Only problem is I gotta hit myself with all that magic, just like I did you."

Blake followed, if barely. It was a lot like being intoxicated; she followed the words, but they didn't quite add up. As they stopped at the bottom of the hill and she was set down in the grass her mind began to piece two and two together.

She didn't know if Yang's implications made her feel better or worse.

Still failing to find her voice Blake pointed with a trembling hand at Yang, then herself. It took the Dimuran a second before she nodded slowly in understanding. _Wonderful…_ Even her thoughts were sluggish, like she tried to pry them from a pool of molasses. _That means…_

The thought was right on the tip of her tongue. Her brain ached trying to formulate the thought. Could a brain ache? It felt like someone was pressing in on both sides of her skull with a vice. Hells, it was still better than the sensations from before.

"Blake! Yang!" Ruby's voice carried far too well. Then again everything seemed infinitely louder now and Blake hated everything about it. Ruby called again before she and Weiss spotted them at the base of the hill. "Guys!" the silver-eyed girl shouted, skidding to a halt before them. Immediately she was fraught with worry, eyes darting between Yang and Blake for an answer.

"Her sickness got really bad all of a sudden. She's okay for now, I think," Yang explained. "We're pretty sure we know what's going on now though."

"Grimm." Weiss blanched while looking at Blake before letting out a shuddering sigh. "Someone is feeding people Grimm."

"Oh, you guys figured it out? That's awesome!" The Dimuran's smile faded as quickly as it appeared. "But do you know who's doing it?"

"Not yet, but we've found proof someone has been tampering with food. The guards are going through the warehouse right now." Weiss lowered herself before Blake and frowned, reaching out and testing the burned cloth of her tunic. "How did this happen?"

Blake pushed Weiss' hand off, her own dropping in her lap. It took a few healthy gulps of air before she settled enough to speak. "Yang… Magic… Suppressed, I think…?" The blonde nodded encouragingly and the Meera groaned. "I'm… Better, for now."

Although it would amount to little if they couldn't find who was behind this, and more importantly still, how to undo it. Knowing she had a Grimm inside of her now not unlike Yang was, to put it bluntly, horrifying. Even if it wasn't quite the same way the blonde had been turned into a host, she found herself, as did countless villagers, now slowly being turned into… Well, whatever Yang had become.

"That's good to hear. I'm sorry we didn't find anything more concrete," Weiss lamented as she sat in the grass. "But we've told Peach and the others. They're working to try and figure out where someone might be hiding, and they'll come get us once they have some ideas."

"Until then maybe we should relax!" Ruby plopped into the grass with a hesitant smile, dropping her scythe beside her. "And, you know… Maybe pretend that Vale isn't going crazy and stuff?"

"I'd like to think we're plenty good at ignoring insanity," Weiss quipped with a snort. "Considering who we associate ourselves with."

Yang chuckled and leaned forward eagerly. "You two are gonna have to introduce me to all your friends when this is over! I wanna meet them!" She reached over and smacked Blake's back, nearly toppling the ravenette over. "Blake too!"

Grumbling and pushing herself back up Blake took a halfhearted swipe at Yang, swaying unsteadily, then clutching her head. "Still dying, by the way…"

"You're not dying! You're just… Going to be like me!"

Was that supposed to help things? Blake glowered at Yang before laying back in the grass and splaying her arms out to her sides. "Someone kill me…"

"Nope!" Ruby and Yang said, both popping the 'p' in unison. Weiss smiled and shrugged at Blake.

"Looks like you're stuck with us a while longer, I'm afraid."

/+/+/+/+/+/

A 'while longer' was all they had to wait for someone to come fetch them. To Weiss' surprise Yatsuhashi ran out to find them, not one of the town's many guards. The haggard Hunter looked incredibly worried when he found them, or rather, found Blake pale as a ghost. Without being able to hide it they admitted she'd become infected, and only after no small number of assurances she was mostly okay did he relax.

Turns out the guards had been hard at work since Weiss and Ruby had left. After searching every building in Ambrose they determined the culprit wasn't inside the walls. While the wilderness itself was vast and open they decided only a handful of locations would work both to conceal those responsible while also being close enough to monitor the situation.

"Those are the only three places we could think of," Yatsuhashi explained, using the stick he'd grabbed to point at the marks on the ground. "A cave to the east of town, a quarry to the south, and the ruins of a fort to the north. With how Ambrose is surrounded by hills there are plenty of places nearby with enough height to serve as lookout points."

"But only those three offer any degree of coverage," Weiss concluded. "Even if we split into pairs again there aren't enough of us to check them all."

"You won't have to. Peach finished healing Fox and Coco a while ago. They're eager to help you search. The two of them can take one location, and I'll take a few guards to another."

"That would cover all three spots, but what about the town?" Yang asked. "Aren't you worried about other people going crazy while you're gone?"

Yatsuhashi rolled his shoulders and sighed. "Of course, but we can't sit back and let these people get away. Assuming they're even at one of these three places," he waved idly at his crude map. "We can't waste time. They're already getting people together, I just came ahead to tell you four."

"Are you sure this is wise? You'll be the only Hunter with a handful of guards, and Coco and Fox were injured." Blake slowly sat forward, clutching her chest as a stifled cough rustled her.

"Coco and Fox are experienced Hunters. These… People got the jump on them but that won't happen again. They'll be fine, and so will I. You four though, you're all fresh out of training, aren't you?" He held up a hand before anyone could complain. "Peach's orders. She's the senior member among us. She's also going to stay in town and keep things under control while we're gone."

They were going to leave a healer to handle potential violent outbursts? Weiss shook her head. Peach would have guards in town still, and just because the woman practiced healing arts didn't mean she couldn't fight. Any healer with field experience would need to know how, naturally. The woman would be able to handle herself just fine. She'd have to.

"Where did you want us to go to? Just say the word and we'll get moving," Ruby insisted. Yatsuhashi tapped the spot marked 'fort' and the four of them nodded, already gathering themselves and their weapons.

"Wait one second, before you all go." Yatsuhashi opened his satchel and handed Weiss a small cloth bag. "Healing salves, just in case. Once you've searched the whole fort come and join me and the guards at the cave. If we don't find anything then…" he trailed off and shrugged.

If they didn't find anything then their assumptions were wrong, and the culprits were long gone. Either that or they were somewhere else entirely. Weiss nervously inspected Blake, noting her sallow skin and the exhausted way she carried herself. Whatever Yang had done to stave off the illness might not work a second time and most certainly wouldn't be able to be reproduced on a large scale.

Failing to find the criminals wasn't an option. Failure would mean Ambrose would fall, and more likely than not other towns after it.

Weiss added the medicine satchel to her own belt, nodding thankfully. "I assume we should send a signal of some kind if we find anything?"

"A fire spell in the sky should work. I'll keep someone posted outside the cave, and Coco and Fox will be outside anyways. If we see anything we'll come running."

Honestly it all felt very haphazard and thrown together, but then what hadn't been as of late? Time was of the essence and Weiss supposed this would be as good as things would get. As quickly as Yatsuhashi had found them he hurried off once more to finish his own preparations. Blake, helped by Yang, rose to her feet and assured the group she was ready to go.

"I'd rather fight than sit here and wait to go crazy," the Meera muttered, stubbornly wiping budding beads of sweat from her brow. "Let's get moving."

To the north of Ambrose, past the groves, up the hill, and down a long forgotten and neglected road. There they would find the fort and whatever secrets it might hold.

Weiss drew her rapier and began climbing the hill, wearing a mask of bravery as her heart hammered in her chest.

Blake could go mad at any moment, and Ambrose would succumb to another outbreak as well. There were no guarantees any of the three locations housed the criminals, no guarantees they could settle things in time even if they did find them, and then there was the small matter of actually curing the sickness.

More than the shadows of the trees swallowed them up as they carved a path into the woods. With doubt hanging over them like a cloak they trudged forward into the unknown, leaving a ticking time bomb at their backs.

/+/+/+/+/+/

After Fort Morris, Weiss expected something grand, something built to stand the test of time. What they found instead was a paltry shell of a keep and walls so long since neglected a gentle breeze might topple them.

The nameless fort had been difficult to find at first and that had nothing to do with a lack of size. Vines climbed the walls and concealed stark grey stone in pale green and blues. Trees proved their slow if inevitable dominance over the land, twisting once sturdy fortifications with their gnarled roots. It was a miracle that the gatehouse remained in one piece, although even if it hadn't been the head-high grass, fallen trees and abandoned carts made reaching it impossible.

Weiss couldn't help but linger and appreciate the fallen structure. Why had it been abandoned? Grimm? Lack of necessity?

Would Ambrose look like it if they failed? How many other towns might share the same fate?

Nervous energy made her fingers twitch and she grabbed her rapier for something to occupy her hands, trudging through tall grass and kicking aside piles of leaves and pine needles. At one point Ruby took the lead and made use of her scythe to hack a path through the growth, making passage somewhat easier.

With the front entrance inaccessible they needed an alternative. The wall crumbled in many places but rarely fully collapsed. Eventually finding themselves a divot in the stone where the wall caved inward, they cut their way to the stone face and Weiss and Ruby tested the footing, giving pause when a few stones shifted. Once they were positive a collapse wasn't imminent, they climbed, pausing halfway to help haul Blake up.

Weiss exhaled, deflating, shoulders dropping as she moved slowly towards the edge of the wall. Her eyes roamed over the abandoned remains of the keep and felt an unfathomable sadness overtake her.

Homes weren't just abandoned but destroyed. Many roofs caved in, either giving way under their own weight or destroyed by some force. Walls crumbled, windows were shattered, and a once vibrant, bustling community was now little more than a forgotten memory.

Descending a lopsided staircase in a tower so filled with dust she might choke Weiss slowly entered the courtyard, marveling at the state of disarray. A stable lay half in ruins, hay bales green and rotted, swarms of flies still converging. A pair of broken wagons by the front gates sat obscured by tall grass, sealed containers still inside, and the guard house itself was nearly gone, charred wood crumbling away even now.

"It was… Attacked?" Ruby's voice carried a somberful note and she shuffled towards the couryard's well. Rising on her toes and peering inside she gasped, one hand clamping over her own mouth as she stumbled back in fright.

"Ruby?" Weiss rushed over, consoling her friend as she shook her head and blinked back tears. "What is it?" Her partner shook her head soundlessly and pointed, closing her eyes and groaning.

That wasn't exactly reassuring. Forcing her legs to carry her forward Weiss edged her way towards the well, wrinkling her nose the moment a pungent, rotted scent wafted towards her. Holding her forearm to her mouth she braced herself and peered inside, immediately gagging and tearing her eyes away.

Rotted bodies floated in the well below, swollen and disfigured. The overbearing smell of decay and death, of flesh being reduced to… Gods, just thinking about it made her want to gag. Yang and Blake took their mixed expressions of repulsion as a sign to steer clear and did just that, making way as Weiss staggered over and gulped at far fresher air.

Why? Why was the well filled with corpses? Blinking through tears Weiss placed her hands on her knees and looked around at the neglected keep. This place had been abandoned for years. Those bodies were recent. Someone had been here.

"I… I believe we may have the place…" she gasped, shuddering and wiping her mouth. Whistling wind rolled through and a tattered Valean flag waved, the only noise besides Ruby's muted whimpering.

"We have to search. If someone has been here, then they can't have gone far. No one goes anywhere alone," Weiss continued. "Blake, Yang? Can you go house to house and check for clues? Some sign that someone's been here? Ruby, you and I can check the keep itself in the meantime."

Yang shifted Blake at her side, apologizing when the Meera groaned in discomfort. "Is splitting up the best idea right now?"

"No, but we have a lot of ground to cover and likely little time to do so. Just as Yatsuhashi said…" Weiss drew her rapier and flicked her wrist a few times to test it. "Send a signal if you find anything. If we haven't been noticed yet we'll certainly be then, so be prepared for a fight."

Splitting up was perhaps the worst idea, but without the luxury of time on their side they had no choice. Grabbing Ruby's shoulder and offer a reassuring smile she tried to guide her away from the well and towards the keep, a two-storied building that loomed over the rest of the fort, presiding as though a commander watching over their troops.

Or a large tomb before smaller, individual graves.

Weiss hadn't made it three steps when a peculiar flash went off. She barely had time to turn as runes ignited and pillars of brilliant blue erupted around them, rising up and forming a cage. Weiss rushed forward and tried to slip between a few, yelping and drawing back at the shockingly cold bars. Frost formed on her clothing and she beat it away hurriedly.

"What the hell?!" Yang slammed her shoulder against the bars of her own cage, rebounding off and growling. Rattling against the sudden confines she flared magic and the bars sizzled but refused to give way, squaring off a few feet above their heads and sealing them inside. "Ruby! Weiss! You two okay?!"

Besides being captured they were just _dandy._ Metal clanged off the bars and Ruby almost dropped her scythe, waving it frantically to shake free the growing ice. Through her trembling Weiss approached the bars and examined them, breath fogging the closer she got. Runes ran parallel to the bars, a few indicating ice, and others sealing. It was nothing she was unfamiliar with. She could undo them. She could break them out!

One of the homes still relatively intact opened, the door creaking loudly on unoiled hinges. A lone figure strode out, clad in billowing cloak. Hands outstretched and a familiar blue glow flowed from their palm. Weiss readied an earth rune and took aim, freezing when the cages shifted around them.

"Now now, let's not do anything hasty." The figure, a man by their voice, stopped their approach and chuckled. Bars from the cages warped and formed jagged spires, angling inward towards the captives within. "I would hate to waste such potential…"

 _That voice!_ Weiss narrowed her eyes at the hooded man and desperately tried to make out any recognizable features. The woman was an enigma, but she knew the man, she was certain of it. Ruby tensed beside her and Yang cursed again, and for good reason.

"Merlot…"

Drawing back his hood with a proud smile the elder Magi bowed his head. "A pleasure to see you again, children. I do apologize for the accommodations, but please do understand it was rather…" He rolled his wrist and looked aside as if struggling for the words. "Short notice."

Weiss scoffed, hand behind her back and trying to forge another rune. It worked about as well as she expected. One of the jagged spikes thrust into the cage and narrowly caught Ruby's chest, making Weiss cease, her spell shattering and fading.

Merlot casually circled their cages, bold enough to even walk closer to Yang's. Just as she looked ready to lash out he raised a hand and a mark on his palm flared. Yang groaned in pain and collapsed in an instant, doubling over and hugging herself.

"A beast should know better than to bear its fangs at its master," Merlot grumbled, flexing his hand and drawing another pained howl from Yang. Satisfied, he glanced to Blake, doubled over herself and coughing into her hand, body wracked with each fit. "Ah… So one of you did ingest a symbiote. Splendid! I was so curious what it might do to a Magi!"

Blake groaned and laid her head on the ground, darkness pooling beneath her. Giddy as a child on their nameday Merlot rubbed his hands together with a twisted grin. "Marvelous! You seem more resistant to the changes, but even a Magi's willpower cannot last forever. I've broken one of you before…" he glanced meaningfully at Yang. "It's only a matter of time."

Weiss formed a fire rune and unleashed it as swiftly as she could. It struck a pillar of stone just beyond the bars and dissipated harmlessly. Ruby fell aside and gasped, clutching her shoulder and dropping her scythe. Blood seeped through her partners fingertips and she gasped, lifting her hands when Merlot threatened to attack again.

"You are obnoxiously persistent, young lady. I would encourage you to remain as you are," Merlot warned. His mustache twitched and he flashed his teeth at Weiss. "I don't wish to harm you, Schnee, but I will if that's what it takes. You are very important to me and my work."

"Me…?"

"Is there another Schnee present? Yes, you!" Merlot stopped before her cage and leaned in, snow white whiskers twitching as his smile grew. "How I've longed to have one of your pedigree in my service. Your abilities could do wonderfully under the right tutelage, and I just so happen to be the ideal mentor for you!"

Weiss drew back from the leery man and scowled. "I have no interest in whatever you intend to do!"

"Oh? And in what way did I make it seem like you had a choice?" Merlot clasped his hands together, rubbing them with a laugh. "Your friend is infected, and a single command from me will twist her into a killing machine. Most of Ambrose is infected by now I'm sure! Refuse my offer and I'll turn that town into a mass grave. Perhaps I'll even command Yang here to kill her own sister?"

"Never gonna happen!" Yang screamed, eyes red as she threw herself against the bars of her cage. "Let me - Agh!"

The Dimuran cried out as her body spasmed, limbs twisting and back arching as she collapsed. Merlot sneered all the while, moving his fingers like a puppeteer, drawing Yang to her knees and twisting her around to face Blake. "No? How about I have you kill your friend instead? It would be a shame to lose a valuable subject, but it appears you need to be reminded who is in control here."

Yang's shoulders rolled and she shrieked, black tendrils forming around her arm and twisting it. Her head jerked to the side and black mist began to rise from her hunched form, a low, guttural growl cutting through her cries of pain.

Even as the transformation took place Yang lifted her head, quivering from the simple act, and turned her baleful red gaze onto Merlot.

"H-Hey… Shithead…" she panted, grunting as her body jerked. "Know what… Blake does…?"

"Is that the cat's name? Fah, I could care less!" Merlot spat.

Yang grinned as blood trickled through cracked skin on her cheeks, strained laughter distorted. "Oh yeah…? Well… Looks like we… Gotcha…"

The black pool beneath Blake widened and Weiss gasped as another formed beneath her and Ruby. The Meera lifted her head and drew a dagger as she was swallowed in shadow, vanishing from the cage.

Merlot's shadow quivered and Blake erupted from it, narrowly missing the man's neck as her blade sliced through his cloak. A wall of stone erupted and blocked any follow ups, and an eruption of flame from Weiss forced Merlot back further.

Shadow swallowed them and for a moment Weiss floated in nothingness. No sound, no sight, no sensations. A void in the absolute truest sense. Then, as if breaking through the surface of a lake, air, color, sounds and smells came rushing back at once. It was wildly disorienting, and she staggered at first before collecting her wits and her rapier besides. Dumped out on Merlot's side she lunged, gritting her teeth as her rapier glanced off a sheet of ice. She placed a hand on the sheet and used the ice against him, shattering it and showering the man in shards.

A gust of wind propelled him out of the blast zone and directly into Ruby's scythe. Silver sliced through empty air and Merlot propelled himself skyward, a bolt of lightning searing the ground where Ruby had stood.

"A parlour trick, nothing more!"

Then Yang's cage shattered. The Dimuran screamed and dropped to all fours, flames and black smoke twisting around her body, misshapen, clawed hand digging into the packed dirt. Blood dripped from a wound on her chest and she sneered, lunging at Merlot and driving the startled Magi back further.

"What?!" Yang lunged again and Merlot pushed her back with a gale, then erected a wall of ice to intercept Ruby's subsequent attack. The elder Magi scowled and reached into his robe, taking out a leather-bound book and opening it hurriedly. A radial lightning spell erupted from beneath him and forced Yang to back away, and a series of ice spikes narrowly missed the zagging Ruby.

 _He's casting much too quickly! He's not even drawing runes!_ Weiss leveled her rapier and drew a pair of fire runes, watching Merlot intently as her fireballs wound around each other, spiraling and forming a brilliant streak of red and orange. They were met with a larger fire spell and fizzled out on impact. Merlot held the book at the ready, sneering and conjuring an array of spells in an instant.

"The book! He's using the book to cast!" Weiss called out. For what little good the knowledge did them. She raced from her spot and dove behind a ruined carriage, lowering her head as spikes pierced the far side and tore the vehicle to shreds. "Disarm him!"

Blake darted between bolts of lightning, breathing far heavier than she should be. Anemic in appearance, the Meera coughed again, spitting up blackened mucus and spitting more aside.

Merlot released another electrical burst and stepped back, waving a hand through the air. Runes appeared everywhere - on the walls, the ground, in the air itself. The air shimmered in a rainbow of colors, like oil on the water's surface, and crackled with energy before a barrier formed around them. A magical ward.

"I had intended to let your friends live, truly I did. But I see you're intent on being difficult!" Merlot raised the ground before him, and jagged rock spires chased Yang back. A hail of ice shards rained down on Ruby, scoring superficial wounds and keeping her at a distance, and Weiss' own spell was negated with ease.

"After I am through killing your dear friends, I _will_ have you, Schnee!" Merlot shouted. "And you will be punished, Xiao Long! Now, come!" The air around him burst and his robes fluttered, the air crackling, lightning dancing against the dome's walls. "You face Jacobis Merlot, the most brilliant mind on Remnant," he grinned and spread his arms wide. "And your master!"

* * *

 **Did Merlot just monologue? Maaaaaybe.**

 **Did he basically just pull a Jojo? I have no idea what I mean by that, so I'll let you decide! This chapter kind of went anime and I'm 100% cool with that!**

 **He's originally in another town but for some reason he's up here outside Ambrose. There's a reason for that, a reason folks will find out! Patience, young padawans!**

 **It is padawan right? Never seen Star Wars. I'm such a bad nerd...**


	34. Chapter 34: Crux

**What's this?! Two chapters in a week? I haven't done that for a long time now, so... Surprise!**

 **This is also the longest chapter by quite a bit. About 12.5k words, 30 or so pages, and lots of time spent. Was a VERY busy weekend in terms of writing.**

 **But here we are, the end of Merlot's involvement, and even better, the point where the girls are really going to be together.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Merlot was a mountain peak in a blizzard. Unreachable, unattainable, and likely fatal if they even tried.

Try they must, however. Lightning bolts whipped through the ward, crashing against the magic imbued walls and splashing out, hissing and crackling like over energetic snakes. The wind whipped up and tossed debris haphazardly, forming a wall of defense between Merlot and the four girls.

If the lightning and rubble wasn't enough Merlot stood poised in the center of it all, book in hand and more than prepared to strike out or defend as need be.

The focus to maintain a single spell for Weiss was trying enough. Two was pushing it under the best of circumstances. Merlot had two now but appeared more than capable of unleashing more at a moment's notice.

 _No Magi is unbeatable, no one invincible._ Weiss hands trembled as she spread her feet and readied herself, tossing her head as hair whipped back in her face. _He's powerful, but he'll make a mistake. We'll have to capitalize on that._

Easier said than done.

Yang's shout was muted by the screaming winds. Her fire erupted in pillars that cut a straight path towards Merlot, immolating stone and burning white hot. Even as Merlot contained her fire with another set of barriers the Dimuran bolted towards him, weaving between her own pillars and obfuscating his view. She tried to anyways. Yang leaped over crashing stones and her left hand went up in flame, swiping through the air and sending an arc of fire crashing down upon Merlot.

"Pitiful."

Yang tumbled through the air from a concussive blast and Ruby took her place in a flash. Red streaks soared through spells and even lightning itself couldn't match her speed. Merlot's smug expression waned as his eyes struggled to track the streaking girl, and Weiss formed a pair of runes, firing a volley of ice and fire.

Merlot grinned and unleashed a burst of wind. Ruby, caught in mid-leap, yelped as the sudden gust threw her aside and directly into Weiss' spells. Somehow, she twisted her body mid-flight, shattering shards of ice with her scythe. Her cape was singed by flames yet she landed largely unharmed, skidding across the ground and disappearing again.

"We have to work together! Don't attack alone!" Weiss shouted, voice deafened by the howling winds. The ground underfoot quaked and she dove, rolling and scrambling as the earth split, then erupted and spewed forth flames. Fireballs rained down from above and she wove a rune, heart threatening to burst from her chest as a torrent of water engulfed the fire.

How would they work together if they couldn't even speak? Blake had broken them free but that seemed more like a fluke now. Merlot wouldn't be caught unawares a second time. Not unless they could overwhelm him.

The Meera struggled to stand and Weiss watched as Blake covered her mouth, body shuddering violently between coughs. It was all the ravenette could do to avoid spells now. Thankfully she wasn't the only one who noticed, and Yang rushed to her side, unleashing a blue flame burst to counter Merlot's own.

Yang and Blake might be inaccessible to her, but she still had Ruby. Better yet? They didn't need verbal communication to work.

Weiss found Ruby darting between electrical shocks, her clothing charred but free of visible wounds. Their eyes met and Weiss raised two fingers, spun her wrist and smiled. With a nod of understanding Ruby crouched and her body glowed, magic building rapidly. Her entire body vibrated, hair rising on end, and then with an audible clap that could easily have been thunder she rushed forward. Rather, _they_ rushed forward, as a pair of red streaks broke off from each other and moved to lock Merlot in a pincer.

Merlot hurled debris at one and watched his projectile shatter. With a self-assured smile he propelled another at the second, gawking as it too destroyed his ammunition.

 _Not just a trick._ Weiss smiled and ran her hand along her rapier, taking a deep breath and drowning out the wind battering her body. Ice crystalized on her weapon and she prepared a second rune, reaching out behind herself and placing it in the air. She jumped, angling her body forward and slamming her feet into the rune.

Her eyes teared up as wind slapped her in the face, hurtling violently through swirling rubble towards Merlot. The first red streak reached him and just barely missed cutting him down. The second hit a wall of stone and was crushed between a second.

Weiss dove through the rubble and thrust her rapier towards Merlot, air around her rapier sparkling as ice readied to explode on impact.

The second Merlot turned on her she tried to twist her body and avoid the oncoming spell. With so much momentum she couldn't adjust, her own velocity keeping her body rigid. Merlot's hand crackled and glowed violet, and just as her rapier was about to strike his chest her entire body seized up. Intense pain wracked her entire being and by virtue of being unable to move her fingers kept a hold of her weapon. A soundless cry of pain erupted, and she wheezed as a pillar of stone caught her abdomen, driving what little breath remained from her lungs and throwing her back.

"Children, children…" Merlot tutted, stepping back as the shadows at his feet opened. Blake's dagger missed by a hair's breadth, her subsequent lunge by a bit more. Only Yang's wild attack prevented the Meera from being electrocuted too. "You should learn to recognize greatness!" He erected a sheet of ice to block Yang's claw swipe, a burst of wind to push himself out of a burst of fire. Another gust threw Yang back.

Yang grinned as she tumbled head over heels and waved her hand, the air around Merlot sparking and sizzling. A series of explosions went off and engulfed the man in a fiery inferno powerful enough to wrench the debris floating around him away, shattering and throwing chunks of stone away.

Weiss' cheer died in her throat seeing the stone tomb erected at the epicenter and her heart sank when the stone crumbled away to reveal an unharmed Merlot at the center.

"Lab rats who rebel are to be dealt with." Ruby's scythe wasn't blocked, and Ruby wasn't thrown away like before. The brunette gasped as Merlot _caught_ her weapon, pulling and kicking Ruby hard enough to tear her off it. While Ruby skipped and bounced away Merlot admired Ruby's weapon casually, entirely uncaring of the barrage Yang unleashed on him. "A scythe…? I'd be impressed if it wasn't so horribly dull. A farmer's tool as a weapon…" He scoffed and dropped it at his feet. "Do you think this a game, children?"

"Merlot!" Yang howled and hurtled towards Merlot on all fours. She ignored spells pelting her and came within striking distance.

A deep purple rune flared in Merlot's hand and Yang dropped, shrieking in pain as her body convulsed. Blake erupted from Yang's shadow and again narrowly missed Merlot, gasping as her arm was wrenched and she was lifted, slammed onto her back and rebounding off the packed ground.

"Perhaps you think me a defenseless old man? Fragile and withered with age, hm?" _Clearly_ that wasn't the case. Weiss wished she could land a decisive blow if only to stop the man's incessant blathering! "I will _make_ you recognize my prowess! I will not be overlooked, least of all by mere children!"

Weiss wove a pair of ice runes and fired them hurriedly at Merlot. She released a fire spell and pushed away the lactic acid build up in her arm, forcing her twitching fingers to cooperate and formed another volley of ice.

Merlot brushed aside her spells with little more than a flick of his wrist. He flipped the page in his book and twisted spires of stone formed overhead, shifting and angling towards Blake. Yang screamed and stretched her misshapen hand out to grab Merlot's leg, bellowing as a spire nailed her hand to the ground.

"Ruby!"

For a split-second Weiss felt weightless, her feet not striking the ground despite running as quickly as her legs would allow. Then her lungs swelled, her eyes flashed, and her entire body felt a rejuvenating burst of energy explode from her center mass and spread through her limbs. Sounds became muted and the world itself slowed, time seeming to crawl to a standstill.

Blake was before her in an instant and Weiss scooped her up hastily, her speed enhanced but her strength minimal. Every ounce of power she could muster went into lifting Blake, her head turning as Merlot's salvo rained down on them, slower than it should have been. Ruby's gift of speed began to wane, and Weiss twisted her body, lunging forward in a desperate effort to avoid being skewered.

Red filled her vision and she became nauseated as her body came out of an enhanced state, hurtling forwards for the second time in as many minutes. Twisting and turning desperately she cried out as she took the brunt of the impact, striking the ground and losing an already tenuous grip on Blake. The Meera rolled away as she slammed into the wheel of a cart, screaming in pain. Her rapier flew from her hand and clattered out of sight.

A second bombardment faltered when Merlot's attention was torn away, nearly as his leg was too. Yang snarled and lifted the man off his feet, blood soaking his trousers as she lifted and spun her body around. Merlot clutched his book to his chest and curled around it as he was thrown through the air, right up towards the ceiling of the ward. Yang's hands swelled with white flame and she formed blistering orbs, launching them and directing them towards Merlot.

The resulting eruption bathed the entire fortress in a blinding white. Weiss felt her skin heat up instantly, hot air filling her lungs, and the world became little more than distorted silhouettes. Her ears rang painfully as the blast subsided, trembling from being pressed forcibly into the ground. Tears mixed with blood dripping down her left eye and she pushed herself to her hands and knees, gasping painfully as each breath sent a jolt of pain down her side.

Merlot hovered in midair, a barrier surrounding him splintering and cracking, shattering like glass. Several spots already broke away and the Magi sported a handful of burns for it, cloth burned away, skin red and scalded.

Yang managed to strike Merlot and cause injury. All it took was an incredibly powerful spell, one which dropped the Dimuran to her knees.

If not for Ruby's desperate diving save and tackling Yang aside the blonde would have been crushed beneath rubble. The silver-eyed girl collected her scythe in the process, hair caked to her face and drenched in sweat, chest heaving as she stood in front of her beleaguered sister. Weiss crawled for her scythe, awkwardly groping for it with one eye open before grabbing it and rolling onto her back. Ice shattered harmlessly against Merlot's barrier and she watched, dejected, as he released his shield after.

"Disappointing." Merlot's body began to glow with a green light, his burns slowly mending and healing over. "I pity you, truly I do. Weak and without the means to truly use magic's full potential. Even you, Yang. You who I gave immense power, all you could manage were superficial wounds." The elder Magi landed and turned to a new page again, and the rubble around them began to shake and lift off the ground. "Tell me, Yang. Have you the strength to defend against this? No… I _command_ you defend your friends!" Merlot laughed and lifted dozens of pieces of rubble skyward, shaping them into pointed projectiles. "Protect them and die!"

Weiss' earthen barrier faltered as it went up and Ruby crouched, ready to try and bat away anything Merlot threw at her. Her legs wobbled and she nearly toppled forward. Beside Weiss, Blake coughed up black mucus and shuddered, her head hanging as shadow swelled around her, struggling to pull the four of them out of harm's way again.

Beyond the barrier blue light flashed in the sky, then a volley of ephemeral arrows showered down against the ward. Like oversized raindrops they pelted the barrier, splintering and dissipating on impact. A handful made it throw and forced Merlot to turn his attention away, using debris to form a shield for himself.

A larger arrow struck the barrier and broke a hole in it. Yatsuhashi leaped from a nearby wall and fell through, greatsword cutting through debris and glowing red. Merlot nimbly dodged but still had to shield himself as Yatsuhashi twisted in his fall and swung an arc of magic at the elder Magi, shattering his shield.

Floating rubble shifted and an orange blur rushed towards Merlot from above. Fox hurtled downward, bladed gauntlets taking strands of hair and tearing through Merlot's robes. Merlot backpedaled away, cursing and unleashing another spell that mirrored Yang's own, igniting the air before him. Fox dodged, and Yatsuhashi rended the ground at Merlot's feet, narrowly missing. Blue tendrils caught Merlot mid-stride and Fox dove for him, curling up instead when flame and wind erupted from Merlot, throwing him and Yatsuhashi back.

Blake ducked beneath the boys and drew a dagger, weaving out of the way of a fireball and chasing Merlot back with frenetic swipes. She tumbled away from a deluge of water, and Ruby managed to pin his robe, missing the mark as Merlot stumbled out of the way, pushing her back as well.

Yang's disfigured form crashed into Merlot's back and threw him off his feet. Only a hasty barrier prevented her claw from tearing him asunder, and a sudden lightning storm forced Yang away.

"More are on the way." Weiss blinked blearily hearing Fox beside her, nodding graciously as he offered her a healing potion. She popped the cork and greedily drank, gasping in relief as her aches and pains instantly began to lessen. "Your friend… What is she?"

Even the blind guy could tell Yang wasn't quite normal. Weiss might have laughed at the notion if her body wouldn't fall apart from it. Instead she snorted, struggling to her feet and relying not the least bit on Fox for support. Yatsuhashi used his broad weapon to block Merlot's spells, defending Ruby and Yang both. The towering Hunter's surprisingly swift cuts showered Merlot in arcs of energy, blistering and crashing against his barrier. From above a smaller volley of arrows struck Merlot's barrier from behind and the dual attacks shattered it.

Merlot's face, glistening in sweat, finally registered signs of concern. His brow twitched and he erected another barrier to block Coco's volley, reducing the ground to fine sand to slow Yatsuhashi's charge. His body shimmered and he blinked away, reappearing several yards away from where he'd stood. Closer to Yang and Ruby.

"Enough!" The same eerie rune from before flared and Yang screamed, doubling over and collapsing as she lunged for Merlot. Ruby turned to attack and gagged when a hand grabbed her throat, lifting her off her feet. "Attack me again and I _will_ kill her!" he shouted, glaring at Weiss. "Schnee, you are to come with me! We are finished here!"

Weiss' rune faltered when Ruby wailed, dropping her scythe and clawing desperately at Merlot's hand. Coco's prepared hail of arrows held steady and neither Fox nor Yatsuhashi made any move to attack.

"That's much better. I'll admit you caught me by surprise, but you're still outmatched! And besides…" An incandescent, bestial howl filled the air, accompanied by several more. Merlot sneered. "It seems you have other issues. Come with me, Schnee, and your friends can see to the Grimm."

Weiss took one look at Ruby's face, rapidly turning blue and her struggling waning, and nodded. Pushing Fox's hand off her shoulder she made the long walk across the battered courtyard, navigating craters and casting a listless gaze at the crumbling buildings around them. Ruby tried to call her but only choked gargling reached her ears. Yang screamed at Merlot's feet and Weiss' chest clenched painfully.

Her own freedom for Ruby's life? So be it.

Merlot's triumphant smile disappeared the moment blood splattered his face. For a moment, no one moved, not him, not Weiss, and even the fading Ruby could only stare in shock.

Yang sneered and her claws dripped with blood, malformed arm weighing her down and making her slouch. At least she _had_ an arm. Merlot's severed limb lay at his feet and the bloody stump that remained shifted, spurting blood.

Then Merlot screamed, stumbling away and shaking his head in disbelief. Bloodied, tattered cloth hunt from his shoulder and he cried out, turning and running from Yang. The air ahead of him began to shimmer and glow, and space itself distorted, twisting before expanding and forming a pale blue portal.

"Stop him!"

Coco shot her volley and missed by a hair's breadth. Ruby collected her scythe and swayed on her feet before giving chase, with Yang hot on her heels. Blake rushed ahead of Weiss and caught up to them quickly enough as Merlot vanished through the portal.

"Go with them!" Coco turned out towards the forest and formed another volley, her bandaged head bobbing slightly. "We'll handle the Grimm, kid! You deal with Merlot!"

Fox pushed her ahead and nodded, dropping a few more potions into her pouch in the process. Yatsuhashi waved her along before charging towards the buckling gates of the fortress. Snarls and howls filled the air and the wooden doors began to flex inward, threatening to give way.

Ruby and Yang rushed through the portal first. Blake glanced back and nodded, hurrying in after them. Weiss gave her thanks and forced her body to move, ignoring her easily broken or bruised ribs, clinging to the abatement of fatigue that her potion afforded her.

Spells crashing down and Grimm's frenzied cries were the last things she heard as she reached the closing portal, reaching out and throwing herself through it.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Maybe _diving_ through a portal wasn't the best idea in hindsight.

Much like a normal door the portals always opened elsewhere, obviously - that was the entire point of a portal. Unlike a door however you hadn't a clue where it might dump you unless you created it or were told beforehand.

Weiss was confused long before she got a face full of grass. Sputtering and groaning at her ungracious landing she closed her eyes, inhaling and pushing through the aches and pains. Blindly groping for her rapier and finding it nearby she rolled onto her back, lifting her head and watching the portal blink closed behind her.

 _Merlot!_

She sat upright and failed to find any sign of Merlot despite only being a moment behind him. What she did find was her friends, although that might not be as reassuring as she'd have liked. Yang lay curled up on the ground, head in her hands and twitching. Blake sat beside her, doubled over and sickly as can be, black veins reaching up across her face. Between them Ruby desperately tried to console the pair, looking up when she heard Weiss approaching.

"Here…" She knelt and removed potions and salves both. Blake snatched a potion and downed it instantly, coughing and throwing the vial aside. Weiss smiled patiently, then worked with Ruby to get Yang to open. The Dimuran panted, groaning as her mouth was coerced open, then sputtering as a potion was dumped down her throat.

"Where are we…?" Weiss asked, looking around in bewilderment. Ruby shrugged and went back to comforting her sister.

"I don't know. Merlot went through the portal, we chased him, and now we're here…" She sighed, then gasped as black smoke began to spill off Yang. "Oh no! Y-Yang, are you okay?!"

The Dimuran managed a thumbs up before groaning again. Smoke continued to pour away but rather than transformer further like she did before she began to change back. Reassuring, but again with a caveat as Yang came out looking every bit as sickly as Blake did.

"Plock… Plockton…"

Weiss gawked at Yang in disbelief. "Impossible! That was still a day's travel at least! To create a portal that distance… It's impossible! He couldn't have done that on a whim!"

He hadn't, and Weiss realized that the moment she said it. Merlot had a portal prepared - probably not for a hasty escape like he'd used it for but for quick travel. It would require immense magic, yes, and precise planning, but it was feasible.

 _That he'd have enough energy after everything to activate it from so far away, and to escape us…_

Where was Merlot?

The answer to that question was easy: within the city before them. Weiss stared at the wood and stone buildings some few yards away. Every building was dark, and the grey, stormy sky overhead shrouded the town in an ominous darkness.

The blood trail leading towards the town said the rest.

"He moves surprisingly fast… For an old prick," Yang grumbled, sitting up and swaying. Ruby caught her arm for support, and she smiled weakly. "Thanks. Blake, you hanging in there?"

"Barely." Blake tilted her head to show the veins, then squeezed her eyes shut and winced. "It… Whatever it is, it keeps clawing at my mind. It's like… It feels like having someone whispering in your ear… Inside your head."

"Creepy." Ruby shuddered.

"If we can still fight, we need to move," Weiss urged gently. "Merlot is injured. He's strong, yes, but he's still just a man. Even if he heals his wounds, we've crippled him." She glanced at Yang skittishly. "Er… You crippled him."

The Dimuran flashed a halfhearted grin, then leaned against Ruby and stood. Weiss offered Blake the same support and together the four of them began the arduous, slow trek towards town with Yang carrying Ruby's scythe and Weiss clipping her rapier to her belt.

It was slow going, which was inevitable. Merlot might have suffered the worst wound but each of them was banged up, or in Blake's case, ill. Weiss would be lying if she didn't feel the slightest bit disconcerted with the Meera so close to her. Every twitch made her glance warily at the dark-haired girl, each groan potentially leading to her fully giving in to the madness.

And what of the others back in Ambrose? Grimm had begun to appear in droves. Coco, Fox, and Yatsuhashi appeared capable, and certainly stronger than any of them. They were only three people however, and the only other person who could even use magic in town was a healer.

Magi weren't invincible. They'd proven that with Merlot. How long could the three of them hope to hold out against swelling numbers?

Against her wishes she pushed their plight from her thoughts and tried to focus on the here and now.

Plockton was a wretched place, and that was likely even before it was abandoned. Tall two- and three-story buildings densely packed together loomed over them, shadowy pillars against the overcast sky. Brown, black, and grey were the predominant colors and the occasional planter did little to take away from the bleak setting. The cobbled streets were slick with rainwater and puddles gathered in various depressions on the roads. Chances were it wouldn't be long until another deluge struck.

If not for Merlot's obvious trail and the occasional smear on the side of a building they'd never find him. Plockton's streets were a maze, although that wasn't true: mazes were planned, the city's streets were in disarray. In a manner much more reminiscent of a child scrawling in the dirt they cut through narrow side roads, circled around large structures, and stumbled across wide open roads, or as open as they got in the crowded settlement.

Eventually, Merlot's trail stopped. A spattering of blood on a sealed door had to be the end of his trek, and although not a single light within betrayed his presence Weiss was certain they had found him. The two-story home leaned slightly to the right, chimney coming apart at the seams. A window had been smashed in at some point and rain water dripped from an overfilled gutter, pooling in a grimy slop in front of the house.

"Right… How do we wanna do this?" Yang asked.

"An animal is always the most dangerous when it's cornered. We shouldn't do anything too hasty."

"Blake's right, we can't go charging in," Ruby agreed. "For all we know he's watching us right now…"

Weiss craned her neck and squinted as she tried to make out shapes in the dark windows. Nothing moved, and if not for the obvious blood marks she'd have assumed, like so many others, the house was abandoned. Walking into the home was a trap, but it might be their only choice; Merlot wasn't going to leave his shelter without a good reason.

"We could burn the house down?" Yang cracked her neck and eyed up the property.

"And risk burning Plockton to the ground? The houses are too close together, and besides…" Weiss shook her head. "People want to return to their homes when we're through. There wouldn't be much left if we did that."

They could smoke him out? So long as they were mindful of the flames Merlot could be forced to evacuate. The smashed in the window would be problematic for that plan, as would the other half dozen windows on the building.

Collapse the structure? Plausible, but they ran the risk of damaging nearby homes, not to mention the amount of magic it would take, something they had waning reserves of.

Weiss glanced between her friends and bit her lip. Merlot seemed intent on taking her along. Why she couldn't say and even Yang hadn't known, but he'd made that very clear. Enough that he was willing to kill Ruby to force her into submission. He had no issue killing the others, Yang was effectively on a leash…

But he wanted her alive.

Weiss took a deep breath and eased Blake off her, smiling at the Meera's befuddled expression. "I'll go inside and get him to come out. Or I'll force him," she said, fingers grazing her rapier.

"Weiss, that's too dangerous!" Ruby protested. "What if he takes you and teleports again? Or what if he attacks you? We might not be able to help in time!"

"He had a chance to kill me during the fight, Ruby. And, lest you forget, he tasked Yang with bringing me to him. He might attack me," Weiss licked her lips and forced a smile. "But he won't kill me. And all I need to do is make him step outside."

"You're sure you can do that, Weissy…? We're running on fumes. We'll fight if we've gotta, but no promise we can stop him if he tries anything."

Weiss removed her pack and handed it to Ruby. "There are salves and potions inside. Take as many as you need and be ready. We'll need to take him by surprise." Assuming Merlot was foolish enough to follow her out in the first place. "Can you three be discreet until then?"

"I can hide in one of the buildings," Blake mused, looking around to survey their surroundings. She pointed to an opening in a nearby three-story structure. "I can watch the door for you and wait nearby."

"Ruby and I can wait around back in case there's another exit, or if he tries anything." Ruby seemed less than certain but nodded to her sister's plan. "Still… What if he teleports away? He loves using those portals, I wouldn't be surprised if he's got one there."

"If he did then he'd have come out in the building, not outside of town. At best he'd perform a hasty spell like in Ambrose to escape, and I'll fight back, and signal you three with a spell." Weiss offered her best reassuring smile. "Have a little faith in me. I'm the only one that can go in without risk of him killing me, and shy of bringing the building down we can't force him out either."

It wasn't an ideal plan, far from it. Merlot could have already left or have prepared spells in the event someone did come in after him; he had to know they were in Plockton by now. Did she want to do it? Did any sane person want to jump in a pit with snakes?

Without any further complaints Weiss steeled herself and trudged through the murky puddle, marching up the crumbling stone steps to the bloodied door. She tested the cold iron handle, giving it a jostle, then slowly eased it open and peered inside. No light, and no signs of habitation. Only wet footprints and a thin trail of blood showed Merlot had come inside. Sparing her friends one last look she went inside, cringing as the door closed with a thud behind her.

Weiss was fortunate she wasn't afraid of the dark. Stumbling upon a crazed Magi in the dark? She wove a simple fire rune and lit a candle light. It provided hardly more than a few feet of illumination but was better than nothing. Thunder crashed outside and she jumped, gasping and clutching her chest. Smiling at her own skittishness she took a few deep breaths to try and quell her racing pulse.

"Right… Where are you, Merlot?"

A turned over bookshelf blocking the staircase might have been her first guess if not for the cobwebs and layer of dust coating it. Grimacing, she turned her attention to the rest of the first floor. The spitroast and fireplace were long abandoned, a cauldron with liquid still inside festering and filling the house with a fetid odor. A table and overturned chairs showed nothing besides abandoned meals and food long since rotted.

Following speckled drops of blood Weiss slowly moved through the house, circling around a broken bench and pushing aside hanging, wilted planters. She lifted her hand when the trail came to an end, groaning and slumping.

A basement? Of course he'd gone into a basement. How wonderfully trite. Difficult to say with her personal light too but she was certain light was pouring out from a crack in the floor. Snuffing out her flame confirmed it and Weiss grumbled about her misfortune, drawing her rapier and hesitantly grabbing the basement door. The knob twisted without resistance and she slowly drew it open, gagging and burying her face in the fold of her arm.

The wretched smell hadn't been rotting food, or mold, or anything of the like. Whatever it was, a smell akin to rotten eggs, only infinitely worse, came from below. Her eyes welled up and she clasped her right hand over her mouth, breathing through her sleeve as she led with her rapier ahead of her. Lights flickered below and shadows moved across the staircase, pausing when Weiss' foot hit a step and creaked.

"Not yet… Not yet!"

Merlot scurried about like a cornered rat. They had him! Weiss redoubled her efforts and hurried down the stairs, running into an invisible wall of noxious fumes. She nearly retched, taking a moment to gather herself before rushing to the bottom of the stairs.

"Stop… Right…" Weiss' arm dropped, and she stared, baffled and disturbed at what she saw.

Barrels upon barrels of black, fleshy objects inside. Wriggling, sloshing. Tables strewn with papers, instruments used for surgery scattered around the room. And in the far end of the room, hidden away from the light, a cage against the wall housed a Grimm. Chains bound its limbs and runes lined it, flashing as Merlot approached.

The Grimm lifted its narrow head, four antlers scraping against the bars of the cage. Eyes normally glowing with revulsion were dull, a raspy, low snarl its only cry. Gangly limbs struggled weakly against constraints and shifting its emaciated frame. Weiss never thought she'd have felt pity for a Grimm before now, but seeing the thing on the verge of death, surviving purely because Grimm couldn't actually starve, she felt an inkling of it.

Merlot slumped against the cage and smiled wildly, his stump of a limb waving as if to keep Weiss at bay. "Y-You're too late! I've done it! I've _finally_ done it!"

Through with manic ramblings Weiss drew a frost rune and unleashed a chilled wind. It struck a barrier and faltered. Stewing, she marched forward and drove her rapier into the same shield, scowling as she failed to pierce it. Merlot laughed, then reached into the cage and pet the Grimm, lips quivering as he pressed his face to the bars.

"My faithful pet… All my hard work… It's not for naught! The world will see my brilliance!" He laughed, stumbling back from the cage as another spell struck his barrier. "They will see… Ozpin, the Church… They'll all see…"

"Merlot! Stop this at once!" Weiss struck the barrier again and again, gritting her teeth as her weapon bounded off the shell without effect. "By authority of the Church of Vale, and under Archbishop Ozpin, I hereby sentence you -"

"Shhh, shush, child! Don't you see what's happening here?! Why don't you understand? Why doesn't anyone understand?!" Merlot cackled and began to tear off his robe, trembling as he shrugged it off, then desperately began to claw at his tunic. "I am driving forward society! I am doing what no one thought possible!"

Merlot tore off his tunic and began to weave a rune. His chest glowed and Weiss' blood chilled, pushing with her palms against the barrier and desperately trying to break through. Her attempt at another spell failed and she pounded her fists against the barrier fruitlessly. "Stop! Stop!"

The symbol on Merlot's chest ignited, the same symbol that Yang had shown on her back. A glaring light erupted from Merlot and the Grimm screeched in pain, shrill and piercing. Weiss stumbled back and clasped her hands over her ears to drown out the noise, groaning as her very bones ached from the cry and her teeth rattled.

The light subsided, the cage was empty. Weiss cracked her eyes slowly and stepped back towards the stairs, unable to take her eyes from Merlot.

Black tendrils erupted from his stump, twisting and expanding, turning into a limb. Black skin materialized and a new limb formed, larger than his normal one, sporting razor sharp claws. Just like Yang's.

"Incredible…" Merlot lifted his new arm, one not unlike the Grimm's, curling and flexing his fingers. He chuckled, lowering his head as four white antlers sprouted from his skull, grunting as his body twitched and expanded. He staggered forward, eyes rolling back and twitching as his leg bones snapped, reshaping themselves. Legs shaped like a goat's grew and elongated, bone sprouting and reshaping his feet into hooves.

The Magi collapsed forward onto his hands and knees, panting heavily. He lifted his head and smiled, righting himself and, after a brief self-examination, laughed in delight.

"Simply marvelous. I feel so… Whole," he mused, voice warbling, deeper. One eye, still human, swiveled to hold Weiss. The other, blood red with a yellow iris, quivered in his skull, darting around the room independently before fixing itself on Weiss.

"I've done it… I've done it!" He laughed and swung his arms, knocking over containers of quivering mass, his ribbed chest shaking. "The next step in evolution. No more fatigue, no need to rest, or eat… An endless fount of energy with the mind of man!"

Weiss turned and scrambled back up the stairs, halfway up when the barrier shattered. Merlot howled in delight, his perverse laughter booming as she darted through the house and threw open the door. Her feet barely reached the puddle beyond the door when the roof of the home erupted, raining shingles, wood and other debris down onto the street below. Weiss narrowly avoided it with Ruby's help, panting desperately as she and her partner pressed against the far wall.

Merlot sauntered out from the basement, flexing his hands and staring, wide eyed and slack jaw. "Such power! And I didn't feel a thing!" He laughed, then reached into his tattered bag at his waist and threw his spell book aside. "I need no books, no incantations, no runes! I have become something greater!" He smiled, a long, black and purple tongue lolling out of his mouth.

"And… I no longer have need of you, Schnee…"

Ruby and Weiss dove separate ways as flame erupted from Merlot's hand, turning brick black and melting the iron handrails of the home. Above she heard Blake shout a warning and Merlot towered over them, sneering as he aimed a spell point blank in Weiss' face. Her skin sweltered and her hair stood on end as fire and lightning mixed.

Yang roared and landed on Merlot's back, wrapping an arm around his neck and wrenching hard. To her credit Merlot dispelled his attack and stumbled back. "Pest!" He grabbed Yang's sides and lifted her off with startling ease, throwing her aside like a child no longer interested in his toy.

"Yang!"

Ruby raced to her sister's side and Weiss followed suit as daggers buried themselves in Merlot's chest. He casually removed them, smiling as Blake nimbly dove out of the building, caught herself on another, and rolled after jumping from a balcony. Shadows did little to hold Merlot in place and she joined the others as Merlot's body began to crackle with energy.

Weiss pushed the sisters ahead of her, building a wall of stone at their backs and waving Blake along. "Run!"

They didn't make it ten feet before the wall exploded, showering them with rocks. They kept running, and not a single one dared look back as Merlot laughed, his casual gait belying his bloodlust.

"Yes, run! Scurry like the rats you are!" he taunted, sneering as he destroyed a home just behind the girls, leveling it with a single spell. "Forget your master! I am something far, far greater now!" Merlot dragged a hand through a home and grabbed a handful of bricks, shattering windows and stone as the girls cut down an alleyway.

"You should be honored: you'll be the first to die by my hand! Today a new god is born!"

/+/+/+/+/+/

It was a damn shame they'd not brought the house down around Merlot. Both because it might have killed him, gods willing.

And because Merlot clearly didn't share the same sentiments about preserving Plockton's homes.

Weiss might have felt annoyed if sheer terror wasn't dominating her thoughts. They didn't know the town at all, not the layout, where might be safe, or even how to get out safely. Not that anywhere was likely safe anymore.

Another building exploded as a blast of magic tore through it. A house a block behind them went up in flames, fiery debris flying and crashing into other buildings. Weiss' entire body shook as the ground under their feet trembled, errant bursts of magic causing craters to form and spires to erupt.

Merlot wasn't aiming his spells anymore. He didn't need to. With so much raw magical energy now at his disposal he could fling spells all day until he finally got lucky.

The 'how' of Merlot gaining such stamina would wait until later. Weiss had assumed Yang would be a bottomless fount and yet the Dimuran was every bit as fatigued as the rest of them. She had changed back too, a first for everyone involved, Yang included. Seeing the blonde struggle as she tried to invoke a transformation for herself was distressing enough. Hearing Merlot steadily come closer with his wild blasts was a million times worse.

If the sky hadn't already been overcast, then the billowing plumes of black smoke would have done the job. As if it hadn't been miserable enough the entire town somehow became darker, the towering smoke blocking out what little sunlight there was It was like running through a town at night. Blind. With a monster chasing you.

If they survived this Weiss could imagine having nightmares for weeks.

If. If. If.

The uncertainty was worse than anything.

Another home exploded, this one only three buildings back. The shockwave from the blast threw them off their feet and left them scrambling. Wheezing and feeling the gash over her eye reopened Weiss groped blindly for a wall, staggering to her feet. Her hand found Ruby's and she pulled her partner along, grimacing as pain wracked her chest, a stabbing sensation making her gasp for breath.

"Come on! This way!" Yang's voice sounded far more distant than it should have, and Weiss had trouble focusing her vision. The blonde waved them along, ferrying them down a narrow passage between two oversized homes.

Through the cacophony of noises, explosions, and the roar of flames in the distance, Merlot's laughter taunted them.

The narrow road they took was a dead end, though provided some shelter… Until Merlot eventually decided to strike again. Pressing themselves around the corner and out of view the four girls collapsed, struggling just to breathe. Blake hacked up a lung, or near enough, clamping a hand over her mouth to try and stifle the noise. Black liquid spurted free between her fingers and she doubled over, hands trembling against the ground as her body tensed.

"Yang! Whatever you did before -"

"On it!" Yang knelt at Blake's side and pressed her hand to the Meera's back, uttered a quick apology, then funneled magic to the point of contact. Somehow Blake kept from screaming, though she did slam her head into the ground and kick blindly. Another coughing fit, not as violent as the last, and Blake collapsed with a groan.

This wasn't going to work. Whatever Yang was doing to keep Blake from going mad it was hurting as much as it helped. Weiss fumbled with her bag and handed over another potion and salve, then thrust a potion into Ruby's hands. "Drink," she ordered. Ruby nodded and chugged the bitter contents, grimacing and shuddering. "We need a plan. We can't keep running. We'll never last…"

In a war of attrition, Merlot would win. He'd never tire and despite their numbers they would. They already were. A battle of strength wouldn't serve them any better; blowing apart multiple buildings would take immense magic energy and Merlot seemed to do it with ease.

That left only one option; hope Merlot's transformation would render him wild, or wild enough that they could outsmart him. Yang's had made her rampant before. Perhaps Merlot's would too? _We only need a brief lapse in judgment…_ Weiss peered around the corner and gasped as a nearby building crumbled.

"Yang, do you have much energy left?"

"The potion's helping, sure. Why, what's your idea?"

Idiotic, frankly put. Weiss picked herself up and took in their surroundings. Four buildings packed tightly together with no room for maneuvering. No escape besides cutting through them. Weiss put her hand against cold stone and smiled.

"That spell, the white flames… Could you do that again?"

"That's a big ask, Weissy. Takes a lot of energy to get 'em that hot…" Yang paused, rolling her shoulders before nodding. "But I'll try. Plan on hitting him?"

"No, I doubt brute force will work anymore. He seems to heal too quickly, he's too durable. Not unlike you when you've changed." Weiss smiled uncertainly. "We'll bring down the buildings around us. Goad him into chasing us down here, then…" She paused, cut off as another building crumbled. The ground under their feet shook and Weiss cringed as she heard the windows above them shake and crack, though thankfully not shatter.

"Bring the buildings down on his head!" Ruby glanced up and smiled, collecting her scythe. "I can act as bait! I'm fast, and -"

"Let me do it," Blake interrupted, gasping as she wiped her mouth on her sleeve. Sunken eyes that made her look like an insomniac sought Weiss', pale skin drenched in sweat. "I've got enough magic left… Let me bait him in. You'll need Ruby to get Yang out before everything comes down."

"You sure, Blake…? You're barely moving as it is," Yang warned.

"I've had worse." Weiss sincerely doubted that. "Besides… I'm probably still… Nimbler than you three…" She glanced at Ruby. "Nimbler, not faster. I'll have the easiest time moving in the narrow streets. And Weiss… You can freeze him in place while Yang sets off her spells. From a distance."

What was already a hairbrained scheme had turned into a complete nightmare. What if Blake couldn't get away? What if she couldn't halt Merlot? Or if Yang's spells didn't bring down the buildings?

What if Merlot caught on and just blew them all away?

 _No… If he wanted to do that he could have already. He's toying with us. He won't kill us easily._ Weiss smiled darkly and nodded. _We'll have to hope that arrogance overshadows common sense._

"Blake be careful," Weiss instructed. "If at any point you feel like it's not going to work then flee, we'll find you."

Ruby threw her arms around Blake and hugged her, Yang mirrored it a second later. Weiss felt a twinge of embarrassment at not offering one herself then shook her head. There would be time later to ponder her callousness, but only if they acted now. With Merlot coming closer and another building erupting nearby they had mere moments to act.

Blake waved the sisters off and staggered to her feet. Doubled over, she drew her final two daggers and coughed again, drawing her scarf over her face and walking back through the narrow road. Weiss watched her as far as her vantage would allow.

They waited. For the longest singular moment of their lives they waited for any sign of something that could happen. With the explosions that had been rocking Plockton coming to a halt everything was eerily quiet. The orange glow outside of buildings going up in flames game an otherworldly hue to everything.

Then Merlot howled and another building crumbled soon after. Two houses away from her own. Weiss focused on the small road and wove as many ice runes as she could manage, leaving five hidden in the road before scurrying into one of the buildings. No sooner had she closed the door did a pillar of fire erupt from the far end of the road, filling the passage and embroiling everything in a scorching inferno.

Blake dove free from the flames and ran desperately down the road towards them, one of her last daggers notably absent and blood, not her own, coating her sleeves and chest. Another inferno spilled into the passage and Blake wasted no time in throwing open any doors, instead throwing herself through a first-floor window and disappearing inside.

Merlot wasn't far behind, his wide, towering frame dragging against walls. A wound on his face was still healing and black smoke poured from the wound, dark crimson blood seeping from the gash. He stormed towards the end and noticed the smashed window at the end, sneering and extending a hand, magic swirling in his palm, a fatal concoction of nearly every element imaginable from the looks of it as reds, blues, purples, blacks and every color in between swirled together.

Pulling on her reserves of magic Weiss unleashed her runes the moment Merlot took another step. Ice bloomed in an instant, encasing his forward leg and racing up to his hip. It did nothing to dissuade him from casting, but it did draw his attention long enough to make him give pause. Weiss turned and rushed from her house, ignoring the agonizing pain as she shouldered the front door open and staggered out into the street.

Merlot's spell hit Blake's building.

Three more explosions did the rest.

Three-story buildings of brick and stone crashed down in a deafening, furious waterfall, kicking up massive clouds of dust. Glass shattered, Weiss staggered and barely kept upright as everything shook, and she rushed across the street as parts of the building came down too close for comfort.

As the buildings continued to crumble Weiss covered her mouth with her cloak to breathe through the dust, hurrying down the street. She found Blake outside, sat against a wall and fighting for breath but otherwise unharmed. Making up for before she embraced the Meera gratefully, smiling and waving over Yang and Ruby as they emerged unharmed. The sisters were dirty and caked in layers of dust but in one piece, thank god.

Weiss could almost laugh at the relief she felt. The rumbling ceased and the buildings finished collapsing, save for the occasional chunk coming loose. Weiss gave Blake's back a pat and stood only to yelp as Ruby tackled her, wincing as she landed hard on her rear. Not that Ruby noticed, far too busy hugging her.

"Weiss, I'm so glad you're okay! I was worried you wouldn't get out!"

Annoyance gave way quickly and Weiss gently flicked Ruby's head, smiling at her friend. "Please… I'm hardly as slow as you think. Just because I don't have your magic…"

"I'm surprised Blakey got free!" Yang grinned, slumping against the wall beside Blake. Her hand was caught over the Meera's head and she chuckled sheepishly. "Congratulatory head pats…?"

"I still have one dagger left, Yang. I _will_ use it."

Ruby slid out of her lap with a laugh, trying to get Yang to leave Blake alone. Weiss cracked a smile and watched them argue, eyes catching the black marks still just poking above Blake's scarf. They needed to undo that somehow. It was Grimm, that much was certain, but how did they go about removing it? The process hadn't been the same as Yang's, they'd learned that back in Ambrose with the woman in the basement. These were ingested, so would they work their way out of the body eventually?

Weiss pushed herself back up again and moved towards the rubble. Their answers might be buried under tons of stone but perhaps they could still find clues. Merlot's spell book might have more notes, or some of the papers in the first house may have survived. They were still operating on borrowed time but now they at least had a chance to really search.

 _I hope Coco and the others are doing okay…_ Weiss pushed smaller pieces of rubble aside, absently picking through it as she frowned. _They'll have to be. They're skilled, they'll be able to handle themselves._

A piece of rubble tumbled down and landed at her feet. Weiss thought nothing of it until she noticed a black streak slathered on the grey stone. At first she assumed it was charred from the blasts, picking it up and turning it over. Then she noticed the black smoke fizzling from the mark. Merlot's blood perhaps?

Weiss tossed the scrap back into the mountain of rubble and dusted her hands on her tunic. Another piece tumbled back down and she frowned, glancing up as a second followed suit.

The remains of the buildings began to shake, tremors spreading through the ground powerful enough to throw her off her feet. The rubble spilled into the road and Weiss scrambled back on her hands and feet, staring in awe as the once towering houses shifted, debris rising and falling away.

A burst of energy threw pieces skyward and massive stones rained down around them, landing on roofs and blasting smaller structures to pieces. A billowing cloud rose from the epicenter and a stifled, strained growl made her skin crawl. Long, black tendrils snaked their way free from the wreckage and pushed pieces away, reforming into a claw. A second limb pulled through and the center of the pile burst.

Merlot dragged himself free from the pile, wounds sealing up as his skin bubbled. Blood splattered on shattered stone and he grunted, using magic to push the stone back further. With a distorted laugh he climbed out entirely, limbs cracking as they reset, blood dripping from still mending wounds. His head, partially caved in, began to reshape and his wild eyes glowed as his body healed rapidly.

" **Astounding! Astounding!"** His voice warbled and he admired himself like a work of art, spreading his arms and looking towards the heavens. **"I am immortal! No longer is it a selfish power the gods keep for themselves! I have truly transcended!"**

Weiss grabbed her rapier and tried to form a rune, finding her fingers wouldn't cooperate with her. She tried to make a call and the words died in her throat. Transfixed, she watched as Merlot walked free from several tons of brick, mortar, and stone, shrugging off a veritable mountain like it had been nothing.

 _We can't kill him… How in the world…_

" **Afraid, children?"** Merlot smiled, teeth misshapen as the rest of him, razor sharp. His blackened tongue rolled out and he licked the air, groaning as he closed his eyes. **"That is new… That sensation. It must be what fear tastes like."** He laughed and cocked his head. **Do you fear me, children? Do you fear your new god?"**

Weiss stumbled back and felt her rapier rattle in her hand. Breathless gasps were all she could manage, her arm refusing to lift her weapon. The others were just as silent, just as petrified, she was sure.

As if they weren't already experiencing Hell on Remnant the black puddles appearing made it infinitely worse. Her heart sank as Beowolves began to claw their way free of the ooze, snarling and snapping their jaws at the air, sampling their collective fear. Savoring it as Merlot had.

Then, in a sudden turn, they moved away from the group and focused instead on Merlot who regarded them with disinterest. A Beowolf howled and lunged, claws outstretched and mouth wide.

Merlot caught its head and broke its neck in one hand, dropping the fading corpse with a scoff.

The Grimm ignored them entirely and focused instead on Merlot. Spawning as quickly as they did, they rushed in pairs, sometimes more. Merlot bat them aside with ease, ignoring superficial wounds as he healed through them, blowing away entire groups with a single spell.

Weiss felt a firm hand on her shoulder and nearly tripped as Yang pulled her away. Ruby and Blake fled down another road nearby and Weiss followed suit, shrinking under the countless roars and howls as Grimm began to spawn within the city. She glanced back and watched Merlot cleave an Ursa in two with a single stroke, then fixed his gaze on them once more.

" **Did I say you could leave?"**

A wall of earth cut off their path. Merlot grinned and flattened two buildings nearby, opening the ground and letting it swallow them up like a voracious animal. With little more than a road's width to either side, large craters blocking their escape, and Merlot in their only way out, there was no escape.

" **Let us play a little while longer, hm? I wish to test my abilities further. These Grimm are dull creatures."** Merlot scoffed and shook his head. A Beowolf jumped onto his back and dug its claws in. He cursed, grabbing its head and lifting it off, crushing it under his hooved foot. **"Nuisances. Let me see how Hunters fare!"**

Weiss paled, hands groping uselessly at her sides. He was joking, right? Fight him? They couldn't beat him before and now this?!

The wounds on Merlot's chest stopped closing yet he didn't seem to pay them any mind. Nor did the wounds on his back, spilling black blood as he strode forward at a languid pace. He flexed his arms and hands, cracked his neck, and crouched, curling a finger as if goading them into attacking.

"He's not healing anymore…" Weiss whispered, not daring to take her eyes off the… Man? Whatever he was now. "We'll only have one shot at this…"

"Weiss?"

She raised her rapier and grit her teeth as Merlot barked at her, laughing and slapping his hand against the ground.

" **Wonderful, wonderful! Let's test my new form together, shall we?!"**

Weiss ignored him, taking half a step back and turning her head slightly to glance at Blake. "Blake… Just like you did in the cage. I'll need you to time it." Blake nodded silently, swaying as she stood. "Ruby, can you buy us time? You don't have to attack, just distract him."

"You got it, Weiss!" Ruby twirled her scythe and stood ready.

"Yang…" Weiss took her last potion and tossed it to the Dimuran. "Think we can count on Wildfire to make a mess of things?"

Yang grinned, popped the cork, and downed the potion before nodding. "Count on me."

One chance. One shot before Merlot caught on and snuffed them out like gnats. He continued to watch them, bemused and not the slightest bit concerned, even affording them the time to plan. He thought nothing they could do to hurt him. He thought he was well above them now. Maybe he was right.

But Weiss lived to prove people wrong.

She wove a pair of runes and braced, aiming her rapier and taking a deep breath, doing little to calm her nerves but clearing her mind enough to focus.

"Go!"

Ruby vanished in a flurry of red, darting headlong at Merlot, then darting aside at the last second. He didn't give chase and continued smiling at the remaining members. Ruby saw to that, swiping at his back when he ignored her and snarling, swiping blindly at the speeding little girl.

" **This is your plan?! To annoy me?"**

Yang stepped forward and grinned, hair glowing as she gathered up magic. She stomped forward and Merlot bat aside the wall of flame with ease, scowling as Yang repeated the same spell.

" **Are you not taking this seriously?! Do you want to die that badly?!"**

Yang laughed and formed a fireball, condensed it, then hurled it at Merlot. She took off and snapped her fingers, letting it explode in his face, scoring nothing but light burns. Merlot took the bait and answered with a spell of his own, slamming his claw against the ground angrily as Yang jumped over it, swatting blindly as Ruby cut at his arms and chest.

Weiss unfurled her volley of ice and watched them shatter harmlessly against Merlot's arm, guarding his face, he opened his mouth and flames swelled inside. Yang threw her own spell at him and they exploded on impact. Merlot howled, staggering back and covering his face with one hand, dropping it and shaking his head, throwing black blood everywhere.

" **ENOUGH!"**

Flame swirled at his feet, lightning sparked around his body, and with a blast powerful enough to knock them away he released a large blast. Ruby was thrown out of her stride and back across the clearing, digging her scythe into the ground and slowing her momentum. Yang flipped head over heels and struck the ground once, righting herself and throwing an erratic volley of fire. Merlot blocked it all, roaring angrily and hurling stone at Yang.

Blake emerged from the shadow at Merlot's back as Weiss felt the world begin to grow faint. The man-turned-beast swung around, and she landed on his arm, dragging her dagger through tainted flesh and abandoning her weapon as he fired a spell at her.

" **The same trick won't work twice!"**

Color faded. Sound faded. Everything faded. Weiss floated in nothingness, only the cool metal of her rapier a reminder of what sense even was. Despite existing in a void, she felt a sudden rush of wind, her body pulled hard, ferried through the complete pitch.

The hiss and crackling of flames came roaring back. Light flooded her vision and she nearly went blind. Her lungs filled with a greedy gasp and she threw her body forward, arm outstretched. Merlot twisted around as she emerged and grabbed for her.

She went right under his hand.

Weiss grunted as her rapier struck something hard, but not impenetrable. Her head throbbed painfully, and she coughed, tears running as pain blossomed in her chest. An ice run beneath her formed and a pillar exploded into existence, pushing her into Merlot and forcing her weapon in deeper. Flesh gave way, the tip slipping between the bone plating on his chest.

She drove her weapon up to the handguard and only then did her momentum stop. For a split second she feared she'd missed. Then Merlot screamed, a purely angry yet also distraught sound. Black blood seeped from the wound, then sprayed, catching her face and chest, dribbling down her arm.

" **YOU DARE WOUND A GOD?!"**

Merlot's claw wrapped around her and she breathlessly screamed as his fingers clenched, threatening to crush her. The pressure was short lived and Merlot screamed again, his arm tumbling to the ground. Weiss hit with a wince and blindly wriggled to break free, feeling Blake and Ruby both grab her and drag her out. Merlot screamed and grabbed for them again only to be engulfed in a towering blue flame.

"A god? Nah, you never were a god." Yang snapped her fingers and fresh flames exploded, engulfing Merlot entirely.

Weiss watched as Merlot flailed, desperately batting at the flames spreading over his body. His warbling cries of anger turned to ones of agony, stumbling around blindly. Yang's spell ceased yet the flames remained, eating away at flesh as pieces fell away and black blood continued to spill from his chest wound. Weiss rapier began to melt yet the blade remained embedded, buried in his heart.

" **Why?! Why?! Why, why, why, why?!"** Merlot fell forward and one of his legs vanished, black smoke rising from his body. He dragged himself forward as flesh began to melt from bone, and bone turned to dust. His red eyes glowed as his magic flared or attempted to. He couldn't focus. He hadn't anything left to use.

 _It took nearly all his energy to heal from the collapse. He thought he could heal through anything…_

Merlot screamed again, collapsing against the ground. His other arm faded, and he rolled helplessly as flames began to die out at long last.

"Even… So called gods have their limits…" Weiss panted, frowning as she watching Merlot try to regenerate again and again only to fail. "Take your twisted ambitions… With you to hell."

Sickened by the sight of Merlot writhing about Weiss thought she'd break. She forced herself to watch however. Forced herself to witness Merlot's end, because for as deformed as he was, as wicked as he had been, he was just that: a man. A man they'd killed.

The sobering thought made her watch his final moments with pity. A look that he reviled.

" **I am… A god…!"** He struggled to move, an arm beginning to reform only to crumble as swiftly as it had begun to heal. Merlot groaned, shaking his head. **"No… No… I perfected it. I… I am the next ev… Evolution! I. Am. God!"**

Weiss finally tore her gaze away as Merlot's body faded. His red eyes stared at her as he crumbled, a chilling rattling noise passing his lips. The light of his eyes died out and his head fell, reduced to a fine black mist, then vanishing.

All that remained was an indecipherable, black scorch mark on the ruined road.

She dared to think Merlot would rise again. Somehow, some way, his ashes would spring back to life. No one spoke for an agonizingly long moment, no one dared to jinx it. Not again. Only when a chilling wind swept his ashes and carried them off did Weiss finally relax, shuddering and laying back, closing her eyes as her headache.

Hells, everything ached. Her chest felt like she'd been kicked by a horse, her legs were limp as wet noodles, and her arms struggled to lift so much as an inch.

She'd take the pain. Pain meant they were alive.

Somehow, despite it all, they were alive.

Ruby gasped and Weiss nearly cried out as she assumed the worst. Cracking one eye she saw her partner staring at Blake, supporting the Meera as black smoke rose from her body. Unlike before however she showed no signs of losing control. Indeed, Blake pulled the scarf away and the black veins began to fade, and while she remained sickly in appearance Blake coughed, yet no black ooze followed.

"That musta been the Grimm…" Yang staggered towards them and smiled, flashing a thumbs up before collapsing onto her rear. She waved dismissively as blood leaked from her nose, chuckling and groaning as she grabbed her ribs. "Hit the ground, I'm fine. Probably busted my nose though… And a few ribs… And my ass…"

"Yang…" Ruby whined, smiling amused and shaking her head. "You were amazing…"

"Right back atcha, sis!" The Dimuran laughed, then winced again and pouted. "Sheesh. You weren't half bad yourself there, Blake. You too, princess."

"Hate… You…" Weiss wheezed. "Blonde… Boob…"

"See, she's fine! She can still insult me!"

Blake snorted softly, rolling her eyes as she used her scarf to wipe soot and sweat from her face. "Idiots…" she cracked a smile and laughed softly. Ruby and Yang joined in and Weiss tried. She really, really tried, but her chest tightened, and she groaned, which for some inexplicable reason made them laugh even _more._

"Take that… Back… Hate all of you…"

"Hate you too, Weissy," Yang teased with a wink.

Weiss struggled to smile, lifting her head and grabbing her chest with a painful, raspy wheeze. "C-Come on, we need to move… Before Grimm appear…" She rose with no small help from Ruby and as howls filled the air, thunder cracking in the distance, the four girls stumbled from the scene with all the haste they could manage.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Weiss grimaced as she was propped against the wall. Rain continued to come down in buckets, crashing loudly around them and the canopy above did little to block rain. Ruby offered her canteen and she accepted it graciously, taking a gracious helping before offering it back.

"Did the Grimm follow us?" Yang asked as Blake returned.

The Meera nodded somberly, wiping wet bangs from her face and sighing. "Managed to kill two, lost the rest in between houses… They're coming though…"

"We can just pick a direction and walk? Ruby suggested hopefully. "The city ends somewhere, right?"

"And walk through all the Grimm? We'll never make it in time. Best we can do…" Blake trailed off to cough, slumping against the wall. Yang helped her under their makeshift shelter and the Meera shrugged off her support. "Best we can do is wait for them to move on…"

"We're injured though. Weiss has broken ribs, you're still sick, Yang might collapse any second…" Ruby hung her head, clutching her scythe. She looked out into the pouring rain before frowning. "I still have energy. I could cut a path through the Grimm, let you three -"

"Absolutely not…" Weiss glared at her partner until Ruby hung her head. "No… Splitting up. We camp… If we must…"

"I get it, Weiss, but we don't have stuff to camp with. Plus like Rubes said we're kind in rough shape." The Dimuran smiled, but by now they all knew it was a front. She'd nearly collapsed twice since leaving the scene of their battle and that had only been half an hour ago.

Progress to get out of the city was painstakingly slow. Weiss couldn't really walk, Blake was in the same boat as Yang: unable to back up her talk. Only Ruby was in any decent shape and even she was running on fumes.

Thunder shook the city and Weiss grimaced, covering her ears and waiting for the sound to pass.

"On the bright side…" Blake mused, smiling bitterly as she closed her eyes. "Whatever that thing did to me… It's made me sicker than Weiss…"

"You're worse than Spellcast Sickness? Ouch."

"No choice but to keep moving."

Or potentially die sitting as they were.

It felt horribly cheap after their triumph over Merlot. The universe must owe them some good fortune by now, right? Yet here they were, medical supplies exhausted, without food or water - unless they wanted to drink the rain. They had shelter, sure, if abandoned, mold-infested homes were an ideal shelter.

Plenty of ways to get sick and die. At least they got a choice in that regard.

Lightning exploded over Plockton and Weiss braced for another round of thunder, groaning as it rattled her aching head. She opened her eyes and her vision swam, glancing over as Blake finally sat as well, panting and trying to wring out her drenched clothing. She cracked her canteen, shook it, and huffed when nothing came out. Ruby offered the remainder of hers.

Another crack of lightning illuminated the abandoned streets, reflecting off the rain drenched cobbled paths. Yang narrowed her eyes and peered into the darkness, stepping out from the awning. A third flash and Weiss watched her visibly deflate, hands raising before dropping uselessly to her sides.

"Fuck…"

A singular Beowolf stopped in the road and stared down at them, red eyes piercing through the darkness. It licked its jowls and slowly turned on them, rising up on its hind legs and snarling. Ruby clutched her scythe and prepared to defend them only to gasp and step back in fright.

Four more Beowolves wandered into the road, and behind them an Alpha leading the pack. Yang tried to form a spell but only managed sparks, wincing and clutching her arm. Blake staggered to her feet and collapsed.

"I… I can kill them…" Ruby whispered.

"You're almost out too," Weiss snapped back, grabbing her friend's cloak. "You'll do no such thing."

"But Weiss!"

"Maybe… We can hide inside?" Blake suggested.

"How long until they beat down the doors…?" Yang growled and rubbed her face, slapping herself. "Come on, dammit! Let me change! Why won't it happen?!"

Merlot's death hadn't freed Yang in the same way Blake had been. Yang's mark remained and the Grimm presumably still lived. Shame, because that curse was probably their last-ditch effort at surviving.

The Alpha shouldered past its lesser counterparts, fixing its gaze hungrily on the group. Could Grimm smile? Weiss swore it did. It knew they had nothing left to offer. It understood the last of them was liable to slip, and that for all her speed she was vulnerable. It knew they had been served to it on a silver platter.

The pack roared and barreled down the road towards them. Weiss grasped for the rapier that no longer existed, then struggled instead to form a single rune. Blake clutched her dagger and stood, falling back against the wall but holding her weapon ready.

"You want some, bastards?!" Yang screamed, stepping forward and raising her fists. "Come on, come get some, you damn mutts!"

The Alpha surged ahead of the pack and lunged at Yang, jaw wide open and claws outstretched Easily twice or thrice her size the Dimuran shrank back slightly, cocking back her arm to throw a useless strike.

Yang's punch whiffed as the Alpha flew abruptly into a wall. Its body slumped to the ground and its head rolled free, eyes fading as its body followed suit. The remaining Beowolves charged on undeterred, fixated on the four weak Hunters. One's head flew from its shoulders, another was cleaved in two, bisected from the head to its rear. A third was cut to ribbons, and the last, coming dangerously close to reaching Yang, stopped abruptly in midair, a red blade jutting out of the back of its skull.

"You damn mutts…?" The Beowolf went limp and began to dissipate before it even hit the ground. Raven snorted, shaking rainwater from her sword then smirking at the befuddled Yang. "Interesting last words, Yang. Disappointing too."

Normally Yang would probably have shouted at her mother, or cursed her, or even attacked. Instead the Dimuran sank to her knees, staring blankly ahead and trembling. Ruby dropped too, scythe clattering loudly against cobblestone, and Blake slouched, exhaling loudly.

Weiss could only stare, dubstruck as Raven canvassed the area. The woman nodded once and sheathed her sword, whistling loudly. A small group rushed from an adjacent alleyway, arms full of bundles, hurrying past the bandit chief and trying to tend to Weiss and her friends. She made no effort to push the man away as he began to inspect her for wounds, wincing only when he grazed her chest.

"Broken ribs, ma'am," he said, to which Raven nodded.

"Carry her. Carry all of them if you must. I'll keep Grimm from reaching you."

Again, Weiss didn't protest. Yang did for a moment before her struggling proved fruitless and she slumped against her helper's back.

Raven ran a hand back through her hair and spat, glancing up at the sky in disdain. When she turned back to Weiss and the others she grinned, raising an eyebrow and spreading her arms. "I told you that you belonged to me, didn't I? And I protect my property."

"Fuck you… Raven…" Yang grumbled, burying her face and groaning.

"My tribe is clearing the city as we speak. The villagers are safe and waiting for us to finish," Raven explained, ignoring her daughter and turning, walking back towards the alleys. "Keep close and keep quiet. We'll get back to camp and take care of you girls there."

Weiss wanted to complain but couldn't find anything to complain about. She had asked the universe for a break, hadn't she? And it had given her one, albeit not in a form she'd expected. Preferably someone from the Church, or hells, someone from the Commandery even.

Beggars couldn't be choosers. Mouthing a voiceless thanks as an oiled cloak was draped over her shoulders to block out the rain she clung to her aide, nodding once. Raven grinned and motioned for the group to follow her, drawing her sword again and balancing it on her shoulder.

"This makes it two… Three times? You're making this a habit, girls. You owe me."

Ah, there it was. The caveat. Even when the universe saw fit to grant mercy it came with strings attached.

So be it. At this point she welcomed whatever she could get.

Even if that meant an obnoxious bandit saving their lives.

Again.

* * *

 **You know when you have that coworker who you _really_ kind of don't like but they help out or they're actually good at what they do? And no matter how much you dislike them you probably owe them one?**

 **That's Raven. Except their coworker in this case has a sword. And magic. And... Kills people.**

 **I really hope your coworker isn't like Raven...**

 **Tangential ramblings aside I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Lots of pew pew!**

 **Next chapter... Soon! Don't expect one nearly this length. Likely just tying up some things.**


	35. Chapter 35: A Whole New World

**"A fantastic point of view..."**

 **"No one to tell us no..."**

 **Except the law. And your parents. And morals, if you're into that kind of thing.**

 **Here we are! I promised some answers this chapter. Some. More will come trickling in as we go but here's a bit of it for now.**

 **Too much exposition something something dull boy.**

* * *

 _You know too much._

"Ouch!"

"Stop complaining…"

"Stop being so brutish!"

Weiss winced as the bandages around her chest were tightened, gasping for air and instinctively drawing back. A firm hand kept her in place, and she wheezed, uselessly pulling at the healer's wrists to break free.

'Do no harm' was the mantra of most Church certified healers.

Clearly this man was not one of them.

Tears swam in Weiss' eyes as the bandages were at last secured, binding her chest and covering the gashes on her ribs. A healing salve beneath the cloth chilled her, the cold solution mixing oddly with the warming sensation of magic. Grizzled and unkempt, nothing like a Church healer, Raven's tribesman hovered at her side, feeding magic into her body, mending broken flesh and splintered bone like a weaver repairing a garment.

Magic might heal wounds but that didn't make the process without pain. Her ribs snapped back with an audible click and Weiss cried out softly, leaning forward and grasping her side. A stubborn hand pushed her own away and she whimpered as her bones healed.

The dark green canvas of the tent was blurry when she opened her eyes a moment later. Breathing came easier, lungs no longer pressed beneath broken bones, although she still hesitated to take deep breaths.

"Hm… The Church trains hatchlings…" The healer lifted her bandages, maidenly honor be damned, again swatting Weiss' hand away when she tried to protect her decency. "You want to heal or no? Makes no difference to me."

Swallowing vitriol Weiss nodded stiffly, glowering at the Dimuran. "Good, sit still then before you reopen a wound." Gripping the edges of the table she focused on her breathing and not the rough fingers poking and prodding at her flesh. "Ribs seem to be together again, gashes are gone," he mused, turning his head and spitting. "Won't even be a scar. Fah… You're like a doll."

"And you call yourself a healer?" Weiss hissed in pain. Healed, but not recovered. "I've had an easier time riding a horse bareback."

"Probably the only thing you've ridden, eh?" It took her a second of staring at the man's toothy grin before she put two and two together. Bright faced and livid Weiss swung, cursing when the man caught her wrist with ease and laughed in her face. "Looks like I was right!"

"You may leave now!"

"Aye, aye, I was on my way out, lass." The deplorable man smiled and gathered up bloodied wraps - ones previously bound to her wounds. Stuffing them into a bag he slung it over his shoulder and pointed to her chest. "Kalom won't take you today. Lucky runt." The Dimuran itched the pale scales on his dark skin. "Ribs are still setting so don't go trying anything, you hear? If you're sent back here, I'll be pissed."

 _You'll_ be pissed? Weiss bristled, gripping the table hard enough that she felt splinters dig into her palms. Face still red like the sun she swung her legs off the table and slid off, keeping her back to the man as she slipped her tunic back on. A faint pain pulsed in her chest, but she could move now without much trouble; breathe too. Tossing her long white hair and plucking a few leaves and blades of grass from the ends she watched the man leave, scowling and stomping her foot.

 _What is that woman thinking with healers like him?!_ Weiss buttoned up her tunic fingers fumbling as her body continued to recover. _If Ozpin found out any of his healers behaved like that they'd be on the streets within the day! They have no sense of decency here!_

But then this wasn't the Church was it? Raven and her people were about the furthest thing from the Church in Weiss' mind. Yet they had been saved by the same deplorable group not once but twice now.

One had sent them to certain death, the other was the reason she was even alive to gripe about it.

Fastening her belt and the sash around her chest she searched for her rapier. _Oh, right…_ Despondent, she sighed and slipped her boots back on, pausing for a moment to clean her face in a washbasin.

Gods did she look haggard. Circles under her eyes made her sickly, her usually well-kept hair was frayed with strands sticking out no matter how stubbornly she tried to subdue them. Weiss prodded at her cheeks and pulled down her eyelids, grimacing at how bloodshot they were. At least the ginseng mixture had helped to reduce her aches and nausea. Shame she still looked like she'd been through Spellcast Sickness. Felt it too.

Every movement was sluggish as she exited her tent. The sun's unwelcome glare blinded her temporarily and she shielded her eyes, giving her sight a moment to adjust. In the distance thunder crackled, the dark sky ebbing like a receding tide and giving way to bluer pastures. Around the hastily erected camp fires roared, crackling loudly. Various meats slung over spits sizzled and filled the air with a mouthwatering aroma.

Weiss couldn't decide if she was hungry or put off by the idea of a meal.

Squinting through the harsh light she sought out familiar faces. Plenty of civilians milled about the camp, either doing their best to help or stay out of the way. Raven's own were restless, setting up tents, starting fires, or rushing out to meet the Grimm in battle while others returned. Weiss passed a group on their way in, bloodied but smiling and laughing amongst themselves. The joviality was strange. Grimm continued to howl in the distance, far more subdued than even an hour ago but still present. Still a threat. Her heart leapt in her throat at the idea she herself might be sent back into battle so soon.

She dispelled the idea when she remembered Raven's decree. They were through fighting, Weiss and her friends. The tribe would take matters into their own hands from here on out.

 _I take care of my property..._

Weiss grimaced, kicking at the ground with an angry huff. She was not Raven's property, none of them were. The woman was delusional if she truly believed that.

Rapturous laughter made her jump, flushing as a pair nearby laughed at her unbidden reaction. Shooting them a glare she circled around a stack of containers and followed the noise. Men and women cheered, and she overheard bets being placed.

Why was she not surprised to find bandits gambling? They were likely betting on who could go longest without bathing. Weiss shuddered, taking a hesitant whiff of the air and blanching. That wouldn't seem like such a stretch. Or perhaps they were betting on who was the crudest, or the most poorly spoken, or…

She stopped around a table and stared at the pair sat down, arms propped up and hand clasped in hand. The crowd cheered and a large Toro man grunted, stomping his foot down and sweating profusely. Veins in his neck bulged and his green eyes widened, leaning to the side and cursing as he vied for supremacy.

Yang grinned, straining but less visibly so than her counterpart. The crowd whooped in delight and cheered for the man, lifting mugs and glasses and spilling all over themselves without a care.

The man's hand struck the table and the crowd went silent before erupting again in a chorus of cheers and unintelligible shouts. Yang raised her arms and looked prouder than ever for her victory.

Weiss wondered if her friend hadn't lost some brain cells in all their fighting.

Watching as Yang and the Toro clasped hands again and embraced Weiss hung her head, groaning and rubbing her temples. Of course, she was recovered. Why did Yang have to encourage these people? Her eyes narrowed watching as a few bandits reluctantly handed over paltry sums of Lien, piling it up in front of Yang.

… Well, at least they'd be able to afford supplies now.

Marching over towards the table and ignoring the fanfare she grabbed Yang's shoulder, narrowing her eyes when the blonde whipped around and grinned at her. "Oh, hey Weissy! You're finally done!"

"I see you're recovering swimmingly."

"Me? Oh yeah, pretty much fine after the healer saw me!" Yang laughed and flexed her right arm. Bandaged heavily from her shoulder to her fingertips she flashed a smile. "Good as new! Healer was pretty fun too, we were cracking jokes and having a good -"

"Wonderful. Splendid. Lovely." Weiss' eyebrow twitched and she glanced at the Lien before biting the inside of her cheek. A little more and they could possibly afford a carriage back to the city. With their horses long gone now the idea of not having to walk was tantalizing.

"If you're quite finished gambling we should find your sister," she directed, hands on her hips as she looked up at Yang testily. "Assuming you're finished?"

A few bandits booed and jeered at her for her interruption. Weiss had half a mind to reply with a rude gesture and settled for rolling her eyes instead.

"Oh yeah! I saw her a bit ago, she's all set!" _Then why are you here?_ Weiss' mind screamed, putting her face in her hands as Yang gathered up her winnings. "Sorry ladies and gentlemen but I've gotta run. My lady awaits!"

"We are _not_ in a relationship!" Weiss snapped haughtily, face warming more than she'd have liked. Laughter broke out again, from Yang included, and she pointed away from the table. "Move! B-Before I… I… I'll freeze you!"

"Aw, Weissy, you could never freeze my heart." Heat reached the tips of her ears and she trembled, following alongside Yang as they left the group behind, laughter ringing in her ears. Oblivious or uncaring the blonde grinned, counting her earnings before tucking them away for safekeeping. "Glad to see you're all better and back to being feisty!"

 _Feisty?_ "I simply think… Our time could be spent in better ways than gambling," she grumbled, folding her arms, wincing, then dropping them to her sides. "You're awfully obnoxious today."

"Fair, fair. And relax, Weiss! I was getting us a little extra Lien for the trip back." Yang jingled her winnings with a proud smile. "You can thank me whenever you're ready."

Feeling like a petulant child and likely looking the part too Weiss stomped along, staring straight ahead, chin up and lips pressed into a thin line. Bandits behind them broke out into cheers again as their games began anew. To her left she heard another group break into song as one man woefully played a lute, sounding more like a dying fox than an instrument.

Despite the chaos they had just come from and still being embroiled in fighting - the Grimm continued to roam the area, the tribe carried on like nothing was amiss. It was disconcerting how casual it all seemed. Weiss felt her palms itch and pressed them against the sides of her thighs, chewing her lower lip and glancing around skittishly.

Yang's hand grabbed her shoulder and she squeaked, drawing back half a step and lifting her fists.

"Hey… You good?"

Was she 'good'? Expecting the ground to erupt any moment was not 'good'. Neither was expecting herself to wake up any moment and find herself in the middle of a battle. The Grimm were being kept at bay for now but how long would that last? How long until they were attacked again?

No, she wasn't 'good'. She wasn't even 'kind of good'. Weiss let loose a shuddering sigh and folded her arms loosely, scrunching her shoulders and frowning.

"Let's just find Ruby and Blake, okay…?"

"Sure thing, Weiss."

Lips trembling through a smile she nodded, rubbing her side gingerly. Once they rounded up their group they could begin planning how to get back to the city. Then they could finally relax and put this whole sordid business behind them… Until their next assignment.

She assumed Ruby would still be inside one of the medical tents. An assumption based on nothing, Weiss admitted, and one that wasn't helpful whatsoever. Raven's tribe didn't use any distinguishing markers to label their tents, or if they did then she didn't know the system. Even the healers themselves were nondescript save for their bags of tools and bandages they carried with them. When half the camp was moving about carrying some manner of cargo the healers tended to blend in with everyone else.

They stopped at the first few tents they found, poking their heads inside. One man was fast asleep, and to Weiss' chagrin, bare as the day he was born. Another was busy repairing armor and yelled at them to leave him be.

Someone was enjoying rations, another was in the middle of undressing from battle when they walked in. Weiss had to drag Yang away from that one, ears burning listening to the playful flirting between the two.

"I thought you hated these people?!" Weiss growled.

"I mean… Kinda? But they're not so bad once you get to know 'em," Yang admitted with a shrug. "Besides, I hate Raven. Most of these guys are alright in my book."

"They're bandits!"

"They saved us, Weiss. How long are you gonna keep on about that?" So long as it was true, which it still was. Weiss turned when Yang stopped and held her hands up expectantly as if to ask, 'What now?'. Yang snickered, shaking her head and pointing towards the edge of camp.

Vernal knocked over someone with a staff, shouting all sorts of wonderfully encouraging insults at him. He stood, dusted himself off, then promptly found himself sprawled out in the dirt again. Rather than try helping her kinsmen up Vernal spat in his direction, shouted another word of encouragement, and moved on to the next man in line.

"And her," the blonde added after a moment, smiling slightly amused. "She's a bitch too."

At least they agreed on that front. Weiss nodded, sweeping her hand out behind her and raising an eyebrow. They still had yet to find Ruby, or Blake for that matter. It didn't help that the camp was an incohesive mess, thrown up at a moment's notice with no regard for planning or anything. It was enough to make Weiss' head throb.

 _Ozpin will know._

"Oi!"

Yang sighed beside her and Weiss felt herself slouch just a touch. "Speaking of the devil…"

"Well well, look who's still alive." Vernal smirked and propped her staff on her shoulder. Weiss met her smug gaze at eye level, taking some petty satisfaction in realizing the bandit was as short as she was.

That made it all the more infuriating the strutted around like she was the size of a Goliath.

Yang tossed her hair over her shoulder and put a hand to her hip, flashing a grin that failed to reach her eyes. "Hey, Vernal. Glad to see Raven let you off licking her boots for a bit!"

"Hmph. Cute, reject. You spend all day thinking of that one?"

Yang clenched her teeth and shuffled her feet, leaning forward and sneering at Vernal. The fact she was a full head taller didn't seem to bother the bandit. If anything, it made her smile with an off putting eagerness. "What was that…? All I heard was 'Please kick my ass, Yang'."

"If you think you could, be my guest." Vernal sneered. "Unlike you, I have Raven's training. I'd love to wipe that look off your face."

Weiss pushed back at both women, cheeks puffing and arms trembling at the effort. Neither budged for all her insistence but they did step back, both looking at her bewildered as she stood between them.

"If we're quite finished picking fights with each other…" she growled, glowering at Vernal before staring at Yang. "We have people to find. And perhaps, if someone is so inclined…" Weiss took a deep breath, put on her friendliest front, turned to Vernal and smiled. "She might be willing to help us find them…?"

"Pay me."

Yang's arms slung around her middle and Weiss kicked and flailed, lashing out at Vernal and missing every time. "Pay you?! _Pay you?!_ I would sooner throw myself into one of the bonfires than do such a thing! You leech!"

Weird that she'd been told she wouldn't make it in the courts. She had the bearing of a noblewoman… Sometimes.

Vernal sniggered and waved her staff in Weiss' face. "Oh? Then I guess you don't want to know where your friends are?"

"Weiss, what about not fighting?"

She twisted in Yang's arms and scowled, pointing at Vernal. "I've changed my mind! Yang, teach her some manners! Make her tell us!"

She was _not_ in the mood for these games. Her stomach coiled and stress, like the rope around a ship's sail, taut and ready to snap. She just wanted to find her friends and leave this rotten cesspool already!

Pots and pans clattering to the ground drew everyone's attention from each other and towards one of the fires. One of the tribe's cooks shouted angrily, and Weiss had to admit for as crude as the woman's language was her ability to colorfully string insults together was commendable.

Then she saw Ruby bowing repeatedly, face bright as her cloak as she apologized profusely.

Nevermind. The woman was a dullard and a brute and the Grimm could turn her into a chew toy for all Weiss cared.

"Ruby!"

Weiss squeaked and nursed her side, puffing up. Yang raced to her sister. The cook toppled over as she was pushed aside and Ruby devolved into a mess of flailing limbs as her sister lifted her off her feet, swinging her around in a hug that might break a lesser person.

Judging by Ruby's slowly paling face it was probably close to that.

Weiss glanced at Vernal as she laughed. "She's got the attention span of a gnat, doesn't she?"

While not inherently wrong she was reluctant to agree with anything the uncouth woman said. "She's excited to see her sister," Weiss deflected, smiling as she watched the pair chatted animatedly.

"That right? Can't imagine why. Rose is a sorry little thing."

"Excuse you?" Weiss turned, hands on her hips. A dull throb behind her eye made her grit her teeth and her breath hitched in her chest. She ignored it. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what I said, Schnee." Vernal slung her staff between her shoulders and looped her arms around it. "You two done?"

Ruby smiled bright seeing Weiss and rushed over, stopping short of tackling her when Weiss pointed to her ribs. The brunette collided with her gently and hugged her tightly, burying her face against Weiss' neck.

"I'm so glad you're okay!"

All this blood rushing to her head couldn't be good for her. Weiss stammered incoherently, eyes darting to Yang for help and finding none. She held Ruby's shoulders and managed a wavering smile, then closed her eyes and embraced her partner fully, nostrils filling with Ruby's peculiarly sweet scent as hair smothered against her face.

"I'm glad you're well too... "

"See, isn't this just nice?" Yang laughed and slung an arm around both of them and pulled them into a hug despite protests. "The gang's almost all here!"

Weiss gasped for air as she freed herself from Yang's clutches. "A-Almost…" she coughed, trying to tidy up her frayed hair. "We still need to find Blake."

The Meera had been worse off than any of them. The Grimm had done a number on their friend and having it cleansed had still left Blake distressingly ill. The fact Weiss hadn't seen her anywhere wasn't exactly reassuring either. Ruby's wide silver eyes didn't help matters, and neither did Yang's apprehensive smile.

"Your cat friend is fine," Vernal muttered, rolling her eyes as all three of them stared at her. "She's fucked up from that thing she had but they've got her on medicine. Relax. Raven's making sure she recovers."

Trying to be diplomatic Weiss smiled and bowed her head. "Thank you, Vernal. We appreciate your help."

"Not enough to pay us apparently."

Like a flower in autumn the little goodwill they had just begun to grow withered and died.

"Now that you're all here -" Vernal looked away and scowled, then yelled loud enough Weiss cringed and covered her ears. "You idiots! I said fucking practice blocking, not lunging! Do you have stones for brains?!" The Muran shook her head and scoffed. "Why am I the one stuck training the idiots…?"

"Looks like Raven wants to keep you away from her," Yang suggested with a smug smile. "Maybe you're not her favorite after all."

"Wanna bet, reject? How many hunting trips does Raven take you on?"

"Hey, she needs bait, doesn't she?" Yang jeered.

"You want to go?! I'll kick your -"

"Oh wow, look at that butterfly!" Ruby squeaked suddenly, grabbing Yang's arm and pointing at the innocuous insect. All three of them stared at it as it fluttered by harmlessly, befuddled by her outburst. Weiss glanced behind the Dimuran and gave her partner a thumbs up, mouthing 'thank you'.

"Look, just shut up and lemme say what I gotta say. I don't want to be doing this anymore than you lot do," Vernal grumbled, rubbing her head before inclining it back. "Raven's got your friend with her. Wanted to make sure no one messed with her on account of being in the Fang."

"But she isn't," Weiss argued.

"Tell that to the idiots around us. We don't exactly get along with those maniacs, Schnee. If one of them thought they could get away with sticking her in the ribs they'd try it." She smiled darkly. "Hell, they might still try. Worth it if it means killing one of those animals."

"B-But you won't let them do that, right?" Ruby paused then frowned. "And they're not animals! And Blake is our friend!"

Vernal waved a hand dismissively and rolled her eyes. "Raven said to leave her alone so I'm doing that. Just like I'm talking to you idiots on her behalf." She sighed, pointing towards the back of the camp with her staff. Or was it the front? "She's got your friend and she wanted to talk to you all once you were awake. Her tent's under the big birch."

Damn it. Weiss had half a mind to take Blake and just leave at their first chance. Fat chance of doing that now with the Meera in Raven's care. _She probably did that intentionally, the witch. Using Blake as means to keep us around._

"Thank you, Vernal," Ruby said with a smile. "But you really should try to be nicer. Blake isn't a bad person -"

"She's an animal, and a wild one at that," Vernal interrupted.

"And our friend. And I don't like when people talk badly about my friends. Besides…" She glanced up at Yang and smiled, knocking her hip with her sister's. "Yang would totally kick your butt! I bet Weiss and I could too!"

Weiss facepalmed. Yang laughed and slung an arm around Ruby's shoulder, high fiving her. Vernal merely sighed and shook her head, twirling her staff as she wandered back over towards the group training nearby.

"Good job, Ruby! That was _almost_ intimidating!"

The brunette whined and pulled Yang's hand away from ruffling her hair. "I can be intimidating! Weiss always says though you shouldn't meet aggression with aggression. It just makes things worse."

"Oh yeah," the Dimuran rolled her eyes and chuckled. "'Cuz she's been doing such a good job of that herself."

"I'm right here you know!"

"Kinda the point, Weissy!"

"Guys!" Ruby slipped out of Yang's embrace and clasped her hands together. "We can argue later, Blake's waiting for us!" And Raven, much to Weiss' chagrin.

Conceding to Ruby's point Weiss nodded once, pulling her tunic tighter as a chill ran down her spine. A brief flash of vertigo made her hold her breath and she held a hand up to keep her friends at bay, smiling reassuringly.

"Just some lingering effects of Spellcast Sickness, I'll be fine. Let's go check on Blake. With any luck we'll be done with this business at last."

Yang hummed and rolled her bandaged shoulder. "'Cuz we've had such good luck up until now, right?"

"We've done pretty well I think!" Ruby smiled and spun around, walking backwards as they carved through camp. "We're all here, aren't we? And we saved Plockton, and probably Ambrose, and loads of other towns too! I'd say we did good!"

"Well," Weiss corrected. "We did well." She smiled when her partner puffed up indignantly. "But yes, we did. And there will be plenty of time to celebrate when we get back to Vale City."

She couldn't wait to return, to enjoy a proper bed, a warm bath, and a good meal at Monty's Corner.

All that stood between them now was Raven and whatever nonsense she intended to push on them now.

The home stretch at long, long last.

 _Will we be welcomed?_

Weiss' hands twitched and she pressed them hard against her thighs, forcing a smile.

Of course they would be.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Weiss had been told growing up that staring was rude. She hated being stared at. It was a mutual rudeness.

Weiss couldn't stop staring.

She'd expected Blake to be asleep and Raven to be… Well, whatever Raven did in her spare time.

Sipping tea and playing a game together was the last thing she'd anticipated. That the unlikely pair was so engrossed in their little match they didn't notice her arrival with Ruby or Yang was equally surprising.

Ruby shuffled beside her, opening and closing her mouth repeatedly as she tried to find words. Yang sniggered silently, then after shrugging at Weiss she leaned forward and cupped her hands around her mouth. "Helloooooo?"

Blake nearly toppled over, jumping where she sat and sneezing, ears standing on end before flattening. Yang howled with laughter and Raven sighed, moving her now spilled tea cup aside and using the carpet beneath her to wipe away spilled liquid. The woman shot her daughter an irate look before collecting game pieces and sliding them away into a small box.

"Most people knock before they enter someone's home," the bandit leader mumbled.

Weiss glanced back before raising an eyebrow. "Tent?"

"Point taken."

Well this was unexpected. And… Weirdly wholesome? Sure, Blake looked paler than a stark white bedsheet and about as hearty and hale as a leper but she was up and active… Sort of. The normally agile Meera moved with all the grace of a potbellied pig, swaying where she sat and hanging her head, coughing and pulling her blanket tighter around herself. Weiss had half a mind to offer a healing salve for whatever good it might do, groping blindly in her empty satchel.

Right. She'd used them all fighting Merlot.

"I know I told Vernal to send you to me but I expected you to take longer." Raven pushed the low table aside with her foot, clearing space in her already densely packed tent. "How are you feeling?"

"... You're talking to us, right?" Yang asked.

"No, I'm trying to speak to everyone outside the tent. Yes I'm speaking to you three." Raven deadpanned. "Unless you've forgotten how to speak?"

"Much to your chagrin, no, we haven't." The woman had the audacity to look disappointed. Weiss glanced at Blake and shared a small smile with her friend all while trying to not look too upset by how sickly she appeared. _At least she's not contagious. I doubt Raven would have her if she was._ "We've all recovered well thanks to your… H-Help…"

"Hm? What's that, Schnee?" Raven leaned forward and inclined her head, cupping a hand to her ear. "I didn't quite hear you."

"Thank…" Weiss hung her head and bowed rigidly to hide her embarrassment, thankful her hair was down to mask her obvious humiliation. "Thank you for your help…"

"Thank you…?"

"Don't push it."

"Eh, more than I'd expected from you lot." Seemingly satisfied the Dimuran sauntered over to the far end of her tent and retrieved a burlap sack. "Present for you girls, before we get started. I'd suggest keeping these from the Church."

From the sounds it made it was stuffed with paper. She squared shapes jutting out through the material suggested books. Or bricks wrapped in paper. Weiss couldn't fathom why anyone would give them the latter.

"What's inside it…?" Ruby leaned forward on her toes and squinted, as though doing so let her see through the material.

"Merlot's research, scraps we collected from his home. The bits and pieces I didn't need anyways." Raven smirked and dropped the bag at her feet. "I was curious about what he was trying and why. I have no plans on recreating it. Don't go getting any stupid ideas, I'm hardly going to terrorize Vale."

"Forgive me if I remain skeptical," Weiss quipped.

"Think what you want, Schnee. I didn't save your lives twice because I'm trying to conquer the kingdom." Raven sighed and sat back down, waving for the girls to join her. "Your friend isn't exactly mobile right now," she said, glancing at Blake as she coughed into her arm. "Sit down. We've got a lot to discuss." She paused then added. "Well, that depends on you girls, I suppose."

Weiss kicked aside bits of clothing and random odds and ends. Raven's tent was a complete disaster. Bits of armor and clothing strewn about, sheets of paper piled haphazardly in various spots. Her swords laid on her bed and a spare robe not unlike the one she wore hung on a post beside it. Other than that… Unmarked containers, cooking pieces, and varying sizes of bags cluttered her tent. It was enough to make Weiss feel antsy.

"What do you mean?" Weiss settled in her spot and frowned.

"I said before I'd give you the full story, didn't I? But I thought you couldn't handle it." Raven poured herself another cup of tea, replenished Blake's who drank it immediately, and offered more to the rest. Against her better judgement Weiss took the offering but didn't drink. "Still don't think you're ready honestly," she amended, sipping. "But chances are your worlds are about to open up quite a bit. Only fair someone gives you a warning."

"So… The floor is open to you four. If any of you have questions about anything at all I'll answer them." Raven took another drink before smiling. "Or you can leave and that will be that. You can return the city blissfully unaware aside from that little nagging voice in the back of your head asking, 'What if?' Your choice."

Truthfully? Weiss expected nothing more than insipid, baseless stories from Raven. More claims of what magic did, how the Church was wicked. More nonsense.

Yet she couldn't discount her own curiosity. Raven had mentioned Merlot's work surely to pique their interest. The woman smiled meaningfully at them and grabbed the bag of the doctor's works, sliding it closer before sipping her tea in silence.

Confound her. Yang leaned forward and stared at the bag with such fervor Weiss almost expected it to go up in flames. It didn't, much to her chagrin. Then Raven wouldn't have anything to lord over them.

Besides saving their lives. And contributing to Merlot's downfall.

She'd have _less_ to lord over them.

"Merlot's research…" Weiss began, eyeing the bag before rubbing her clammy palms against her trousers. "What was he after?"

"Strength, in a manner of speaking. He was looking to create a human-Grimm hybrid." Raven answered simply. Much too candid for such an outrageous claim.

"Why?" Ruby pressed, her eyes inevitably falling on her sister. "What did he think that would do?"

"A Magi that never tired." Yang unfurled her fist and ran her bandaged hand through her hair with a tight smile. "Grimm don't tire. He wanted to find a way to stick that into people and make them basically impossible to wear down."

"He wanted to make soldiers loyal to him and him alone. The 'next step in evolution'." Raven made air quotes before spitting. "That's the gist of what I read anyways. He managed to get a proof of concept with Yang, but it looks like he never had a chance to do more. My guess? He started running around the kingdom using people as his test subjects."

Well that was disturbing. A man with so little regard for life that he'd willingly sacrifice entire villages to perfect some twisted experiment. Weiss shifted and licked her dry lips, tongue feeling heavier in her mouth. She sipped her tea, nearly spilling it as her hands trembled.

A monstrous man, but a man nonetheless. A man they killed.

 _Murderer._

 _We did it to protect the kingdom,_ Weiss argued back. With herself.

"I'm sure you girls could make sense of it, or at least you can, Schnee." Raven stared at her for a moment before going on. "Something about sealing and runes, bunch of shit I don't understand. Doesn't matter anymore really, bastard's dead and so is his work."

"How do you know?" Ruby glanced at Blake nervously. "Blake is going to be okay now? She's not infected?"

"Whatever Merlot did seems to have died with him. The healers couldn't find anything wrong besides looking like utter shit." Blake glared at Raven for that one. The woman smiled and shrugged. "Truth hurts, kid. Merlot's have more on it, but you can read those later. I'm not wasting my breath repeating it.

"So… She'll make a full recovery?" Weiss couldn't help but sound hopeful.

"Like I said, looks like whatever he did has come undone. Your friend here's clean," Raven said. "Though she'll be sick for a while yet. Healers said it did a number on her body."

Blake nodded and smiled weakly at them, trying and failing to speak. After a few pitiful attempts and only making raspy sounds she hung her head, sighed, and drank her tea instead.

That would mean Ambrose was now safe. Well, maybe not _safe,_ not if there were still Grimm on the outskirts. Gods willing Coco, Fox, and Yatsuhashi were able to handle the hordes that had spawned. If they fell, then so too would Ambrose; nothing would hollow their victory more than knowing they'd ultimately failed to save even one town.

Trying not to dwell too much on unpleasant thoughts, and perhaps walking right into more, Weiss handed the sheets back to Raven. "What did he want with me, exactly…? I've heard repeatedly he wanted to have me work with him. He mentioned as much back in the fort." The concept of working alongside such a maniac made her shudder. "Any mentions of why that was?"

"Schnees are known for their ability to use runes. Even a bastard is skilled in them," Raven said, as if that news was the most obvious declaration in the world. "He probably wanted a protege, or at the very least someone to help replicate his work. That's just me taking a piss though. Whatever his reasons are likely lie in those papers," she nodded towards the burlap sack. "Or died with him. For your sake I hope it's the former."

"And you…?" Weiss asked hesitantly. "Why did you want me?"

It wasn't for more strength. Raven eclipsed them all in terms of power, dwarfed them in experience, and there was a legitimate chance so too did some of her subordinates. They had no idea how strong Vernal was, not really, and beyond a few others - mostly healers, they hadn't interacted with most of them. Nor was it for a ransom, or at least Weiss didn't think it was. Her family disowned her, and while the Church might try to negotiate for her return it could just as likely send Hunters to retrieve her instead… Or abandon her entirely if it wasn't worth the risk.

Raven took her time, pouring herself another cup of tea and offering more to them. Ruby took another cup willingly, Yang waved it off, having yet to touch hers. She seemed just as interested as Weiss in her mother's answer.

"Fair. I guess we'll start with why I originally wanted you." Raven leaned back and folded one leg over the other, smiling as she cocked her head. "I wanted to figure out a way to bring down wards around the city."

"I would never help you with that!" Weiss shouted. Blake cringed and she uttered a quick apology before looking at Raven aghast. "You're insane if you expected help with that."

"And you're an idiot if you think I wanted to watch the city burn."

"... Huh?"

She… Didn't? It was reassuring the others looked just as perplexed as Weiss did. Otherwise she'd have felt like an idiot for jumping to such a conclusion. Not that it was unwarranted.

"You have the wrong idea if you think I want that. I hate the Church. I could care less about the common urchin crawling through Vale's streets." Raven shook her head. "I wanted to learn a way to weaken the ward and stage attacks from afar. Show that their infallible defenses have weaknesses."

"So that's it? You just want to kill people?" Yang scowled. "Wow, real noble of you, Raven…"

"Hunters, and maybe the priest here and there. Anyone too blind to accept the truth," Raven corrected, smiling casually, like they were discussing the weather and not murder. "Take away some of the Church's pawns and weaken it. That's my job, after all."

"Your… Job?" Weiss stared in confusion, tried to speak once or twice, then shook her head. "What do you -"

"My tribe isn't the only group that hates the Church, girls. We're all cooperating, all playing our parts to undermine it. My particular area of expertise happens to be killing Hunters," Raven admitted with a predatory smile. "So, that's what I do. Wards though? Keep cities safe, make my job a hell of a lot harder. If I had a way to undo them though, or even weaken them? I'd have a much easier job now wouldn't I?"

An easier time murdering people.

 _You murdered Merlot, didn't you? You're the same._

"I did say I never claimed to be a saint," Raven went on, distilling the silence that had settled inside the tent. "Hunters who genuinely try to make Remnant better? It might be naïve drivel but I leave them well enough alone. They aren't hurting anyone. The ones who are so blind they refuse to listen to reason? The sort who hump their master's leg for a chance they'll be praised?" Did she _really_ have to go with that analogy? Weiss grimaced. Raven grinned. "Zealots have no place on Remnant. I enjoy dealing with them, frankly."

"You're… You're actually a monster…" Weiss lamented.

Ruby fidgeted and hugged herself, looking up at Raven, torn somewhere between disappointment and unease. Yang continued to stare at her mother, lip curling back as she growled.

"You think this is funny, don't you? Killing people like this?"

"Funny? No, not really. Know what I do find funny though?" Raven leaned forward and cupped her chin, smiling as she raised an eyebrow. "You still haven't asked the important question. Why haven't I been set upon by the powers that be?" She waved her free hand about. "Why do I get to kill Hunters without having the whole kingdom come down on me? How do you imagine I managed to get someone like Hazel… Sorry, _High Commander_ Rainart to work with me?"

Because Hazel Rainart was a traitor. Hazel used his position to protect his associate, and Raven could run around and kill indiscriminately. That, or it was because Raven was a lying, conniving, deceitful woman.

Except it wasn't a secret the Church and nobility didn't always get along. Weiss garnered a lot of hatred for her upbringing, but some of that was simply because she was a Hunter. Nobles loved to get into spats with the Church whenever they could. Even a fledgling Initiate could witness their regular confrontations in the city.

"You girls think the world is so black and white, don't you? That it's everyone against the Grimm." Raven laughed bitterly. "The worst threat Remnant faces isn't the Grimm, or bandits. At least, not just bandits. It's _us._ Murans. Ydrans. Dimuran. The people that make up this godsforsaken world" Raven dropped her hands in her lap and sneered. "Those wars the Church put a halt to all those years ago? They still go happen, they just happen behind closed doors."

"You mean to suggest the Church and kingdoms are locked in a proxy war?" Weiss couldn't fathom that. It made no sense. They were mutually beneficial, the kingdoms and the Church. One governed, the other provided protection. In return the kingdoms furnished the Church with wealth and prestige, celebrated its Hunters, and honored them.

 _Are we the bad guys in all of this…?_

"What can I say? The hearts of men are fickle and egos trump everything else." Raven was one to talk, strutting around like a songbird too keen to show off its feathers. "The kingdoms held power for centuries, using Magi in their wars. Here comes the Church promising peace and a way to combat Grimm. Suddenly the royal families and nobility lose a bunch of their power and the people are divided. Is it so hard to believe they'd fight each other?"

"That's… There's no way they'd do that," Ruby protested weakly.

"Oh? And why do you suppose the crown pardoned Yang and Blake? Do you suppose they wanted to give you two back to the Church? Or is it because they planned to bring you two - who have no real allegiances, into their ranks?"

"Where do you fall into all of this then? Are you allied with the crown?" Weiss asked dubiously.

"Me? I'm my own ally, Schnee. I left it all to try and keep out of it." Raven snorted, looking aside idly and drawing a knee to her chest, draping her arm over it. "Easier said than done, clearly. I guess I agree with the Crown more, though it's still a lesser of two evils."

The Church and the Crown… Fighting? Now Weiss was positive Raven was feeding them lies. The two entities had a mutual relationship dating back almost a century now, perhaps even longer. Undoing that wouldn't just hurt both of them but the whole of Remnant. It would be the great wars all over again. And for what? Influence?

Pettiness was befitting of nobility as far as Weiss was concerned, but the Church? Ozpin?

 _What we've been doing is right. We protect people…_

At what cost?

"Like I said, you do with this information what you will. I'm just the messenger here." Raven stood and wandered across her tent, prying open a container and retrieving dried strips of beef. "No takers? Fine, more for me."

A war between the two governing bodies on Remnant. It was absurd… Right? Petty squabbles between clergy and noblemen weren't a sign of impending strife. A difference in ideologies perhaps, but not a pretense for bloodshed.

The Church couldn't make laws, nor could it enforce any other than its own. They were excluded from partaking in wartime efforts - infinitesimally rare as those were, and while they held sway and magical prowess besides, they had little real influence on everyday life. That belonged to the nobles, the dukes, and the royal families.

Would the Church want to command that kind of authority…?

Weiss couldn't picture it. Ozpin sitting on a throne. He was much too humble, too gracious. He welcomed nobles, infuriating as they were, with open arms and worked alongside them. Then again, the same man had authorized a suicidal mission to send her and Blake to their likely deaths, hadn't he? And only by Hazel's intervention - which if Raven was to be believed, by the Crown's intervention, they were reunited and spared a gruesome fate.

She didn't want to believe a single word of it, yet she saw plausibility in the ideas. Her stomach knotted up and she licked her lips.

If the Church was waging war for more power, then did it not care about the people? Was all of Ozpin's talk of unity and cooperation just lip service?

Who were she fighting for? _What_ was she fighting for? Who had they killed Merlot for? Why? Whose side was he on? What would happen to them when they returned to Vale?

Weiss felt her chest seize up and her breath stop with a hitch. Her hands shook even as she gripped her thighs to try and still them, nails digging into her flesh. Her throat felt like it was constricted, an invisible pair of hands throttling her, starving her of oxygen.

She was a Hunter. She fought for the Church. They killed Grimm and protected people. They were the heroes of Remnant.

They were the heroes.

… Right?

Weiss pushed Yang away when the blonde tried to grab her, shaking her head. Was Yang a product of the Church, the Crown, or something else entirely?

Why did the nobility hate her? What specifically about her upbringing made her so deplorable to so many? Was it because she was a Hunter? Or did it have something to do with this supposed war of theirs?

It was probably nothing. Raven was spouting more lies. So, why then did it feel like the world itself had been pulled out from under her? Despite sitting on solid ground Weiss felt weightless, her head empty, thoughtless as if she'd been pushed underwater. Her hands brushed against something rough, but she couldn't tell what, her sense of touch numb. She felt like she was going to burst.

The Church? A lie. The Crown? A Lie. Her life? A lie.

Everything was a lie.

A pair of arms wrapped around her and Weiss barely reacted, too busy clutching her own chest and trying to keep panic from spilling free. Ruby's voice, despite being right beside her, sounded so distant she strained to hear it.

"Weiss, Weiss, you're okay… You're okay…"

She wasn't. Not really. Rocking back and forth not of her own volition she let Ruby hold onto her, unsure if the trembling she felt was because of her or her partner. Probably both. Feeling Ruby's chest rise and fall against her back she struggled to match her rhythm, closing her eyes and clutching onto Ruby's hands like her life depended on it.

It was a slow, painful experience. Her heart which had seemed poised to burst from her chest gradually settled, an odd twitch in her face disappearing. Muscles untensed and she took shallow breaths, exhaling each time with a shuddering sigh. Slumping back against Ruby, who in turn had Yang to help hold her up, she kept her eyes closed until she was certain she wasn't about to scream, or lash out, or whatever illogical thing she'd been primed to do.

To her credit Raven said nothing of the display. She watched, red eyes both interested and sympathetic. Once Weiss felt able to sit without support, she glanced down at the cup of tea set before herself and lifted it with still trembling hands, closing her eyes and slowly sipping at it.

Blake's cough helped bring her back to the moment, setting down her up and glancing worriedly at the Meera. The ravenette wiped her mouth on the blanket around her and cleared her throat, blinking back tears.

"It… It makes… Sense… Kind of…"

Ruby whimpered behind her and Weiss realized her partner was still holding her. She placed a hand over Ruby's, squeezed it, and tried to reassure her partner as best she could from her awkward position. Any other time she'd probably have been beet red from being held. Right now she wasn't sure she'd keep a grip on sanity without it.

"Isn't so fun learning you're a pawn, is it?" Raven said. She smiled wistfully, looking down and plucking at the fur lining of her robe with disinterest. "Hard to get out of their little games too. They'll find you, one way or another."

"What the hell are we supposed to do then, huh? Just accept we're stuck in this?" Yang asked.

"Accept it? I never said that, did I?" Raven retrieved her sword from her bed, the green blade, brandishing it and putting the flat of the weapon against her palm. "The other reason I wanted you here, Schnee? To fix Yang. You, and no one else."

The latest bombshell dropped in their laps rendered them speechless. Raven's admission made all four girls stare at her dumbstruck, waiting for her to laugh, or admit she was stringing them along.

"The Church can use curing her as a bartering chip for loyalty. The Crown too. But you have Merlot's research, you share his magic. With enough practice you could undo what he did and save Yang." Raven smiled, pointing her sword at Weiss. "I'd rather owe a debt to you than the alternatives. Think about it, Schnee. We'd be even."

"You… Want me to cure your daughter…?"

"Did I stutter?" Raven chuckled. "I'm not without _some_ compassion, children. I did save you after all."

"Are we supposed to pretend you didn't abandon us?" Yang muttered. Her shoulders sag and her head fell, taking a deep breath before looking up at Raven again. Her lilac eyes shimmered and she sat up straighter despite it. "Now you suddenly care?"

"Did you not listen to anything I said? I left to try and escape it all, Yang. And more importantly, to keep you and Ruby out of it." Raven scowled and threw her sword into a crate, blade piercing wood like wet paper. "Instead Tai encouraged you two to train and become Hunters like the fool he is."

"Dad…?" Ruby whimpered and Weiss took the chance to hug her partner instead.

"The Church and the royal families don't care about their people, or if they do, they have a real ass backwards way of showing it." Raven laughed. "Which I get is ironic coming from me. But the point remains, girls; you've got groups like the White Fang, the Conglomerate, and like mine, fighting for scraps and trying to keep our heads above water. You can pick a side and deal with the consequences…"

Raven pushed the bag of Merlot's research forward with her foot. "Or… You can figure things out yourselves. Maybe you kids can figure a way to fix this mess that we haven't been able to. Hell, you certainly can't do any worse. Gods know you can't do any worse."

"... But… How do we fight… The Church? And the kingdoms…?" Blake coughed, her throat rasping painfully. She chugged her remaining tea and rubbed at her neck.

"You don't. At least, not the four of you alone. Plenty of people would kill to have a Schnee on their side, even a bastard. The Church has most of your family, girl. The Crown seems to want you for themselves. Hells, Merlot _did_ kill for you." Raven folded her arms and rolled her neck before sighing. "You've got a choice. Pick a side or figure things out for yourselves. And not to rush things but you're probably running out of time to decide."

Outside of Raven's tent people began to shout. The sound of flames erupting roared through the camp, then promptly went silent. Vernal called for people to stop and as swiftly as the shouting began it fell silent. The bandit leader stared at the flaps of her tent before chuckling.

"They'll kill us, you know, if they find out we're even considering leaving or betraying them." Weiss shuddered. "All of this is… A bit much."

"They might kill you, sure. But then again they seem to have a poor track record of killing their problems." Raven grinned and spread her arms. "I'm here." She pointed to Yang. "She's here. Merlot survived until four scrappy women got the better of him. The Church isn't invincible, just damn close. Plenty of people get away from them. Plenty of 'dead' folks resurface."

Ruby gasped and pulled against Weiss' arms. "My mom!" she exclaimed, eyes wide, hopeful. "You were friends with her, right?! Do you know what happened to her? Dad doesn't, no one does! No one tells me anything other than she died!"

Beyond the tent a few men and women cursed, spitting insults. Bottles smashed as they were thrown and Vernal shouted again. The voices were coming closer and closer.

Raven lowered herself into a squat before Ruby, smiling as she glanced again at the exit. "According to the Church? Dead. According to everything else I've found…"

The flaps of the tent opened and Vernal rushed inside, red faced and frantic. Behind her a tall figure in a cloak strode inside, thin and dressed in dark clothes. A greatsword hanging off his back caught Weiss' eye, and the familiar shock of gray-speckled black hair beneath the hood made Weiss' jaw drop.

"Who can say?" Raven smiled innocently and rose to her feet, her smile widening into a taunting grin as she walked around the girls towards her brother, lifting her chin to meet his eyes. "Qrow, how good of you to join us. I see you got my letter."

"Shut it, Rae. You know why I'm here." Qrow's eyes roamed over the tent before settling on Ruby and Yang both. He brushed his sister aside and Weiss had the courtesy to release her partner, moving back as Qrow pulled both girls into tight hugs.

Raven gestured to Vernal and the young woman left in a hurry, though not before glaring a hole through Qrow's back. "I've got some things to attend to, you enjoy your little..." She rolled her wrist and sighed. "Whatever this is. I'll be back before long, dear brother."

Qrow ignored her. Ruby and Yang were too busy burying themselves in Qrow to respond. Weiss glanced at Blake uncertainly, sharing a shrug, before looking at the lanky man again.

He was a Hunter, right? Loyal to Ozpin and Ozpin alone from what she remembered. He was Ruby and Yang's uncle, and yet…

Could they trust him? Could they trust Raven?

Could they trust anyone beside themselves?

"Clock's ticking, Schnee," Raven sang on her way out.

Weiss glanced at the bag of Merlot's research again and swallowed. She doubted they'd find answers to Raven's latest wild story inside, but maybe it would be a start?

What was even happening in Vale? In the other kingdoms?

Suddenly she missed Merlot. One man was easily dealt with. But entire kingdoms? The Church?

Weiss wasn't a fan of this new world of theirs. Sometimes ignorance really was bliss.

* * *

 **Good to know the Grimm aren't the only enemy! Just a casual war between this world's equivalent of the Academies, the royal families and their armies.**

 **Those moments of people hating on Weiss seemed pretty isolated, didn't they? That miiiight change in the coming chapters ;)**

 **Hopefully I did an okay job of hinting at this rift in prior chapters. If not... Well can't say I didn't try!**

 **Thanks for reading as always you lovelies, and until next chapter...**

 **Stay beautiful!**


	36. Chapter 36: Sojourn

**So, this took a bit longer than anticipated to finish. Life gets busy sometimes though, not much to do about that!**

 **Self-promotion time! I've started a new story, simply titled "Branwen". It's focused on Qrow and Raven pre-Beacon and is going to be trying to flesh out the tribe prior to Raven becoming its leader. If anyone is interested feel free to check it out! At current only the introductory chapter is up, with chapter 2 coming in the next few days.**

 **With that all aside, enjoy!**

* * *

A thin film of dust drifted by a fogged glass pane, swirling in unseen currents and gathering, like the cobwebs along the ceiling, in a forgotten corner of the building. The cracked window allowed fresh air inside but afforded little else; outdoors the air was chilled with the distinct smell of rain. Inside was musty and stale. Neither was pleasant.

Weiss grimaced as her ribs throbbed again. Fingertips danced across the bandages beneath her tunic and she drew a deeper breath, then with a slight jolt, settled for shallow, measured gasps.

The healers had managed to repair the worst of the damage. No more internal bleeding, no more bruised organs, just battered, mending bones.

Even healing magic had its limits.

Rickety boards creaked and she rolled her head, then lifted it when the back of the armchair obscured her vision. One of Raven's people - she didn't remember the woman's name, came into the room and set a tray beside her seat.

"Need anything else?"

"No, that will be plenty."

The woman scoffed, turning on her heel and muttering audibly about 'ungrateful brats'. Weiss ignored her and leaned over the arm of the chair, grabbing a chunk of bread and pressing it between her fingers. It didn't give way, although the crust did crack a bit. With a soft huff she worked at plucking the soft white innards of the bread out, discarding the crust afterwards.

Two days. Two days of doing nothing but sitting around and recovering. After all they had been through in the last week alone she supposed she ought to be grateful for the chance to rest. Weiss sputtered and rasped, grabbing a mug of pale ale and swallowing a mouthful, choking as her nostrils burned.

Two days of being stuck in Plockton and in the care of the Branwen tribe.

The chair's leather cover crinkled under her weight and Weiss scooted forward, hissing as her bare feet met the cold wooden floor. With the chair as leverage she pushed herself to her feet and paused to let a brief spell of vertigo pass. Once her vision cleared, she shuffled across the room and fetched a vial from a low table, popping the cork and pinching her nose. She hated this. Her eyes preemptively watered and she downed the contents in one go, gagging and choking on the fluids as it trickled down her throat. A mixture of cranberries and ginger was her best approximation. She'd never tasted it but fecal matter might not be far off either.

Putrid as it was the solution did its trick. The dull ache in her chest ebbed and her breathing came easier now. Resisting the urge to lick her lips clean she wiped them on her arm instead before wandering to the window.

Rain spattered against the glass and dripped down on the planter just outside. Weiss reached a hand out and drew it back, shaking cold droplets from her chilled skin.

As miserable as she was inside, she counted her blessings all the same. A group of men hurried by with a shaved length of timber propped between their shoulders, thrice as tall as the tallest man and easily as many times as heavy. The wind whipped up and a woman shouted angrily, and Weiss had to resist laughing as she watched a servant girl chase after a loose piece of cloth.

Plockton was, for all intents and purposes, resettled and bustling. Much of it was in dire need of repair; Merlot's path of destruction had leveled a dozen or so buildings and damaged countless more. The Grimm hadn't been conscientious guests either.

A town which had just been an empty shell was now vibrant, given a second lease on life with new, willing workers buzzing about like bees rushing to repair their nest.

Weiss knew she and her friends had the harder job; timbers and strips of cloth weren't liable to kill anyone unless they were an utter dolt. She still felt a slight twinge of empathy watching people move about in the downpour. Not enough to go out and offer her assistance, mind, but enough.

A knock on her den-turned-bedroom door interrupted her people watching. None of Raven's people had the decency to knock which ruled out plenty of people. Relieved, she turned and leaned herself beside the window. "Enter."

Blake wandered into the room, eyes drifting around the space before pausing partway through. "Wow… They actually gave you a nicer room than me."

"Nicer?" Weiss balked. She pushed away from the wall and spread her arms. "Look around: this place hasn't been cleaned in ages, and there's a draft even when the window is closed!"

"Beats sleeping out in the rain." Fair, although considering there were other, far more amenable homes available Weiss couldn't help but feel slighted. "Besides you're not stuck under Ruby and Yang. At least you've got a quiet part of the house."

That was true, gods knew she lucked out in that regard. The sisters hadn't left each other's side since finishing their business with Merlot. Understandable given their time apart and how close they were before their separation. They dined together, went out together, slept together, laughed and cried together.

Yang, much like her younger sibling, did everything with a bombastic flair. Neither girl knew the meaning of 'quiet'.

Weiss acquiesced, shrugging and smiling. "I assume you aren't here to see which of us is more miserable. So…?"

"I can't come and visit?"

"You may, but you're not. You've had ample opportunity to do so before now," Weiss said. She drew back and frowned. "And… To be fair I've had plenty of chances to visit you too. I'm glad to see you're recovered."

"For the most part, yeah. Still sore but it could be worse. You?"

"My ribs are still healing but I should be fine before long. For all their insufferableness, Raven has adept healers in her midst." Which made sense considering their line of work. A tribe of marauders wouldn't be able to conduct much business if they couldn't keep themselves patched up. Bandages and salves only went so far.

Another reason the civilians had welcome Raven and her people in town with open arms. Given the choice between becoming Grimm fodder or cooperating with a bandit the choice was obvious. Now that the tribe showed itself to have capable healers and artisans? Only fools would turn away that help even if it meant becoming indebted.

 _I still loathe to think these people actually want them here. Raven saw an opportunity and took it._ Wind battered the glass panes and Weiss shielded her face as droplets made it inside. With a huff she slammed the window closed, wiping the window sill with her palm. _What are they supposed to do, fight her? I doubt the four of us could win. Maybe with Qrow's help…_

Ruby wouldn't allow for that, and fighting would mean Grimm.

Rather than be a savior for the vulnerable the Branwen tribe was a leech, sapping people for manpower and exploiting their needs.

"That's good. Ruby thinks we'll be ready to leave by tomorrow, if we're all feeling up to it. Which brings me to why I'm here." Blake shut the door and folded her arms, rubbing her elbow as she began to tap her foot. "What's the plan for when we get back to Vale?"

What was their plan? Weiss had given it no small amount of thought since their last meeting and still she felt no closer to an answer.

Did they remain with the Church? Information had been withheld, yes, but Remnant as a whole had enjoyed years of peace for their efforts.

Peace which came at the cost of a shadow war, oppression of people, overtly or otherwise, and even its own people being used and lied to.

Not that the royal families were much better. The Great War had been a result of kingdoms and their hubris, of leaders who only wanted more and more. More land, more power, more influence, always more.

The Church kept the kingdoms in check by controlling magic. The royal families dictated laws and handled daily affairs.

Neither side was infallible. Both sides had benefits.

Weiss wasn't sure if Remnant could function without either one.

"I think we should refrain from making a decision without Yang or Ruby. They're just as involved in this as we are." Arguably more so. Yang was a byproduct of experimentation gone unchecked and Ruby had likely lost a parent because of the Church. Except maybe she hadn't. "All we have thus far is hearsay from Raven. We don't have to believe everything she says."

"We've seen enough to at least trust some of it though," Blake said. "Unless you still think magic isn't responsible for Grimm? Or the Church and royal families aren't fighting?"

"It's… Difficult to discredit either, but I still don't want to jump to conclusions yet. We've only heard one side of the matter."

"What do you plan to do? Ask Ozpin about it?" Blake scoffed.

That had been the plan, yes. Confront the Archbishop and try and get a straight answer. According to Raven's tall tales she'd be labeled rogue for learning too much and killed. Yet Qrow was here, wasn't he? He hadn't yet made a move to enforce any such punishments. If the Church's modus operandi was to kill those who knew too much he'd had ample time to silence them.

Weiss didn't know what the right call was. What she did know was making any decision right now, as uncertain and unclear as matters were, would only end poorly.

"Let's go meet with Ruby and Yang. Maybe we can come to a decision together." Weiss shivered and drew her tunic tighter. Confound the cold weather! It was probably a good thing she wasn't in Atlas if a chilly rain was enough to make her miserable.

Wind battered their two-story shelter, shutters slapping against the exterior walls. Weiss paused briefly in the foyer to peer out the window and watched as a deluge came down; traveling in such a storm would have been an utter nightmare. Maybe being stuck in Plockton a while longer wasn't so bad after all.

Sequestered away on the second floor, down a narrow hall with poor lighting and a floor that Weiss swore would buckle under her meager weight. Lightning flashed and cast a long shadow across the wall, limbs of a tree bending and scraping against the house. A loud rolling thunder clap made her cringe and Blake doubled over, clamping her hands over her ears with a groan. The joys of enhanced hearing; Meera's had a far keener sense than Ydrans. A simple clap of thunder must have sounded like an explosion to them.

Pausing at the door Weiss knocked once, raising an eyebrow hearing giggling on the other side. Waiting for a moment she knocked again, rolling her eyes when something, or someone on the other side crashed. Yang cursed and Ruby laughed, and Weiss took a preemptive step back from a door that for some obscene reason opened outwards.

"Oh, hey guys!" Yang grinned, stepping back and waving them in. "Welcome to house Rose-Xiao-Long! Take off your shoes and stay a while!"

Weiss lifted her bare foot and smirked, padding into the decidedly warmer space. She paused when she noticed Ruby sat in a chair by the window, wrapped in a blanket with tufts of hair littered over the garment and floor.

"A haircut…?"

"Mhm! My bangs were really getting long and dad's not the best at them, and I figured you would be busy!" Ruby laughed, kicking her feet beneath the blanket. "Pluuuus… You kind of don't give the best haircuts?" she added meekly.

"Excuse you? Every cut I make is uniform and even! I know perfectly well how to cut hair!" Weiss protested.

Yang snorted and returned to her sister's side. "Yeah?" She grabbed a pair of scissors and began to trim away. "From what Rubes tells me you like giving bowl cuts. Great if you're a monk, not so much if you're a young lady." The Dimuran tossed away some hair before humming. "Then again… No guys are probably going to ask out a girl with a bowl cut…"

"Yang!"

Her haircuts were not that bad! Weiss puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms, looking away with a petulant huff. She'd given Jaune one before too and he seemed happy with it. Her shoulders sagged and she smacked her own forehead with the palm of her hand.

Jaune would be happy if she gave him the time of day. Of course he was happy with that.

Blake sank into one of the beds and stretched her legs, leaning back. Yang offered to cut her hair and the Meera shot her a dirty look, gesturing to the Dimuran's own luscious locks. With that offer thoroughly shot down Yang went back to her business, humming off-tune as she worked.

"What're you two doing here? Just coming to say hi?" Ruby asked.

"Hi, Ruby." Weiss smiled when her partner laughed. "And not quite. We were actually hoping to discuss what our plans are moving forward. We're…" she trailed off and rolled her wrist, chewing on her cheek to find the words.

"We have no clue what to do," Blake concluded. "Have you two given it any thought?"

"Oh sure, plenty." Yang planted a hand on Ruby's head to hold her still and cut around her ears. "Are you askin' if we want to go back to Vale? Cuz I'm still not exactly sold on it."

"You think the Crown won't hold to their word?"

"I think the Church won't care and try to do something. They sent people after me before. Idiots, mostly," Yang said with a snicker. "Nothing I couldn't handle." Her sister tensed under her hand and Yang pat Ruby's head. "Relax, sis, I never killed anyone. Unlike Raven I don't get off on killing people."

'Get off' might not be right but none of them could deny the woman didn't seem pleased with herself.

"How are you doing by the way?" Ruby asked. She looked at Weiss, leg bouncing as her lips curled down. "Are you doing okay? You took the news kind of hard before."

How odd that hearing the world wasn't what you thought it was might upset you. Weiss dropped her cynical thought and began to pace. Another clap of thunder made her cringe and she glared at the window, as if her look alone might cause the storm to cease. Rain splattered against the window just to spite her.

Was she okay? The Church might have lied to them. Or it might simply have withheld information deemed not vital. _Knowing the truth about Grimm seems pretty vital. As does the knowledge the Crown and Church are fighting._ Not every run-of-the-mill soldier was given every detail during war and the fact of the matter was that she and the others were still fresh Hunters. Maybe not Yang, Weiss was still unclear on her situation, but herself, Ruby, and Blake certainly.

"What we did was necessary. Merlot couldn't have been allowed to continue to live, and there's no guarantee that imprisonment would have stopped him." Weiss stopped in the middle of the room and sighed. "I am not happy with what we did, but I've come to terms with it." Her brow furrowed and she glanced at the closed door. "We're certainly better than Raven. Merlot was genuinely wicked. What she does…"

"I expect something like that from the White Fang's 'Claws'. The organization would put hits on people who were problematic, whether they were Hunters, nobles, or even members of the Conglomerate."

"Claws? Is that what you were?" Ruby asked. Blake gave a curt nod and drew one knee to her chest.

"We were just glorified killers, sent out to get rid of people who the leaders thought were in our way. I guess I'm like Raven in that regard."

"You were similar to Raven, but not anymore." Yang set the scissors down and smiled at Blake. "You're better now, and besides… I remember in Alabaster you weren't exactly keen on hurting people," she recalled. Pulling the blanket from Ruby she brushed down her sister and pat her head. "Unlike some folks you seemed to have a conscience."

"Thank you, Yang."

Claws, huh? It occured to Weiss how remarkably little she knew about the White Fang. Its organizational structure, its methods - judging from Blake's account she could make a good guess. They had a fount of knowledge about the organization with them that could turn the tides, or at the very least provide invaluable insight.

 _I wonder if that's why Ozpin let her live?_

"So… We are the good guys again, right?" Ruby hopped to her feet and began shaking her hair loose. Yang stopped her and directed her to a wash bin in the corner of the room instead.

"I believe so, yes," Weiss smiled. Bouts of hysteria aside they were by all rights, at least in terms of moral standing, better than most. Merlot had to be stopped. They'd helped Ambrose for no benefit to themselves, although one could argue they'd done so to progress their mission.

Regardless, the notion they were some callous, cold-blooded killers now seemed like an absurd idea to Weiss. Was she happy they had taken a life? No happier than a pet owner being made to euthanize their beloved dog or cat. It was a necessary death. Not something to be relished. Countless lives saved in exchange for the demise of a truly deplorable man.

"Anyways, we should decide what our course of action is moving forward," Weiss said, clapping her hands. "Yang, Blake, I obviously cannot force you to return with us but Ruby and I likely should go back to Vale. I could try to find answers for us, or at the very least try to make some sense of everything we've been told."

The Meera rolled her shoulders before tossing her hair back. "I don't have a problem returning. Though I'd like to try and follow up on Ilia's warning," she mused. "Maybe I should warn the Church? Whether they're in the right or not the White Fang is an enemy of everyone. Adam can't be allowed to run unchecked."

"You still want to save your friends, don't you?" Yang asked. Blake nodded and she smiled encouragingly. "Maybe I could give you a hand with that. Two heads are better than one, after all!"

"Even when one of those is a hot-head?"

"Ya know, Blakey, I'm gonna take that as a compliment!" Yang snickered, then slung an arm around Ruby the moment her sister came back. "'Course, I don't wanna leave Ruby just yet. We only just reunited after all! And… I guess seeing dad again wouldn't be so bad either."

"Oh my gosh, dad! How do you think he's going to react?"

"Probably a lot like you, sis." Yang's smile disappeared and she groaned, hand over her face as she hung her head. "Gods… If he starts bawling, then I will too. I don't want that."

"There's the matter of looking into your mother as well, Ruby," Weiss added. The sisters exchanged a look before nodding. "Regardless of what our goals might be it seems like returning to Vale is in our best interests, at least for the interim. What happens after that may well depend on the information we find."

Weiss didn't want to split up any more than Yang or Ruby did. Frankly however that decision was out of their hands. Pending everything - her research, Ruby and Yang's search, Blake's investigation, there was no telling where they might end up. At the very least they could return to Vale together, perhaps take time to rest and, barring unforeseen complications, actually enjoy themselves. By now the Week of Veneration had likely passed - Weiss couldn't remember how long it had been anymore, but she liked to think they had earned some reprieve for their efforts.

"Still not in love with the idea of going back," Yang said while drumming her fingers on Ruby's arm. "But… If Ruby is going, then so am I. No way am I leaving you alone with the Church, sis. And it might be nice to get Oz to fess up about stuff."

"Maybe my uncle could help me find some information. He's helped people leave the White Fang before," Blake mused. "Maybe he could help find a way to get Ilia and the others out too."

"If there's even a chance mom might still be alive then I have to go back." Ruby's eyes steeled as she spoke, then softened immediately after, gasping. "And we have to see everyone else too! They're all probably back to the city by now!"

Weiss flushed and coughed into her fist. "O-Of course, we should see our friends too."

She'd completely forgotten! In light of everything else that had happened as of late she'd hardly spared so much as a thought for the others. _With some luck they had a much nicer week off than we did._ Ruby and Yang snickered at her and she grabbed a pillow, hurling it at the sisters with all the force of a summer breeze. _It would be nice to see some friendly faces again. Different friendly faces,_ she amended.

Ruby jumped as another crash of thunder exploded directly overhead, shooting Blake a sympathetic look as she buried her head under a pillow. "Blake, should we get you earmuffs? I didn't know lightning hurt your ears so bad."

"It doesn't…"

Weiss took a second to process that. Her eyebrows raised and she inclined her head curiously, opened her mouth to speak, then closed it and nodded. "Oh."

"Blake, are you afraid of thunder?" Yang asked, leaning over the bed and grinning. "Is big bad Blake afraid of a little boom boom?" The Meera slammed her pillow into Yang's face and glared. Yang laughed, stumbling back and throwing the pillow, then hiding behind Ruby when Blake threw it back.

Weiss' lips quivered and she covered her mouth, choosing to look away both to hide her smile and avoid Blake's glower.

Maybe Meera didn't mind loud noises that much after all?

"Heh, scaredy cat…"

Ruby yelped and ducked away. Yang screamed and fell back onto the bed as Blake tackled her, breaking into a fit of laughter as she was assaulted with a pillow.

"Shut up already!" Blake warned, face burning as she hit Yang again.

Ruby slid over to Weiss' side, cringing as Yang and Blake began a duel to the death… With pillows.

"W-Well… At least they aren't trying to kill each other anymore?"

Weiss nodded, then sputtered, laughter bubbling in her chest watching the pair finally break into fitful giggles as they fought, anger giving way to the absurdity of the situation.

Yeah, she wouldn't mind returning to Vale with these three. Whatever awaited them there they could handle. Together.

/+/+/+/+/+/

"This is bullshit!"

"Yang, please…"

Yang ignored Ruby's attempts to quell her rising anger and brushed her sister's hand off. Staring at Qrow to the point he might be set alight and having half a mind to try doing so already, the Dimuran tore her fingers through her hair with an angry huff.

"Firecracker, listen. I didn't think -"

"No shit, Qrow! That's pretty fucking obvious!" Her eyes flickered, phasing from lilac to red and back. She managed to keep control. For now. "You just figured you'd let Ozpin and the Church go through with this shit?"

"From what we knew you were too far gone. I'm not sayin' I liked it, Yang. I'm sayin' -"

Qrow didn't finish as his voice was drowned out by an angry shout from Yang. Tears welled in her eyes and she stomped across the room, slamming her fist into the wall before resting her forehead against it.

When Yang didn't speak Ruby shifted in her chair. "Uncle Qrow… Did dad know about Yang too? Is that why he a-and… And you were lying to me?"

"No, Tai wasn't filled in. He had the same story everyone else did."

Killed by Grimm. Torn into bloody ribbons to the point her body would have been unrecognizable.

The pit in Weiss' stomach deepened. One look at Yang and she tore her eyes away again, unable to watch her friend shudder and weep in silence. Her own eyes prickled, and she swallowed a lump in her throat, thumb rubbing the back of her left hand to the point the skin became red and sensitive.

Qrow had known Yang was alive. Ozpin too. Their information had been patently false - Yang had been in control of herself, for the most part, and they'd crucified her for it.

 _It's despicable._ Qrow hung his head in shame and he damn well should. Weiss didn't feel the slightest bit of remorse for the man; Ruby looked to be on the verge of tears herself and Yang had gone deathly silent. They deserved compassion. Qrow? _To lie to your own family like that. Children. And for what?_

Their information had been faulty, yes, but they could have verified Yang's status easily enough. Weiss had seen the wanted posters. None of them depicted Yang as grotesquely malformed and while the posters were hardly hung out everywhere - only certain Hunters appeared to carry them, the distinction was clear enough.

Yang hadn't gone rampant. People knew of her, or at least by her moniker, Wildfire.

Qrow did seem earnest in his admissions. As earnest as a man who had been caught lying could look anyways.

Had Ozpin known the truth of the matter and led Qrow astray too?

"Why…?" For the first time since their congregating Blake spoke up. The Meera leveled her gaze on Qrow, ears flat as her eyes narrowed. "Why keep the secrets? There could have been a chance to help her. To heal a broken family."

"We didn't know what we were dealing with. After Merlot got his hands on her there was no tellin' what Yang would be like."

"Because she looks so monstrous right now," Weiss quipped. Bitter, she stood and approached Yang, hesitating before placing a hand on her back. "Yang… It's alright, we're here. We won't let them hurt you." She felt the Dimuran shudder beneath her. Yang remained silent and Weiss heard her draw short, sharp breaths.

Looking more haggard than ever Qrow traipsed to the windows. He hesitated to open it as rain continued to pelt the panes, giving up on the notion and instead bracing himself on the sill, staring out at the dark, stormy city outside.

"Look, I'm sorry. I know it isn't enough, and believe me, I'm just as pissed as you girls are. If I had known, we coulda helped Yang I would've." Qrow hung his head. "Once I was told she was as good as gone I let it be. Made my peace with losin' another member of the family and moved on."

The untapped compassion Weiss held for the man flickered across her face. Yang tensed again beneath her hand and sniffled, wiping her arm on her sleeve before finally turning away from the wall. Cheeks damp with tears and eyes red, Yang sniffled again, folding her arms and scrunching her shoulders together.

"I could have used your help, Qrow…"

"I know, Yang."

"You know?" Yang's laughter was clipping and sour. Her lips trembled and she took a moment before looking at Qrow again. "At least you know you're wrong. That makes everything all sunshine and rainbows, doesn't it?"

Thunder cracked outside again. Ruby looked between her uncle and sister, torn by indecision. Did she help her sister who felt betrayed, or her uncle who felt much the same? Inaction was her answer, along with a look of guilt. Weiss watched her partner draw her red cloak tighter around herself, hanging her head so her bangs masked her face. That didn't keep the soft sounds of sobbing from reaching her ears.

"Y-Ya know… I used to dream about things like this. Us all being together a-again…" Yang smiled, more morose than jubilant. "Maybe all of us at home on Patch again, sittin' around the table together, laughing and eating. I…" Her voice tightened and her eyes welled again. "J-Just a dream, huh…?"

Ruby made her choice and Weiss stepped aside to let the brunette barrel into her sister. Qrow watched the two girls before deciding to stare out the window again rather than face his mistakes.

The girls had been laughing together. Elated, no doubt, over the prospects of being family again. Yang must have been thrilled to see Qrow. How quickly that joy had soured. How swiftly that dream of a happy family was broken.

Dreams were like pottery; hold onto them too hard and they might start to crack.

Lost in a soft fit and taking solace in each other neither Ruby or Yang seemed inclined to continue the conversation, and Weiss couldn't blame them. Her appetite for speaking to Qrow had been whittled away to nothing in mere moments. They had someone to speak to about everything though. Someone else besides Raven to finally get answers from.

 _Or more lies. There's no guarantee the Church itself doesn't have falsehoods._ Yang was one. That in of itself made Weiss skeptical of whatever Qrow might have to say. _Gods… Is there actual merit to Raven's claims?_

Before Qrow had a chance to leave the room Weiss grabbed hold of his ruddy cloak. Made to look up to meet the lanky man's tired eyes she frowned, giving his cloak a tug to try and convey her wishes. "We need more answers from you." No harm in voicing them too.

"Answers, huh?" He took one look at his nieces before chuckling, running a hand down his face. "Fine," he nodded, leaning against the wall and taking his flask out. "Got nowhere else to be. Let's see what else I can ruin for you kids."

 _He's a victim too,_ Weiss reminded herself, quashing the flickers of anger. He hadn't been told everything either. Qrow had assumed Yang either dead or twisted beyond salvation. If anything he was at fault for neglecting to confirm that information. They shouldn't condemn him for that, or at least they should give him a little sympathy.

 _And we haven't even mentioned what was said about Miss Rose. Although I doubt he'd know anything about that either._

"Raven made… A lot of claims with us. About the Church. About the state of the world. About magic." Weiss wrung her hands together, and not for a lack of heat. The fire in the den continued to crackle, spitting embers and ash against the hearth gate. "We're hoping you might shed some light on these matters."

"Hm. I'm sure she told you girls plenty. She does love to run her mouth." Qrow drank from his flask, chugging gulp after gulp. Somehow, he didn't finish it. He didn't put it away either. "Sure, shoot. I'll tell you whatever you wanna know."

Weiss had at least a dozen queries for the man well beyond what she'd listed. Valid or not Raven had brought so much of what she thought she knew into question. How much was false, how much was true? Seeing Ruby and Yang still comforting one another she decided they needed to be quick. The sooner those two could have time to themselves the better.

"The truth about magic, for starters." Blake cocked an eyebrow and hip. "Does magic attract Grimm?"

What better way to start the questioning with the heaviest of them all? Qrow pondered taking another drink before sighing, tucking his flask away and running a hand through his salted hair.

"Seems to, yeah. Pretty hard to deny that Grimm tend to show up where Magi fight. We don't know why that is exactly. Couple of times I've talked to Oobleck or one of the other brains in Vale they only have guesses at best."

"Why lie about it?" Weiss asked. "Why keep that a secret from everyone?"

"Think about how hard it is for a normal person to fight Grimm. Magic ain't just some equalizer, kids. It lets us kill Grimm by the dozen. Even sprouts like you can manage that with a bit of training. It makes em show up in droves, sure, but even then, it's nothing most Hunters can't handle."

Qrow pulled down his collar and tapped the Hunter's Mark on his neck. "Folks already get nervous when they see this. Remember, it wasn't too long ago that Magi were used in wars. Some people still think we're gonna turn on everyone."

"According to Raven, you already have." Blake frowned. "She says the Church and the royal families are fighting still. Unless that's a lie…?"

Qrow muttered something under his breath. Weiss caught 'bitch' and nothing else, but context told her the rest probably wasn't pleasant. "It ain't a lie. Sure, it's not a full-blown war, not like how it used to be. Back before my time there were all those wars we had. I'm not gonna waste your time and go over 'em, you all know 'em by now."

After having the information drilled into their heads, yes. Weiss found herself listing off the facts as if Oobleck had pressed her for an explanation.

 _The Magi's War. A name so woefully simplistic yet perfectly suitable for what it was. The Decade of Strife. A watered-down version with Magi used as tools of war by the kingdoms. Those two culminated in the Great Remnant War. A series of conflicts which nearly destroyed Remnant itself._

She'd be remiss if she'd forgotten the lessons. Not to mention Oobleck would likely lecture her over and over until he was certain the teachings had stuck. Mercifully she remembered it all. Enough to avoid remedial lessons anyways.

"After all the wars," Qrow continued. "It was pretty obvious the status quo wasn't workin'. Every kingdom had its own idea on how to regulate magic. Question was who got to say what was right and wrong? Mistral wanted free magic, Atlas wanted to police it. Vale was somewhere in the middle and Vacuo… Well, Vacuo was Vacuo. Point is that nobody could agree on how magic was gonna be dealt with. It was pretty obvious though that if it wasn't regulated somehow, we'd just keep having wars."

"So… The four kingdoms made the Church of Remnant." Qrow drummed his fingers on his arm, pursed his lip, and snorted before shaking his head. "Listen to me, rehashing this stuff like I'm some teacher. Bart would be pissed and think I'm trying to steal his job."

"Spare us the history lesson, if you'd be so kind," Weiss urged. "We know all of that." Except for perhaps Blake, though the Meera didn't look interested in the lesson any more than Weiss or the sisters. "Why are the Church and families still fighting?"

Why, when such a system was in place, did the two powers struggle? Even with magic's nefarious side effects hidden the world was still better for it. The royal families still ruled, Grimm were dealt with, and war was a distant memory that perhaps only Remnant's oldest living members could recall.

"The system worked, for a time. But you girls have seen it happen in your lifetimes. Think about nobles tryin' to get more land, or the king trying to annex territory." As if there were any questions were Qrow's allegiances lay. "People want more. The Church has made concessions over the years. Letting the royal families employ Magi of their own for protection, not to mention makin' all the laws that we live by. And the royal family lets the Church regulate magic and deal with the Grimm."

"So, you're saying that it's the royal families who shoulder the blame in all this?"

"The Church and its Hunters aren't trying to grab more power, so yeah, I'd blame them." Qrow again removed his canteen and ran a finger along the embroidered case; patterns of vines scrawled across a dark leather strip, held together by black strings. "The system ain't perfect. Hell, I've got some big problems with it too, especially after today, but it's damn better than it was. At least we're fighting to protect people."

"And Raven…" Qrow's expression turned sour and he spat. "She knew all this and she still chose to side with the families. She calls me a dog of the Church but she's on the wrong side here. At least I'm fightin' to make the world a safer place. She runs around killing Hunters for sport."

"She… She mentioned that she k-kills ones who are bad," Ruby stammered, drawing her face from Yang's chest. Silver eyes shimmered and she shuffled in Yang's embrace. "Does that mean people like Merlot?"

"Is that what she told you?" Qrow guffawed when Ruby nodded her head. "She kills Hunters that the families asks her to kill. She's not some saint. It's only because she happens to keep Grimm from wrecking towns that Oz hasn't clamped down on her and her goons. But if she wanted you to think she's some… Vigilante or somethin'," he snorted. "That's a load of crock, girls."

Despite knowing the truth of magic, despite the animosity Weiss felt about Yang's situation, Weiss still wanted to believe Qrow. It was much easier to think that the Church was right and Raven, and by extension, the Crown and royal families and nobility were to blame for everything. Gods knew she'd seen enough of their ilk causing problems to believe it.

Yet the truth wasn't so easy was it? She suspected it lay somewhere in between, as it often did. Neither side would be quick to incriminate itself, but both would take every chance to decry the other. Chances were that both Raven and Qrow had some validity to their claims.

That didn't mean either was right. Withholding information, willfully endangering people, both in of themselves were deplorable; what more did the Church keep from people? To what lengths were nobles going to usurp power and reclaim what had once been theirs?

"At least the Crown spared us…" Yang wiped her face before scowling at her uncle. "That's more than Oz was going to give me or Blake. Unless you're going to tell us now he had a change of heart?"

"He wouldn't have killed you girls," Qrow argued. He then went silent and seemed to consider something before frowning. "Just… Don't trust the Crown, okay? Take their pardon if it means getting to come back, but don't start helping them. The Church aren't the bad guys here, kids."

"You're not exactly infallible either," Blake pointed out.

"Yeah… I know."

There were more questions. Always more questions. Yet Qrow turned to leave and none of them stopped him. Maybe they were sick of feeling like they were being led along. Maybe they felt a twinge of sympathy for the man apparently caught up in a storm like the rest of them.

Left on their own once again the girls kept silent, listening as the floor creaked under Qrow's feet. Once the sound subsided and the distant shutting of the front door came through the house Ruby let out a shuddering sigh.

"Uncle Qrow…" Ruby started towards the door.

"Ruby, don't."

"But Yang -"

"Don't." Yang drew her sister into another hug and buried her face against the brunette's cloak. "Just… Don't. Please."

Ruby's hands hovered for a moment before she nodded and embraced her sister. "Okay… Sorry, Yang."

After having turned an already miserable day even more somber Weiss had lost her appetite for doing much of anything. Her drafty, dark room suddenly seemed more amenable if only so she could lock out the raging thoughts plaguing her.

They were better than Raven, yes. Momentary hysteria brought on in light of her first kill aside there was no doubt about that. And yet… How complicit were they in this system? Had they helped or hindered the likes of Ambrose?

Blake motioned for them to leave as the sisters sat together, taking comfort in each other. Weiss cringed at her fleeting spark of jealousy. How nice it would be to have Winter here for comfort. How reassuring even to have her partner with her. But no, Yang was here now, and siblings took precedence over years of training together. She could go and suffer in silence for all Ruby cared.

Recognizing the ugly feelings for what they were she followed Blake out of the room, bidding the Meera a halfhearted farewell before heading back downstairs to her room.

/+/+/+/+/+/

"Well… I'm sure you're all very excited to get back to your beloved city. Back to those who would lie and use you for their own ends." Raven paced back and forth as she spoke. To Weiss' eyes it looked more like strutting. The kind that a self-important, ungracious noblewoman might perform.

Maybe Raven fit in with that lot more than she realized.

"You have my word that I'll keep Plockton safe for the time being. They are my people, after all." Raven grinned when Qrow scoffed aloud. She stood before her brother and spread her arms. "Problem, dear brother? Feel free to attack me if it would put your heart at ease."

"You're the killer here, Raven. Not me." Even as he spoke Qrow's hand hovered by his weapon's grip, eyes never leaving his sister. "Though maybe I should deal with you. Gods know you deserve it after all you've done."

"By all means, but need I remind you who's always been the better fighter, little brother?" Raven dropped all pretenses and set a hand on one of her own weapons. "You're welcome to make the attempt, but you'll die trying."

Bluffing or not Qrow didn't take the bait. Thank goodness. Besides the man being their ticket home Weiss didn't dare want Ruby to have to witness that. Yang either, who for all her deserved jadedness probably still cared for her uncle. Things had soured enough as it was.

It boggled the mind that people witnessing this were okay with it. Raven was grandstanding and threatening her brother's life to boot. Not a single resident of Plockton voiced support for Qrow, and certainly none of the woman's tribe. Weiss had half a mind to try until the younger Branwen caught her gaze.

Don't. Let me handle this.

Relenting, though not without a slight bit of protest, Weiss went back to fumbling with the pages of Merlot's journal. Satisfied, or perhaps disappointed no fight was to come Raven let out a lengthy sigh before resuming her pacing.

"Raven. There's still a chance you can stop this. How long do you think Ozpin will tolerate what you're doing?"

"Hm? As long as the Crown has him and the Church by the balls, he has no choice. You aren't going to stop me, Qrow," Raven jeered. "And neither will these brats. Do we really need to have this tired debate again? I've told you time and time again how I feel about your little organization."

"Tai misses you. Ever since Summer died, ever since Yang 'died'," he glanced at the blonde before frowning. "He's just had Ruby, and now she's a Hunter too. You could do a lot of good with us."

"I could be a puppet, you mean"

"Not like you aren't one now," Yang quipped.

"I do this of my own volition, girl," Raven spat. "I've made my decision, and clearly you've all made yours. I hope you at least consider what I've told you all." She sneered at her brother. "Before you're all as mindlessly loyal to a false cause as Qrow."

 _You mean like your followers?_ Weiss held her comment, barely. If the irony was lost on Raven, then voicing that wouldn't change a thing.

"You could be a better person, you know." Ruby's voice came out as meek and it didn't help that she clinged to Yang's side as she spoke. Weiss knew she was there to keep Yang in check but to everyone else it made her appear frightful. "You saved me and these people. Help us fight the Grimm. Maybe we can work together and make the Church better."

That was a farcical dream if Weiss had ever heard one. Apparently Vernal agreed and broke into laughter, a sound soon echoed by Raven and no small number of onlookers. The sentiment was nice, she'd admit. A shame it was wasted on someone so shameful.

"The Church is the problem here. I'd sooner join the Commandery than them," Raven laughed. "I think I'll turn down your offer, Ruby. An adorable idea however. Wonderfully naive just like your mother."

"You don't get to talk about Summer!" Qrow snarled.

"Oh? Still a sensitive subject I see. Pity then." Raven gave a knowing smile and held her hands up. "You'll hear no more from me, little brother. Certainly not if you're on your way out."

"If I'm lucky this will be the last time I see you."

"Aw, where did that olive branch you were offering go?"

"Shriveled up and died, just like your sense of decency."

Qrow dug into his tunic and pulled a stone free. From where Weiss stood, she could just make out intricate carvings on it and the faint blue glow against Qrow's palm. With his back to Raven he motioned for the four of them to move away, throwing the stone into the air. "Let the world be joined and become one. Open the gate."

The stone, solid black with blue engravings, stopped in midair and pulsed. Magic began to spread, unleashed in a swirling vortex that grew to match Qrow's height, then eclipse it. Like a pane of stained glass, a sheet of ocean blue formed an ovular doorway, humming as its surface shimmered, reflecting and twisting the sun's rays like a precious gemstone. When the spell finished the portal stood before them, poised to take them… Wherever it had been linked to.

Weiss felt a touch of apprehension not knowing where it was set. Would they arrive in Vale? In Ozpin's study? Or would they be walking right into a trap?

"The portal will drop us off just outside the city," Qrow explained, noting not only Weiss' hesitation but Ruby, Yang, and Blake's as well. "Not entirely sure where. Glynda said she'd try to get us as close to the gates as possible."

"It will be on the ground though, right?" Blake asked.

"Should be."

"Should be?!" Weiss gawked, pointing to the portal while staring at Qrow. "What do you mean should be?"

"I mean it should be. I don't know how portals work, okay? All I know is using Glynda's waystones hasn't killed me yet."

"But… They do always work, right?" Qrow didn't answer beyond a tight smile and Ruby whined.

Traveling by horseback or carriage would take them north of a week to arrive at the city. The portal would be instantaneous. It might also drop them in a swamp. Or on top of the trees. Or, gods forbid, above a wrought iron fence. Was expediting their trip back worth the potential risks?

"Well? Are you leaving, or are you going to gawp at the portal all day?" Raven sneered at them. "My hospitality has reached its limit, so I suggest you get moving."

"You weren't exactly hospitable to begin with," Yang derided.

On second thought, yes, the risks were very much worth being free of Raven. Qrow rolled his eyes and went first, slouching over as he meandered through the portal. It quivered around his body and flexed before swallowing him with a faint flash. After hesitating a second Blake followed him, taking a deep breath before marching through.

"See you on the other side, Weissy," Yang teased, forcing a smile and wink before taking Ruby's hand.

"We'll be right there waiting for you!" Ruby smiled and allowed herself to be pulled along. "We'll finally have warm beds again," she sang, surging ahead of Yang and pulling the older girl through instead.

Optimism or naivete? Weiss shook her head and made certain she had everything they needed, which wasn't much. With most of their belongings either in Ambrose or strewn across the ruins of Plockton they hadn't much to their name anymore. Not much besides what little of Merlot's research they'd been given. That and his journal. Weiss crested the spine of the book with her fingertips and curled her tongue, wondering if it wouldn't be better off with Ozpin.

"Well? Are you staying, Schnee?" Raven inclined her head towards the portal. "I could use you here, you know. Last chance to make the right choice."

Right choice?

"I'm not sure if we can trust the Church anymore, or any of the nobility." Not that she trusted them to begin with. Weiss tucked the book away in the sack she'd been given, slinging it over her shoulder. "But I'd rather put my faith in them than trust a woman who makes a game of killing."

"Because that's any different from what they do? At least I'm honest with my plans, Schnee. Can you say the same for your beloved Church?"

Maybe she couldn't. Maybe she was making a mistake at least in trying to trust Ozpin after so much had been thrown into question.

Weiss turned her back on Raven and held her chin high, drawing her ruined cloak tighter before marching into the portal.

Maybe she was making a mistake, but then a world led by Ozpins still seemed better than one dictated by Ravens.

"You're making a mistake, Schnee!"

Weiss didn't turn back as she passed through the portal. Raven could think whatever she wanted.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Color flooded her vision in an instant

It wasn't unlike Blake's use of shadows. Senses fled you while suspended in… Whatever Blake's magic created only to deposit you back in the world, robbing you of all senses only to return them in an instant.

The waystone's portal had much the same effect, only unlike the void of Blake's spells passage through the portal had been met with a cool, peculiar breeze.

Then her face met grass. Weiss grunted as she unceremoniously face-planted in greenery, the long blades doing little to cushion her fall. With the pack of books suspended on her back that only added to the weight and left her coughing, sputtering and plucking a blade of grass from her tongue.

The smell of manure made her freeze in place and the familiar sounds of livestock milling about made her pale. Part of her didn't want to get up. The strained laughter of her friends compelled her to. Terrified of what she might find she pushed up onto her hands and knees, dropping the bag of goods, relieved to find no stains besides grass on her person.

 _Moo._

"Gods!" Weiss jumped back and fell again, heart hammering and face burning. A cowbell chimed and she grimaced at the stench assailing her nostrils. A cow chewed at the grass she'd been sprawled in a second earlier, uncaring as she glared daggers at it.

"Come on, Weiss!" Yang's voice rang out through bellowing laughter. "Let's get a mooooove on!"

Even Blake was laughing at her! Muttering some not pleasant names under her breath Weiss gathered the bag again, dusted off her clothes, and made sure to double-check for any unpleasant stains.

"W-Weiss…" Ruby stammered, lost in a fit of giggles.

"What is it now?" Her partner motioned to her forehead and Weiss swept her fingers across her skin, skin which turned stark white as a shrill scream bubbled up in her chest.

That wasn't mud.

The farmhands nearby, already perplexed by the sudden appearance of Hunters in their fields, wondered where a banshee had come from. Qrow hid laughter in his flask and Weiss, through tears and a string of curses, ran to a well to cleanse herself.

In the distance lofty watchtowers loomed, grey, monumental walls of stone forming an impenetrable barrier between the world outside and the city within.

They had finally made it back to Vale. Kind of.

Shame it was such a shitty return.

* * *

 **Bit of an up-and-down chapter in terms of mood this time, huh?**

 **Looks like for the time being the girls are going with a 'devil you know' approach. Maybe it's the right choice!**

 **And yes, I made a poop pun to end it at Weiss' expense. Sorry not sorry.**


	37. Chapter 37: Home

**Hope everyone in the US who celebrates had a great Thanksgiving! Hope everyone else had a great November!**

 **Not that I post at any regular intervals to begin with but expect chapters to be hectic in terms of release come January. Training for a new position on top of going back to school, so going to have even less free time than usual.**

 **But I digress. You're here to read (presumably), and not my blurbs. Here we go!**

* * *

Weiss drew a long breath and held it, exhaling with a smile wide as the window she stared out of.

She'd missed Vale. Secrets notwithstanding she'd sorely missed civilization. Holbrook had been… Decent, certainly preferable to sleeping outdoors unguarded, if only just. Plockton had been in shambles and largely abandoned even with refugees and the Branwen tribe taking up residence. Ambrose hadn't been much better.

The initial hustle and bustle of activity, something which typically annoyed her to no end, came as a welcome surprise when she woke. The braying of a mule pulling a cart along had been music to her ears in the wee hours. In the dining hall she'd reveled in the mish-mosh of chatter, listening in on what conversations she could. Beyond her own adventures not much had happened for Initiates, which made sense; the Week of Veneration was a break for all but the most essential of Hunters. Anyone else had the time to do whatever they pleased. She'd been upset at first for having spent her entire week off in the field but that had passed.

A few initiates had approached her when she'd arrived in the dining hall, starry eyed and eager to hear about her adventures. She didn't recognize them whatsoever, but news had spread. After being healed, enjoying a good warm bath and sleeping in a comfortable bed she hadn't the heart to turn the awestruck youths away.

It wasn't all that long ago she'd been in their position after all.

Breakfast had been lovely, and with a temporary reprieve granted by Ozpin she had the day to herself. The rest of her friends had been granted similar and gone their separate ways.

Weiss' smile faltered, staring down into the courtyard beneath her room. Initiates scurried across the space, books clutched to their chest, lost in conversation or marveling at the Church and all its majesty.

None of the others had elected to stay. Blake excused herself late last night to see her uncle and had yet to return. Ruby and Yang had been sought out by their father, Tai, and the trio had been gone since the wee hours of the morning.

All that meant Weiss was on her own.

Drumming a finger against the window sill she released a long sigh, drew the windows closed and padded across the warm wooden floor to her bed. Glancing at her door and waiting to be certain she knelt, dragged a rugged sack out and deposited its contents on her bed.

Stray papers with elegant, harried handwriting scrawled across the sheets fluttered everywhere. Already having gone over them she knew they held no real value beyond insight into a madman's thoughts. Interesting for some. Rubbish for her. Weiss swept aside a few papers and sat on her bed, unwrapping Merlot's journal from a cloth cover and chewing the inside of her cheek, staring at the deep purple case, unmarked save for a few scuffs in the leather.

The first few pages were covered in nothing beyond diagrams. Sketches of some kind of Grimm, something resembling a slug, if Weiss had to make a comparison. Images of anatomy, of organs, and one or two sketches of some manner of spell, judging by the runes inscribed, that Weiss couldn't place.

She hadn't gone further than that. The mysteries within the book were just as much Yang's right to know as they were hers, moreso even. Delving into matters without the Dimuran present felt wrong. Her own curiosity could wait.

Casting another look at the discarded papers she frowned, setting the journal in her lap to gather them up. Notes about failed tests, musings on Merlot's behalf. Suggestions for trying to sever the brain stem to grant a Grimm autonomy over a body. Weiss shuddered and almost burned that one on her candle before setting it in a growing pile instead. Merlot was meticulous in his notetaking. He was also completely insane.

There was so much to unpack, too much for her alone to sift through. Like it or not she'd probably have to enlist the aid of the Church in understanding the material. Would they offer it though? Would they allow her to keep any of the documents? Probably not. Hells, there was no guarantee they wouldn't try to keep her quiet for learning about the experiments. Not if Raven's claims were to be believed.

Just like that there went her good morning. Weiss leaned forward and rubbed her temples, eyes closed, and lips pressed into a thin line. They needed answers. Answers for Merlot's work, answers for Raven's claims, answers for things she didn't even know they needed to be explained yet. Trying to wrap her head around the growing list made it throb.

She'd try the library first, then perhaps consult Qrow. The man had been forthcoming before reaching Vale and there was no telling if he'd remain that way now, but he was a safer bet than going directly to Ozpin for the time being.

Weiss jumped at the unexpected knock on her door. "Just a moment!" she called, making hasty grabs and gathering the papers together, stuffing them into the sack. "I'm getting dressed, please wait!" The journal went in last and she placed it back under the bed, pushing it far against the wall for good measure.

Getting dressed indeed. She paused to check her outfit, smoothing wrinkles on her white pleated skirt. Her white blouse was in order, although she loathed the red lace along the neckline that tickled her chin whenever she lowered her head. Plucking a stray thread off her sleeve, she stopped at the door, ran her hands back over ponytail and put on a smile. Her smile grew until her cheeks ached spotting two familiar faces on the other side of her door.

"Pyrrha!" she exclaimed, rushing out and embracing the redhead. "And Jaune!" Graceful as ever the boy gawked when she hugged him, even if it was a one-armed embrace. Undeterred, she stepped back and looked between their baffled expressions, tilting her head. "What? You two look like you've seen a ghost."

Pyrrha regained her wits first and shook her head. "N-No, no, I think we're just both surprised you hugged Jaune."

"Not that I'm complaining but… Are you okay, Weiss?"

Was she okay? Laughter bubbled in her breast and Weiss giggled, covering her mouth as her eyes sparkled. "I'm happy to see two of my friends, is that so bad?" She dropped her hand and her smile inverted, forcing a frown and placing a hand on her hip. "Or would you prefer I slam the door in your face?"

"There's the Weiss we know and love!" Jaune said. Pyrrha looked at the boy exasperatedly before shrugging.

"I'm happy to see you two, you buffoon. I didn't realize my being happy was such a momentous occasion."

"It's not. But we've heard about what you went through with the others." The parsed down version of events, Weiss assumed. "We just expected you to be a little more…"

"Despondent? Crestfallen? Closed off? Depressed?"

Pyrrha cringed. "I was going to say upset," she answered, offering a smile in apology. "Sorry."

She didn't think it had been that bad. Okay, it _had_ been that bad. Awful even.

Officially they had fought and beaten Merlot. That much was public knowledge by now. Their hand in Ambrose too was well known, albeit only in a heavily edited form. A mysterious illness caused by miasma, a madman trying to induce the greatest Grimm outbreaks the kingdom had ever seen, and a handful of near-death encounters besides.

Her friends weren't wrong in expecting her to be in a dourer mood. It was just hard to be upset when they were here. Friendly faces did wonders for the soul.

"Give me just a moment!" Weiss hurried back into her room, slipping on her newly gifted white boots. White like the rest of her outfit, almost garishly so, yet comfortable beyond anything she'd ever owned.

After locking her door behind her she turned back to her friends, raising an eyebrow as they stared at her.

"Now what?"

"Where'd you get those clothes? I don't remember you owning that outfit before."

"Because I didn't. It was a gift, actually, one that was delivered to my room along with a letter of apology." Her friends exchanged puzzled looks and Weiss felt another giggle break loose. "You wouldn't believe who sent it either; O'Rourke."

"Isn't that the guy you fought before?" Jaune asked.

"I didn't _fight_ him. I… May have encased him in ice, b-but that hardly constitutes a full on brawl!" Heat rose to her cheeks and Weiss narrowed her eyes while the pair laughed. "But yes, Lord O'Rourke is 'the guy I fought'. So, you can imagine my surprise then when I arrived the other day to find a man waiting here for me, gift in hand."

Pyrrha nodded slowly before raising an eyebrow. "And you accepted it?"

"I needed clothes," she said with a shrug. "And they are nice, if a bit much for my tastes. I can only imagine who must have chewed him out for the trouble he caused." How she'd have loved to have been a fly on the wall for that scene. "Enough about me, though. How are you two? I trust you had a more pleasant week away than I did?"

They started to make their way outside, pausing to press against the walls and allow a group of newly minted Initiates rush up past them.

"Much better, judging from all we've heard," Pyrrha answered, giving another apologetic smile before shaking her head. "We saw perhaps one or two Grimm there and back, and not a single one near the town."

"And what did you two do?"

"Helped with construction mostly," Jaune answered. "They're expanding the town and need to redo some of the walls. We figured we'd lend a hand while we were there… Heh, or four." Pyrrha giggled and Weiss merely rolled her eyes at the joke as they moved downstairs. "Besides that we didn't do too much. Just a couple of friends helping people out!"

Friends? Weiss gave Pyrrha a look as if to say 'Really?' The redhead flushed, eyes darting towards the boy before she shook her head, gestured for Weiss to keep quiet and clasped her hands together pleadingly.

If Yang were here, she'd press and pry until something gave. Lucky for Pyrrha that she had some self-restraint.

Speaking of Yang…

"Oh! I'll have to introduce you two to the duo Ruby and I worked with." Pausing at the landing Weiss turned to her friends with a smile, crossing her arms and shaking her head. "Though a fair warning, they can be a little difficult. One doesn't know when to stop talking, the other almost never starts."

"First one sounds like Ruby," Jaune laughed. "Or Nora."

"It would make sense it sounds like Ruby: one of them is her sister after all."

Jaune's jaw might have hit the floor if not for bones and muscle holding it in place. Pyrrha kept her composure a little better, although her eyes did widen enough to put the moon to shame.

Oh, right.

"Wait, Ruby's sister? As in the one that's dead?"

Come on, Jaune, was that really a necessary question?

"Yes, the very same," Weiss answered, cringing at her own blunder. "I… Don't think I was supposed to mention that yet." Or at all.

"That's…" Pyrrha paused, pressing her lips before smiling. "That's wonderful news! It also explains why Ruby was such a hurry to leave this morning. After all this time to think she's still alive."

She was lucky neither were grilling her for more information; evidently, Weiss had forgotten how to keep a secret. Hardly a world ending revelation, but it had been something Ruby wanted to share later. At least she couldn't see Jaune or Pyrrha making the same blunder.

Scratch that, she could see Pyrrha keeping it a secret. Jaune would either be harassed until he broke or slip up just like she had.

Warm fresh air kissed at her face as they stepped outside and Weiss paused a moment, lifting her arms and groaning as her back popped. Passing clergymen and women spared them fleeting smiles or brief greetings and they returned them in kind. It was refreshing if she was honest. So many Hunters came and went from the Church that non-combative members had long since ceased being surprised by their presence. To many they were still Initiates, and while Weiss would argue her experience made her much more already, she wouldn't go begging for attention or recognition.

"You said Ren and Nora are waiting for us?"

"They were at Monty's last time we checked," Pyrrha answered, lips curling into a bemused smile. "I'd imagine Ren's having a time trying to keep Nora from eating without us. Shall we go help him?"

With a short laugh Weiss nodded, walking alongside her friends as they passed through the Cathedral's wrought iron gates. "I'd like to make sure there's food left for us too," she joked somewhat. Nora's appetite could make that a very real concern.

A Hunter's work was never done.

/+/+/+/+/+/

"Onto the next order of business…" Tukson adjusted his spectacles, one of the lenses cracked. "There's the matter of the buildings along the river up for renovations. The city has promised us ownership so that we might use it for housing for incoming refugees." He looked over the gathering before him, towering thanks to his height despite being level with the rest.

"There are eight buildings in all, some single-story, others two. They range in quality from good to… Poor." The woman beside Tukson frowned as she sifted through sheets of paper. "Nonetheless," she continued, "We're being given a chance to provide for our brothers and sisters."

"Not to mention bolster support for the Conglomerate," a stout Canis added, fingers dragging through a wild, ruddy-red beard. "Aye, the more folks we can get in the city, the louder our voices'll be. I like it."

"It does feel like we're being given scraps though. The best they could do is offer us ramshackle buildings?"

"Beggars can't be choosers, Alba. We should be fortunate that we're given anything at all."

Scales turned red as Alba, the lone Talpa in the room, narrowed her mismatched eyes at Tukson. "And they will continue to give us scraps if we accept them. Our stake in the city won't grow if we're an army of beggars, Tukson."

"The voices of a hundred are not so easily ignored."

"They are when they have nothing to back them, Finn!"

Tukson sighed and removed his tarnished spectacles to pinch his brow. "Alba, please. Concessions must be made to -"

"I thought you'd gained Ozpin's support but all I've seen is more of the same: we're given morsels to keep quiet and behave. How is that progress exactly?"

The trio went to bickering once more. Alba, the firebrand, took every chance she had to point out flaws or bring up how disingenuous a gesture was. Blake didn't care for the woman much. She would fit more in the White Fang than the Conglomerate; her uncle's movement sought change through incremental, admittedly painstaking steps. Change wouldn't come overnight with them, but it would come, he assured their followers. Alba and the White Fang clearly weren't as patient and judging from the murmuring around her some shared that sentiment.

Finn's voice and laughter boomed over everyone else's. It wasn't a volume born out of anger - Blake was sure she hadn't seen the man stop smiling once, but just because he was so bloody loud. Maybe it was to make up for his short stature? Like a warbling bird singing louder than the rest to attract a mate?

The man happened to spot her in front of the crowd, and he flashed her a toothy smile, muddy gems beneath a thick red brow sparkling in delight.

 _You have a better chance of Zorander himself visiting us than catching a night with me, old man._

Alba and others were tired of settling for small accommodations. They wanted more. She could appreciate that side of things too.

Unlike her uncle however who she didn't worry about in the slightest Blake found herself watching Alba closely. Being more aggressive was fine, necessary even. If the other side wouldn't give concessions easily then you made a firm stance and forced their hand. Not inherently a bad thing, she could almost see herself siding with Alba over her own uncle.

Yet her message was eerily similar to that of Sienna Khan's. Don't accept the status quo, force it to change. Admirable, until blades and spells and crime were used as bargaining chips.

How long until Alba resorted to those measures?

Blake couldn't criticize the woman. She'd taken part in it herself and for even more selfish reasons than others. She'd wanted answers first and foremost, betterment of her kind and others had been secondary.

One look around the Conglomerate's official meeting grounds was enough reason to buy into Alba's anger. A warehouse on the cusp of the residential district with high, cloudy windows, two of which were boarded up. Some work had turned the empty, abandoned structure into something resembling an assembly hall. Benches formed rows stretching from the table at the rear of the building to the doors at the front. Patchwork fixes with boards nailed here and there sealed holes, and ruts in the ground had been filled with sand and crushed stone.

Up above along the catwalks someone coughed, and Blake reflexively looked up. A cloud of dust had come free from moving a crate and people below began to cough and fan the air, protesting the unkempt conditions.

Except they were maintained. People cleaned weekly, did repairs more frequently than that. Yet when the foundation you had been given was falling apart at the seams it would remain a mess no matter how many fresh coats of paint or fancy chairs you brought along.

The Conglomerate had settled for the first building offered, likely assuming they'd get nothing better. To that end Blake could understand Alba's efforts to raise a fuss. But she also understood Tukson in that they had no real bargaining power. Unlike the White Fang who could at least make threats of violence they were peaceful.

At best they could protest. Craftsmen could stop making their wares, workers could refuse to show up, and they could continue to do so until their voices were heard.

Except they would all be replaced in the blink of an eye. Meera, Talpa, Toro, Canis, even Varuna, who again were notably absent, made up a fraction of the city's population. Even their services weren't worth much then. The only ones they'd be hurting with protests would be themselves.

"Perhaps we should reconvene later, once cooler heads have prevailed." Tukson's voice drew her from her inner debate and her uncle stood from behind his table. "Please, give some thought to all you've heard. We'll come back together in two days' time to discuss these matters again and should any of you have an opinion on the subjects at hand, you'll be given a chance to speak."

"Do not be afraid to speak out, brothers and sisters," Alba urged, planting her hands on the table as she leaned towards the crowd. "They can't ignore us if we speak louder. A hundred hushed whispers are still whispering, but shouts for change?"

"If I have to listen to you shoutin' anymore I might go deaf!" Finn cackled.

"Make your voices heard!" Alba ignored Finn's taunts and smiled, holding her fist in the air. A few chose to mirror her gesture while others politely clapped instead. "We'll be given our rightful place in the city yet. Keep on fighting and our day will come."

Tukson, tired and looking more than prepared to leave, held up his hands and waved for everyone to settle down. "Thank you all for coming. Remember, next week is our monthly dinner as well. Even if you cannot bring a dish feel free to come. I look forward to seeing you all there!"

While most of the crowd moved to leave Blake rose from her seat and approached the front. Finn and Alba looked to be lost in debate and were ignorant of her presence. Tukson on the other hand couldn't have looked more relieved if he tried. Sparing her uncle a small smile she hugged him, patting his back as he slouched.

"You did well, uncle. Don't be so hard on yourself."

"I couldn't get through a single point without someone arguing against it." By someone he meant Alba. Even if the crowd had disagreed they had the decency to let her uncle speak. "She picked apart everything I said tonight."

"That doesn't mean you're wrong. Even the best plans have faults, and… Having someone point them out helps make you better, right?"

"I suppose you're right. Having a difference of opinion isn't a bad thing," Tukson laughed. "But it sure does make my job harder. I don't know how Ghira did this for all those years…"

"Lots of support, plenty of rest." Blake's lips curled into a smile. "And maybe a couple of hugs here and there."

How many times had her dad come home from a rally and immediate embraced her or her mother? More than Blake could recall. He was always hugging one of them, or holding hands, or carrying her. As exhausted as he had been from his efforts Ghira always made time for his family, or now that she'd come to realize it, gave himself the chance to unwind and seek comfort.

Beyond her Tukson didn't have that. No wife, no children. He'd been married to the movement and his job and that hadn't changed since her parents' passing. If anything, he'd doubled down. Blake made note of the bags beneath her uncle's eyes, the fresh wrinkles on his brow and how easily his posture drooped. Like a flower starved of sunlight he had trouble remaining upright when not under the watchful eyes of the masses.

"You can't do everything yourself, uncle." Blake managed to get her arms around Tukson's broad waist, burying her face in his side. "Take some time off, okay? Let Alba and Finn handle things."

"Hah. I'd be happy to if I didn't worry so much. Finn would fall asleep or start a celebration, and Alba might burn the building down to make a statement."

"Is that really what you think of me, Tukson?"

Blake frowned as the woman approached. The Talpa smiled back, emeralds dull and hard beneath her thin brow. It wasn't a happy smile. She was tired. Tired and fed up. Blake released her embrace and stood beside Tukson instead.

"Your talking points remind me a lot of the White Fang, you know."

"Blake!" Tukson hissed.

"Why beat around the bush? I've heard the same rhetoric from other people before. Usually right before a raid or attack."

Finn whistled, meaty hands clasped together. "That's not a good look, Alba! Not at all!"

"Hush, you pup," the woman flicked Finn's head before turning back to Blake. "I'm not advocating for the same things they are. I'm just trying to make a point that we can't keep accepting small 'gifts'." Alba ran a hand through short strawberry-blonde hair. "But I understand. I'll try to keep that in mind next meeting."

"You listen to her but not me?"

Blake almost laughed at how indignant her uncle sounded. Instead of the head of a movement Tukson sounded far more like a petulant child denied a second dessert. Alba seemed to agree, laughing at his expense.

"Unlike you, Tukson, your niece has firsthand experience. I can appreciate what she says far more than your hyperbole."

"That doesn't make his warnings any less important," Blake said. "If people get the wrong idea then they'll join the Fang. That hurts you and helps them, which is exactly what the Conglomerate doesn't need."

"Don't you mean hurts _us_?"

Blake pursed her lips and went silent. She looked away from Tukson's confused stare and flattened her ears.

Was she joining the Conglomerate? Tukson had posed the question to her not a few times since coming back to the city. Each time she'd answered noncommittally. She'd think about it. She wasn't sure. She wanted to see more of what it offered.

That was three days ago, and she was no closer to a decision.

Rights for all races of Remnant were important. So too was understanding magic and the alleged conspiracies and conflicts taking place. When the entire world order was brought into question rights seemed, well… Not less important but smaller in significance.

"Blake is free to decide when she's ready, and she's no less an ally even if she chooses not to join us." Tukson's arm wrapped around her shoulders and she flushed at the show of affection.

Alba hummed before shrugging her shoulders. "I suppose that's true. She's clearly done with the Fang by now," the woman stared pointedly as she spoke. "And having a Hunter as an ally would be invaluable. It might give us a way to make the Church listen."

"The Church is important, aye, but they aren't the ones formin' policies, Alba. We need the nobles for that." Finn's tail thwacked against his own legs as he grinned. "An' I believe that lot owes you a favor now, don't they? Could call it in and do some real good for us here."

Cringing and looking away Blake shrugged her shoulders, earning a 'tsk' out of Alba in the process. She'd planned to use her favor for more personal gains. She still probably would, but being faced with the prospect of helping her uncle and the Conglomerate was hard to ignore.

"She's the one that fought and earned the favor, not us. If she decides to use it for something else then that's her right." Tukson pat Blake's back and offered a reassuring smile.

"Aye, aye, I didn't mean to put the lady on the spot," Finn waved his hand, then smiled apologetically. "Just an idea, lass. Use your favor as you see fit!"

"Not that we'd begrudge you for lending us help," Alba added.

"I'll consider it." Far from a guarantee and promise but Blake would give it some honest thought. That seemed to be enough for the pair as both nodded at her gesture.

"Anyroad, it's about time I get heading home. The missus will be wondering where I've gone to if I'm any later!" Finn chuckled, grabbing a weathered grey coat from his chair. Wool lining colored dark with soot framed his round face as he drew his hood up. "Remember, lads and ladies; a happy wife is a happy life!" He chortled. "Or husband. Whatever tickles yer fancy."

Alba pulled her own cloak on and smirked at Tukson. "Yes… Speaking of which, when are you going to settle down finally? I know of a few members who fancy you, if you need help."

"Can we not discuss my marital status right now?" Tukson groaned, face beet red as he ran a hand along it.

"Sure, sure. Just don't take too long, Tuk," the woman pat his back and winked. "I'm sure your niece there would love a cousin or two."

Alba's laughter was drowned out by Finn's more boisterous bellows as the pair left. Blake pursed her lips and made a point to stare at the floor as her shoulders shook. Tukson sighed, fetching his coat from his seat before noticing her strained expression.

"Blake… Not you too!"

Ears perked, the Meera smiled and shrugged. "I don't hate the idea if I'm honest."

"Blake…"

 _You do need someone, Uncle. I'm just not so sure Alba or Finn are the best matchmakers._ She gave her uncle a consoling pat and walked with him to the doors. _Neither am I._

Tukson paused to extinguish the torches before joining her outside. Cool early-autumn air greeted them, and countless twinkling stars shone brightly above, and along with the moon gave the dark city just a bit more light than usual. Crisp air, quiet, yet not uncomfortably so, it was a lovely evening as any. Certainly, more so than the few she'd had before returning to Vale.

Smelling one of the nearby canals on the air her nose wrinkled. It wasn't the cleanest of water, just as the district they found themselves in wasn't the most well-kept. Lopsided buildings cut an off-kilter silhouette against the night sky and the road, with ruts, holes, and hills aplenty was a nightmare for any vehicle to traverse.

Worse still was the area was actually _improved_ compared to a few years ago. Blake had a hard time believing her uncle seeing the sorry state of things.

"So…" Tukson fiddled with his collar before giving her a hopeful smile. "Are we still on for dinner?"

Blake blinked once before nodding. "Of course! Why wouldn't we be?"

"Our meal won't be nearly as good as what the Church might give you."

"Uncle, I don't care if we're eating gruel," Blake said, then paused. Okay, maybe she would mind that just a bit, but they weren't. Sure, cheap steaks and bread weren't her first choice, but it was hardly a beggar's meal. "Are _you_ sure you don't want me to stop by the markets? I could pick us up something. Maybe some kind of vegetable, or a dessert?"

"No, no, I can't ask you to spend your Lien on this. Besides, I'll have everything I already need with you there."

Curse the canal for making her eyes water. It was definitely the pungent water and nothing else. Blake drew her scarf up to hide her face and huffed when Tukson stopped her. She made no protest and accepted his hug, letting her eyes drift closed as she returned the gesture.

To think she'd picked the White Fang over this. Sure, she'd had her reasons, and those reasons still drove her, but she'd spent so much time from her lone surviving relative. Too much time.

Dinner, however paltry or simple, was a delight with her uncle. Even the meetings were enjoyable, or at least not so unpleasant that she'd refuse to go. He needed the support and she was more than happy to provide it.

"Now, we could stand here and hug all night, which I wouldn't mind honestly." Blake rolled her eyes at her uncle's earnestness. "But I think we're both famished. How about we get going?"

That sounded like a great idea. Dinner with family, probably spending the night at his home too. Blake stepped back from the hug and drew her scarf up again, blinking moisture back. The Church had no need of her right now and nobles hadn't made a point of asking after her yet either. She'd take as much time as she could with Tukson then.

Nearby a metal tin toppled over and clattered against the ground. Blake's hand shot into her tunic and she drew a dagger, whirling around on her heels and placing herself before her uncle.

Who was there? An assassin sent to quiet him? White Fang? Had the Church decided she was a liability and chosen to kill her?

Her eyes widened seeing none of the above but instead a meek looking Kanin clad in rags, long rabbit ears drooped. The brunette squeaked noticing the weapon Blake held and turned as if to run off. Tukson called for her to wait and his gentle tone gave the girl pause. His nudging prompted Blake to sheath the weapon again and Blake relaxed her posture, even if her hand did still hover near her waist at the ready.

"What is it, young lady? Do you need something?"

The girl didn't answer right away. How long had she been there? Blake's eyes roamed over her thin, sorry frame, ragged clothing clinging to slender limbs. Too slender. The moonlight did a horrible job of illuminating the girl's gaunt face and skittish eyes that refused to stop darting between her and her uncle.

She probably wanted food, if Blake had to guess. She _needed_ a lot more: housing, most likely, and a change of clothes, not to mention work, and gods know what else. A prime example of why the Conglomerate existed. And the personification of Alba's frustrations with it.

"You… You're a Hunter, right…?"

Even with her hearing Blake strained to hear the girl's accented voice. She nodded in silence, relaxing her standoffish stance and tilting her head. "I am."

"You can… You can help me?" The girl - woman, she was probably closer to Blake's own age she realized, took a step forward before retreating again. "Please?"

What could a Hunter possibly do? Exchanging a puzzled look with her uncle she shrugged, then nodded. Sure, she'd try. Though whatever the Kanin could possibly need was well beyond her.

"You worked with her… Didn't you? The… The…" Choking on her words the brunette began coughing, doubling over and clutching her chest. Tukson rushed over before Blake could even try to stop him. He pulled a canteen from his jacket - water, she knew, and offered it to the girl without a second thought. She downed the entire thing in seconds.

"There, there, that should help." Tukson barely spoke above a whisper as he rubbed the girl's back. Her coughing continued but ebbed, and after a moment of soothing the girl she settled down, wiping her mouth on dirty hands.

"Thank you…"

"No need to. Now, you were saying?"

The Kanin cleared her throat and handed back the empty canteen, ears folding and cheeks getting a dusting of embarrassment. It looked much nicer than the dirt and grime clung to an otherwise pretty face.

"You worked with her… The Ydran girl." Brow furrowed, Blake tilted her head and motioned for the girl to go on. "White hair, uses… Ice. You're her friend, right?"

"You mean Weiss?"

Blake took a startled step back when the girl rushed her, hand immediately going for a dagger. When both her own were grabbed instead she blinked, staring into the desperate, pleading face of the Kanin.

"Is that her name?! I need to meet her! I… I have to thank her!" She turned her head and coughed again, holding up a hand when Tukson tried to help again. "Please… I never got the chance. Can you… Can you take me to her?"

"Er…" She didn't even know where Weiss was right now. Back at the Cathedral, she'd imagine, although that was a guess at best. "I'm not sure I can tonight."

"T-Tomorrow, then! Please? I have to thank her!"

Could she say no? Did she have a reason to? Blake looked at the girl for a long moment and tried to determine if there was something more insidious at play. She was borderline emaciated and no doubt desperate. Someone could take advantage of that easily. A few coins, a meal, it wouldn't take much to put someone like that up to a task. What if she set Weiss up for a trap?

The girl's expression was so genuine, so sincere and hopeful that Blake had a hard time discounting it. She might not be the best at reading people - she'd thought Adam was good for their cause for a long while, but she was positive Tukson could pick something out even if she couldn't.

"I… I can try. I don't actually know if she'll be around." The girl's expression dropped immediately. "But we can check. Even if she isn't at the Cathedral we could ask around. I'm sure someone will know where to find her."

"Thank you! Thank you!" Blake didn't expect the sudden embrace and held her hands at her sides. Her uncle only offered a shrug and smile. "I promise I won't be a b-burden! After I thank her, I'll never bother y-you again, I swear!"

"You aren't a burden, dear," Tukson placed a hand on her back and eased her off Blake. "We'll be more than happy to help you."

The Kanin nodded, wiping her face as tears fell down and stained her cheeks, cleaning them too. When was the last time the girl washed? Blake tried not to be rude, but the girl really did stink something fierce. It was off-putting.

"Tell me something…" Tukson lowered himself to level with the brunette and smiled. "Would you like to join us for supper? We have room for a third, I think."

Looking as if she'd seen a ghost the girl sputtered, then wiped drool from her lip and wrung her hands. "I… I…"

"Wouldn't be imposing, it's my treat," her uncle reassured her. "It won't be much, but it'll do you some good, I think. Perhaps you could take a bath too, if you'd like. I have a washroom at home. As for your clothes…"

"I have spares." Blake surprised herself just as much as she did the Kanin. Despite herself and her initial misgivings she smiled, placing a hand on the other girl's shoulder. "They might be a little big but, well…" She motioned to the girl's torn and tattered clothing. Anything would be an improvement for her.

It took a long moment for the girl to answer. Between gasps, trembling lips and choked sobs finding even a single word was difficult. Tukson didn't seem to mind in the slightest and Blake hadn't the heart to press the girl for an answer. Her own hunger was paltry compared to the Kanin's starvation, and her exhaustion must be a mild inconvenience by comparison.

Finally, after a moment of trying not to break down and another to gather herself the brunette nodded her head shyly.

"Y-Yes please…" She yelped and curled up when swept off her feet, cringing until she noticed Tukson smiling at her.

"You seem exhausted, young lady. Let me carry you until we get home? It's not far but I feel bad making you walk barefoot with how these roads are."

Blake hadn't even noticed that. Between the gravel and rocks, trash, and who knows what else along the roads it was hazardous even with footwear. The girl didn't seem to mind whatsoever and agreed with a curt nod, lowering her head and muttering a soft thanks.

"Well then, I think we should be going. Dinner won't cook itself…" Her uncle gave pause and looked at Blake. "Unless there's magic for that?"

"If there is then I don't know it," Blake laughed, relaxing and smiling right back.

"Shame, looks like we'll do it the old-fashioned way." She fell in line beside her uncle as they walked, funneled down the rickety road by dilapidated, unseemly buildings. Even as poorly as the scene looked Blake couldn't deny it felt a lot more homely than usual.

"Oh, and where are our manners? I'm Tukson, and this is my niece, Blake." Tukson smiled and Blake nodded her head politely. "What's your name, if you don't mind my asking."

"Tukson… Blake…" The girl cleared her throat and smiled, voice raspy while she spoke again. "My name is Velvet… Velvet Scarlatina."

"Well then, Velvet, let's get you fed and cleaned up. Then maybe we can look into finding you some housing nearby, hm?"

The girl looked to be on the verge of bursting again. Her eyes welled and she stammered before dipping her head, nodding, and covering her face in her hands. Tukson hugged her against his chest and have her a slight rock, a gesture more befitting a child but one that seemed to work all the same.

Blake watched on with a warm smile for a time before looking up at the shattered moon and starlit sky.

Sure, Ghira might have been a better orator, and her dad certainly could be inspiring in plenty of other ways too, but that didn't mean her uncle wasn't any good. Even before her parents passed Tukson would do things like this. Spend time out feeding those who he could, chatting with the less fortunate to try and learn what the Conglomerate needed to work towards. Ghira was at the front of the movement but Tukson was never far behind.

It was any small wonder they had chosen him to replace his brother. It wasn't because the organization had some monarchy at the helm. It wasn't like the kingdoms.

"Hey, uncle Tukson…?"

"Hm?"

Blake glanced over her shoulder with a smile, eyes twinkling in the moonlight, shimmering from unshed tears that threatened to break loose. "Dad would be really, really proud of you right now."

There went his walls, and Blake's too. Neither seemed to mind Velvet's presence and she certainly didn't make a scene of it. By the time they reached her uncle's home their tears had dried, but they were no less touched, sharing a hug after Velvet had been set in a well-worn armchair to rest.

"How about you go draw a bath while I get dinner ready?"

Blake nodded before offering Velvet a hand, helping the girl to her feet and grabbing her elbow for extra support. Together they shuffled into the washroom and Velvet nearly broke down again then and there, uttering thanks over and over and even apologizing once or twice for being an inconvenience.

Except she wasn't. Blake reassured the girl as she helped her into the bath, taking in the girl's scars as she worked at getting her clean as could be.

Her father always said the White Fang, at one point, and then the Conglomerate were like one big family. It was why they had the monthly dinners, why craftsman offered services to other members for discounted prices, or sometimes even free of charge. Even in Vale where life was somewhat better, they still had a long, long way to go, and so they relied on each other.

Blake had a suspicion the family grew tonight.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Family.

Yang figured she'd had a pretty good one once. Growing up on Patch with Tai, Ruby, and Summer had been awesome. Better than awesome even. Tai played with them and handled the day-to-day stuff when he wasn't performing services. Summer cooked them incredible meals, read them stories, and went off on missions for the Church. Her parents were both heroes of legend, if that legend was tiny and only isolated to a single household.

The Legend of the Rose and the Dragon.

Yang snorted, scuffing her boot on the floor and looking through the far wall, not at it.

Her heroes now? Well, Tai had written her off for dead and moved on. Qrow too, and even now with her back in the picture he was still all for the Church, even after its fuck-ups. Summer was… Well, they didn't know. Raven made it sound like she was alive somewhere, somehow. They'd buried her years ago.

 _But then dad and the others buried me too._ Ruby's hand gripped her own and the Dimuran managed a weak smile, one that faltered as her eyes fell. _Leave it to Raven to make a shitty situation worse._

She'd spent a lot of time pining for a reunion, yearning for things to go back to the way they had been. Just to sit at a dinner table with her sister and dad again. To tell someone 'goodnight' and have them say it back in return. Simple pleasures, ones that she'd wholly taken for granted.

"Yang…?" Ruby's voice was gentle, hesitant. The look in her eyes spoke of a worry she didn't voice, as did the hand now rhythmically squeezing her own. "You sure you're ready for this? He'll come back if you're not."

Ready to see her dad? No, but then she wasn't ready for any of this. Returning to Vale. Facing the Church and Ozpin, which she'd still put off. If she could take Ruby and run off again without turning the kingdom on its head in the process, she would have.

"Yeah, I'm ready," she lied, ashamed at how easily it came. Ruby bought it and her smile became more genuine, softening as the two girls embraced.

Ready for Ruby's sake and even her father's. Her own? Hells, Yang had no idea what she wanted right now beyond getting back in bed and hiding under the covers.

Someone knocked on the door and Yang felt her heart leap into her throat in panic. An unfamiliar voice called to them instead, not her father's. Any relief she felt was squashed the moment they were told he'd arrived however, and the panic returned in full force.

"He's waiting outside, ladies. Shall I send him up?"

Yang didn't know. Ruby wasn't answering either, supporting her either way, she was sure. The Dimuran's leg bounced with nervous energy and she glanced at the window with heavy silk curtains tied back. She could climb out the window now and go somewhere else. Anywhere else. Anything besides facing her father.

But that would just be putting things off, and like hell she was going to avoid the problem forever. No, it was better to take the bandage approach and just get it over with.

"Yeah…" she answered, raising her voice when she realized she'd mumbled her reply. "Yeah, send him up. Thanks."

Through the door Yang imagined the butler, in his stiff, pressed outfit bowing like he had a paddle rammed up his rear. The wrinkly old geezer was nice enough, she supposed, although he gave her weird vibes. Nothing about him was genuine. He was the sort who was nice because it was his job, not because he genuinely cared. The same could be said about the nobles who were letting them use one of their spare homes as temporary lodging. Nice enough at face value, sure, but disingenuous.

Yang's nervous tic didn't stop as they listened to the butler walk off, if anything it got a million times worse. Her palms wiped on her brand-new trousers, licking her lips over and over while her foot all but slammed into the floor.

"Yang," Ruby whispered while putting her hand on her leg. "It'll be okay, it's just dad. He's going to be happy to see you."

"Y-Yeah, right…"

Happy, sure, but probably beyond upset. Are there going to be questions? How much could she tell him? How much _should_ she tell him? Not knowing was making things worse. That same ignorance might be the only thing keeping her dad safe.

Yang's stomach lurched when there came another knock on the door. A much more familiar voice called through, hesitant, soft, and she felt her tongue swell and jaw clench shut. Her entire body trembled and jumped when Ruby's hand began rubbing circles on her back. No pressure again, only concern, compounded by a small, understanding smile that reminded her there was no need to go through with this. Ruby wouldn't be angry with her if she turned Tai away, although Yang might be angry with herself for being a coward.

One little nod and Ruby hugged her, then kept rubbing her back as she leaned forward. "Come in dad, we're ready."

Hearing 'we' meant more than Yang could put to words, failing to even utter a 'thank you' before her voice caught in her throat. She grabbed her thighs and took a deep breath, forcing herself to look at the door as it opened.

Taiyang Xiao Long froze in the doorway. He looked just like she remembered. Older, sure, which she supposed was normal. A bit more fuzz on his face, bags under his eyes, and his hair was shorter now.

"Yang…"

Hearing him utter her name with such tenderness made her eyes well up instantly. She almost drew away when he rushed into the room but instead welcomed his embrace, leaning into it and returning it with full eagerness.

"Yang… My baby girl…" Like a paper bridge she crumpled, burying her face in Tai's shoulder as her arms tightened around him. She heard him grunt but he didn't complain. He still smelled like pine and a hint of cinnamon.

Did he still bake mom's snickerdoodle cookies?

She'd hoped to have held up a little better once she saw her father. That lasted all of about ten seconds. When Tai began to cry the final walls collapsed and Yang joined in, bawling in ways she hadn't done since she was much younger. A second set of arms wrapped around her and she freed one of her own to embrace Ruby, her entire being shaking as she cried, sobs unabated even in the comforting embraces.

It all felt so surreal still. Sitting on a plush bed with regal purple blankets and throw pillows, with wooden floors so polished you could almost see your reflection, and an armoire so unnecessary and massive it was a wonder any one person could fill it, Yang wondered how anyone could live this way. Never in her wildest dreams would she expect to be in such a home.

Never in her wildest fantasies would she expect to see her family again.

She didn't know what to focus on. Tai's hug was warm, strong, and the slight bristle of his beard against her skin was both foreign and comfortable. The bed she sank into was softer than anything she'd slept on in years. Listening to the gentle rattle of carriages passing by outside was so docile, so regular, so… Normal.

She'd forgotten what life was like when you weren't constantly on the run. Gods she missed it.

Yang wasn't sure how long had passed before they broke apart. She'd long since run out of tears and her sobs had been reduced to whimpers, then a pleasant silence. Even as she soaked her father's shirt and threatened to crush him in desperate hugs, he never pulled away for a second, reassuring her that he was there for her, that he wasn't going anywhere. On all of Remnant nothing would have comforted her more than those few words in that moment.

When her breathing settled and she managed to pry herself from Tai's embrace she held still, flushed face turning a bit darker as her father wiped her cheeks clean. She hadn't the heart nor desire to tell him not to baby her. Truthfully, she wanted it, desperately. She even managed a smile when he began to look her over.

"I can't believe it… It's…" Tai coughed and swallowed, blinking a few times before rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. He was just as sorry looking as she was. At least Ruby managed to keep from becoming a sniveling mess. Kind of.

"We're back t-together..." Her little sister sniffled and almost used her cloak to wipe her face, instead grabbing one of the throw pillows and using that instead. Yang chuckled while their dad tried to tell her to be mindful, only to then accept the same pillow and clean himself off with it.

Feeling lighter than she had in a long time Yang managed a more earnest smile, rubbing her face with her bandaged hand before brushing her bangs from her eyes.

"Yeah… It's uh, it's good to see you again, dad."

"Same, sweetheart. I… You can't believe how beside myself I was when I heard the news. I honestly thought Maria was pulling some cruel prank until your sister showed up."

"Maria…?"

"One of the priestesses on Patch. Lovely old lady, if a bit… Eccentric," Tai laughed. "But enough about that, that stuff isn't important. I'm so happy you're here, my sunny little dragon." She almost broke again hearing the nickname. Thankfully her dad caught on and stroked her hair, then smiled and winked. "What a mess this has gotten. Don't suppose you'll finally let me cut it?"

"My hair?" Yang snorted and bat her father's hand away, gently, smiling as she rolled her eyes. "Never, not a chance."

"Heh. Some things never change, huh?"

"Cutting Yang's hair would be like… Taking away my scythe!" Ruby puffed her cheeks in protest and pointed at their dad. "There are just some things you don't do."

"Right, right," Tai smiled. "Like eating vegetables, you mean? Unless you mean to tell me you've finally started, young lady?"

While Ruby giggled and danced around various excuses Yang took a moment to just look at her father. He really hadn't changed much, just more tired. How much of that was her? Summer's disappearance had already hit him hard and hers couldn't have helped things. There was relief to be sure but it was marred by so much emotional baggage. It was beyond her how a guy like that could carry on giving sermons and trying to be happy.

"Dad, I…" Yang let out a shuddering sigh and wrung her hands together. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I never tried to get in touch, I'm s-sorry that I didn't let you know I was okay. I should have written to you, or even stopped by. I could have -" A finger placed over her lips silenced her and she whimpered instead.

"Yang, it's okay. Whatever was going on, whatever happened, you couldn't. I'm not mad at you, okay? Not in the slightest." He drew her into another hug and Yang managed to not bawl this time. Barely. "I'm just glad to have both my girls back."

"And I'm glad to have my big sister back," Ruby chimed in, leaning into her side and smiling bright, eyes twinkling like the full moon outside.

This was still exhausting, much more than Yang would have liked, but she was glad she hadn't put it off. There was so much she wanted to talk about, to do, that her mind went wild with the possibilities. She wanted to go back to Patch, to their old home, and spend even just a single day together as a family. She was sure Tai wanted nothing less too.

"If you girls haven't had dinner yet we could go out, if you'd like? Whatever you two want, my treat."

Yang took one look at her dad, making a mental note to help him find some new clothes - brown shirt and trousers? Really? She giggled at her private observation before shaking her head. "If it's alright… I'd like to stay in. That okay?"

"Whatever you want, sunshine." Tai kissed her forehead and ran a hand through her hair. "I can ask the staff here to make something?"

"Maybe they'll let us use the kitchen?" Ruby suggested, bouncing on the bed with a splitting smile. "We could make dinner together just like we used to!"

"I doubt they'll let us use their stuff," Yang mumbled.

"Nonsense, why wouldn't they? It can't hurt to ask!" Tai began to stand and Yang whined in protest, reaching for the man and lowering her head, abashed when he laughed and stroked her hair. "I'm just going to go ask them about the kitchen, alright? I promise I'll be back in a minute. I'm not going anywhere, trust me."

Yang couldn't remember why in the world she'd been upset with her dad now. He didn't know the circumstances surrounding her 'death'. He was clueless. He'd grieved, he'd wept, and he'd spent years thinking she was gone only for that to suddenly be turned on his head. That he was so willing and keen to pick things up without making too much of a fuss. There would be plenty of questions later she was sure but right now, with so many emotions everywhere, she needed a sense of normalcy.

"Oh, Qrow. When'd you get here?"

Yang tensed, head slowly swiveling towards the door. Her uncle stood just beyond it, leaning against the frame and doing his damndest to appear casual. The way he avoided her eyes suggested anything but.

"Hey Tai, girls," he nodded, finally looking at Yang before pushing off the frame. "Just got here, wanted to see how things were going." Qrow's eyebrows shot up when Tai embraced him, then gasped and kicked his legs as he was lifted off his feet and crushed.

"I can't thank you enough, Qrow. For bringing the girls home, for making sure Ruby got back safe, everything." Tai chuckled and tightened his embrace. "What would I do without you?"

"You're… Gonna find out… If you don't stop… Breaking me!"

The lankier man stumbled back and wheezed, rubbing his ribs while glaring at his friend. For his part Tai only smiled like an idiot, patting Qrow hard enough on the back to nearly knock the man over. When he finally realized the uneasy looks shared by his daughters however his smile vanished, brow furrowing. "Girls, something wrong…?"

Absolutely. Yang didn't even know where to begin with any of it. There wasn't anything she could say without either sparking an argument or making Qrow look guilty. Even if he was, which she was still fifty-fifty on, now was hardly the time or place to be starting a fight. Qrow's arrival already put enough of a damper on the mood as it was.

"We just didn't know Qrow would be coming!" Ruby spoke up, hopping to her feet and hurrying over, embracing the taller man. "He mentioned having another mission, so we figured he'd be gone still! Welcome home, uncle Qrow!"

"Ah…" Qrow raised an eyebrow before chuckling, giving Ruby's hair a ruffle and smiling. "Yeah, just got back earlier tonight actually. Thanks, kiddo."

"Well then your timing couldn't be better. Why don't you join us for dinner, Qrow? I was just going to go ask about using their kitchen."

"We'll go!" Ruby clung to one of Qrow's arms, rocking back and forth on her feet. She gave Yang a smile before tugging on their uncle's arm. "Let's go ask! And maybe you can help me steal some cookies if they have any…?"

"Ruby," Tai wagged his finger. "What have I said about sweets before dinner, young lady?"

"Uh… Not too much?"

Qrow laughed while Tai hung his head, and Yang found herself chuckling along with it all. Ruby winked at her before giving Qrow's arm another tug and hauled him off, leaving her and her dad alone. Anxious energy returned her leg began to bounce again and she exhaled once Tai closed the door, closing her eyes and hugging herself.

"What's going on, sunshine?" Tai wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in close. "You looked kind of spooked there for a second. It's just Qrow."

"Heh… Spooked? What would I be afraid of him for? He's harmless."

"Yang…?"

"I'm fine, dad, honest." Yang flashed the blonde her biggest smile, giving him a jab to the ribs. "He just, uh… Reminded me of some stuff, from when he found us." She shrugged, leaning into Tai's side and closing her eyes. "I'll tell you about it later, promise. Can we just… Relax for now?"

"Sure thing, sweetheart. Whatever you want to do," Tai kissed the top of her head, pulling her into a full embrace and rocking her gently. "You're here, that's all I'm worried about."

Yang answered with a lazy nod, turning her head to bury her face in Tai's chest.

Must be nice.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Weiss rolled over in her bed and huffed, unburying her head from her pillow. The long shadows on the walls meant it was still late in the evening, or early in the day. A glass half full, half empty kind of distinction. Rolling onto her back and staring up at the dark ceiling she frowned, then sat up in bed and threw the covers off herself.

She couldn't sleep.

She blamed it on nerves, excitement, or some combination of the two. Lunch with her friends had been a delightful, chaotic affair. Nora embellished her and Ren's stories while the latter added a touch of reality to the fantastical claims. They'd eaten quite a lot and she'd surprised herself in just how much she'd put away. A day of aimless wandering and one stomachache later and she'd decided to turn in.

Not before stopping by Roderick's shop however. She had nearly forgotten about her weapon until Ren brought it up and asked how she'd liked it. After excusing herself from her friends she'd made a beeline to the store to pick it up. Only to find it had been taken away from Lord Bisset not a day earlier.

With no reason given and little cause to hold onto it - Lord Bisset had paid for it after all, Roderick had handed over her to-be weapon without a fuss. She couldn't say she was surprised, not really. Clothes were one thing, and even if they came from her arch-enemy that was one gift she couldn't see being taken back.

A rapier made of expensive, rare materials? Lousy as the gesture was Weiss could at least understand the reasoning.

What was she supposed to do about a weapon though? She had Lien, not to mention a favor with nobility for her service. Could she use that to get her rapier back? Did she even want the same one?

If she asked for another then that would mean waiting longer. Waiting, obviously, meant either settling for something lesser in the interim or forgoing any kind of work outside the city.

The latter might not be so bad. She did have to begin her studies for practicing developing wards and there was the small matter of her personal research too. Even now she itched to read over Merlot's work and study them for the hundredth time. She'd gleaned nothing of value from his harried writings before but maybe this time would be different. Or, more likely, she'd be left frustrated and pulling her hair out.

Weiss cursed her impatient mind and closed her eyes again, drawing the blankets up over her head and focusing on her breathing. She had plenty to do and could ill afford to be exhausted tomorrow. Now if she could just fall asleep…

 _Clunk._

Maybe she could actually get some rest if she counted down. Or if all else failed Ruby did always suggest warm milk helped her fall asleep.

 _Clunk._

Weiss threw the blankets down and growled. Something else struck her window and she glared at it, swung her legs out of bed, and marched across the room. Throwing the blinds open she yelped when another small stone bounced off the window pane, throwing it open and hanging her head out to shout at whoever was pelting her room.

Instead she stared down at the man below, drawing a blank as she tried to determine what in the world he was doing here at this unsightly hour.

"I do apologize for the lateness of my visit, but we need to talk. It's rather important, I'm afraid!" Lord Bisset, swung his cane and smiled up at her, tipping his cap. "I humbly suggest you get dressed and come outside. And do change into something more appropriate."

Weiss glanced down at her nightgown and her cheeks turned pink. "I was sleeping!" she hissed. "With all due respect, go away. I'd like to get back to bed!"

"I have your rapier waiting for you, Weiss."

Her hands froze on the window and she narrowed her eyes. "Are you using my weapon as a hostage?"

"I like to think of it as an incentive." He laughed, bouncing his cane in hand before putting his hand to his chest and taking a bow. "Humor me? I need only five minutes of your time, nothing more. I'll hand over your rapier once we're through and be on my way. You have my honor on that."

Honor of a nobleman, huh? There was something to be said about that but Weiss didn't want to come across as belligerent, as well-deserved as it might be. Looking back into her room and staring at the bed for a moment she sighed, grabbing the window again and tossing her hair back. "I'll be out in five minutes. Don't go anywhere!"

"Wouldn't dream of it, my dear."

"If this is some kind of courtship…"

"Perish the thought!" Lord Bisset laughed, then smiled and leaned on his cane. "You're a bit too short for my tastes, young lady."

Weiss slammed her window shut and stormed to her dresser to get ready for… Whatever this was.

* * *

 **So, it was a lengthy chapter, yes, and admittedly not much plot progression. I'm hoping for more "One Piece filler" than "Dragon Ball Z filler". Whether I succeeded in that regard remains to be seen!**

 **Figured after the last few however we needed some down time, and a chance for the characters to interact without, you know, potentially dying every second.**

 **Next chapter... It'll come out when it's ready!**


	38. Chapter 38: Cordially Invited

**Apologies in advanced but this is a short chapter, relatively. Between Christmas, New Years, and getting ready to start a new position at work in January I've got very little free time. Went through a lot of edits/revisions on this chapter before deciding to take the tail end of it and open next chapter with that bit instead. With any luck I'll have time to get the next, and the chapter immediately following it, out within the next week, week and a half.**

 **Anyways, I'm rambling. Hope you've all had a wonderful holiday season! Now, let's get to the story!**

* * *

"Well? I'm listening?"

"As are the trees, walls, and every pebble beneath our feet." Lord Bisset continued to twirl his cane as he walked, either ignorant or uncaring of the daggers Weiss glared at his back. "I wanted to talk. I never said we'd do so then and there."

The nobleman turned to face her and smiled when she bristled at him. Uncaring then.

Weiss might have felt threatened by the situation if she wasn't the stronger of the pair. Yes, she was unarmed, and yes, assaulting a nobleman was _technically_ illegal - she'd gotten into trouble for it once already, but what about self-defense? A single rune would be enough to send Bisset flying with a gale or entrap him in ice until the guard could arrive. That was to say nothing of fire, lightning, or splitting the ground beneath his feet.

That the man had to know her capabilities and still toyed with her made it all the more frustrating.

With the silhouette of the Grand Cathedral behind them they carved a path through the commercial district. Streets, from a lack of a torch, were pitch black save for the occasional lantern guiding their path. In the still of night Weiss had no issue hearing Bisset's footfalls and that made following him easy even if the dark hid him from her sight.

"Where are we going, precisely?" No answer. Weiss exhaled, gazing around at the dark buildings flanking her. If someone was lying in wait, then she'd never see them. Hear, yes. It wouldn't be much time to react.

"Just one of my shops! I asked the owner to keep the floor open for us and she was kind enough to oblige. I suppose a few Lien is a good motivator as any."

"What could we possibly have to discuss in private?"

"If I told you now then it would defeat the purpose, wouldn't it?" Lord Bisset smiled back at her, or at least looked in her direction. "Patience. It's not like you're busy."

"I _was_ asleep," she said curtly.

"No, you weren't, otherwise a little pebble wouldn't have woken you."

Weiss huffed, taking a page from Ruby's playbook and stuck her tongue out. Immature? Yes. Gratifying? Shamefully so.

Another wind blew and she shivered at the unwelcome chill, drawing her cloak tighter and clenching her teeth to prevent them from chattering. Leaves rolled across the road, crinkling loudly, like glass shattering against the cobblestone. Her breath materialized into a cloud in front of her face and she scowled again at being dragged out as she had been.

Technically she could have said no, yet her curiosity had gotten the better of her. Under the pale glow of a nearby lantern Weiss eyed the slender crate beneath Bisset's arm. Seeing Roderick's brand burned into the side made her fingers twitch and exacerbated the absence of weight against her hip.

The conniving man had opted to bring along _her_ weapon as a bargaining chip, although she'd argue it was more like holding a hostage.

Lord Bisset held his cane out and stopped Weiss in her tracks. "We're here! Let's get you out of the cold, hm?"

A small bell chimed upon opening the door and despite a lack of fire Weiss felt an immediate surge of warm air from inside. Disregarding the obvious inherent risk of the situation she strolled in after the nobleman, keeping her cloak up even as the door creaked closed behind them. Wind battered the shutters outside, but the building kept them at bay, staving off biting the biting cold of early autumn.

Until she had to walk back anyways.

Still incapable of seeing beyond the tip of her nose Weiss shielded her eyes when a lamp was set alight. The small flame was enough to bask half the room in a gentle glow and she stood by the door to let her eyes adjust. Well, Bisset hadn't lied about where they were going; no one besides a tailor would own two looms, spools and sheets of thread and cloth, or what she assumed were vials of dyes. Tidy, if cluttered, she could imagine the tools here saw plenty of use.

"Shame about this shop. The seamstress here doesn't do much business anymore. Getting a bit too old for it."

Or not. Weiss idly walked to one of the looms and turned the wheel, numb fingertips dragging across the smooth wood. To her untrained eye they looked new, free from scratches or signs of wear and tear. Then again, she was hardly a seamstress so she could be completely ignorant, too.

With her cheeks slowly regaining their color, or lack thereof, Weiss lowered her hood and shook out her hair. Her eyes drifted to the container the man carried before finding his face and an expectant, almost amused smile as he watched her.

"Well? We're here, aren't we? You may talk now."

"May I? Thank you, I was waiting for permission," Bisset chuckled, adjusting the container before, to her surprise, holding it out for her to take. When Weiss made no move to do so he rolled his eyes and placed it on one of the tables instead. "Honestly, what am I going to do?" His green eyes sparkled, and he tiled his head, orange hair falling to the side. "Attack you with my cane?"

"You could have a hidden blade…" The cold wasn't what turned her cheeks pink and she looked away as Bisset laughed. "How am I supposed to know? Your kind aren't exactly trustworthy."

"Oh? And where would I hide it?" He _was_ wearing a large white coat with numerous pockets, so feasibly anywhere. The man's laughter died down and he smiled, taking a step back and resting his hands on his cane. "And what do you mean by 'my kind' exactly?"

 _As if you don't know._ Unable to help herself Weiss stepped towards the container, running a hand over the lid and subtly trying to pick out traces of magic. When her palm didn't itch and her skin failed to prickle, she deemed it safe, or at least not booby-trapped with a spell.

"You know precisely what I mean." Her fingertips ran along the edges of the lid, corners, and she took a moment to lift the container up and check the underside for good measure.

"I suppose I do, which is what we're here to discuss."

Dubious, and not the least bit skeptical, Weiss set down the container and crossed her arms. A nobleman trying to tell her he could be trusted? That was rich. And how did he intend to go about that? Honeyed words? Empty promises or a sob story? Weiss' eyes drifted again to the container and she cringed. Maybe an offering…?

"You aren't wrong, for the record. As far as I'm concerned, my fellow men and women of the court are snakes. They'll just as soon stick you in the ribs as shake your hand if it means getting a leg up on the competition."

"Including you?" Weiss couldn't help but sound standoffish.

"Including me," Bisset laughed, his casual admission taking her by surprise. "The court isn't an easy life, young lady. Think of it as chess: everyone has their pawns and they're always trying to find a way to beat each other. It can't be blatant, or your opponent will catch on and block you. No…" He tapped his can on the floor before spreading his arms. "It's much more like a play. A game of subterfuge!"

"Is there a point to this or do you plan on talking all night?"

"I will if you let me!"

Weiss grabbed for the container and hefted it in her arms, taking a step back and pausing when Bisset made no move to stop her. He wouldn't seriously let her walk, out would he? Not after all of this. She looked at the container again and blinked, brow furrowing at finally noticing how light it felt. Hesitant, she slid the lid back and let the lamp's light seep in, growling as she slid it off entirely.

"It's empty!"

Her eyes shot up and she frowned when Lord Bisset slid open a drawer and drew a rapier. _Her_ rapier. The way the faint illumination danced along the pale, slender blade, catching the gemstones imbued in the handguard. Everything about it looked immaculate, precise. Weiss' fingers twitched and she had half a mind to lunge for the weapon, shamefully whimpering when Bisset held it aloft in two fingers. "Don't drop it!"

"Do I have your ear now, or do you need more incentive?"

Damn him. Weiss yearned to hold that weapon! Bisset couldn't use it, he'd said so himself. Setting the box down with a thud she put her hands to her hips, drumming her foot on the floor. "You have five minutes, then I'm taking what's mine and leaving."

"My, so testy! And here I thought you and I had something of a rapport."

"You tried to bribe me when we first met," she pointed out. "In fact, I suspect you're doing the very same now! I could have you arrested!"

"Hm… You certainly could." She yelped when the rapier was thrown across the room, eyes wide as her hands shot out. Barely catching it in her outstretched hands she clutched it to her chest, growling as Bisset laughed at her again. "But I'm not lording anything over you now am I? It's a transaction, my dear. Your gift in exchange for a moment of your time."

It would have been so easy to take her weapon and leave then and there. She was close enough to the door to have it open and be gone before Bisset could clear the room. Hells, she could use a wind spell and propel herself - haphazardly she'd admit, down the road and be gone in an instant. The temptation to take the weapon and flee was great; Bisset clearly stated it was a gift. There was no need to reciprocate or give anything in return.

Weiss took a deep breath and leveled her gaze on the man. "Enough talking in circles then, speak plainly."

"You are so much fun! I could see you having a field day in the courts."

"Lord Bisset…"

"Which is exactly what I'm here to discuss." The man rounded the table and sauntered towards her, holding his hand up when Weiss gripped her weapon. "My, we're certainly jumpy tonight, aren't we? How many times have you considered attacking me? Or leaving?"

"What…? I… I…"

"It's only natural. A peculiar gentleman, well-spoken and dashing, yet enigmatic," he mused with a smile. "Invites you out for an evening stroll. Drags you off to the middle of nowhere to chat. I don't know what's more concerning: how willingly you came along or that I've given a woman known to attack nobility a weapon."

"O'Rourke deserved it," Weiss grumbled. "He attacked a defenseless woman. If he did it again then I'd do the same thing in a heartbeat."

"Even if Hunters aren't meant to enforce common law?"

Whatever comeback came to mind died on her tongue and Weiss looked away. She knew that was true, obviously, she'd memorized the tenants a thousand times over. Would she do it again? Most certainly, but that meant inviting the punishment as well. This time there would be no saving grace for her crime either.

"If I thought myself in danger, I'd never have armed you, Miss Schnee, and -"

"Weiss."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Weiss," she repeated. "Miss Schnee is my mother or my sister. If you're insistent on speaking to me then 'Weiss' will do."

"First name basis? Well, typically women insist I treat them to dinner before we get to that point." She tried not to retch at the implication and succeeded. Barely. "But if you insist! Then you may address me as Alexandre."

"Lord Bisset works just fine."

First name basis was reserved for friends or close acquaintances like Roderick. Lord Bisset was neither.

"Ack, you wound me." The overdramatic man clutched his chest and sighed. "Alas, I should know that a Hunter and nobleman were never meant to be."

"I'm leaving now…"

"Wait, wait!" Bisset hurried closer and waved his cane. "I'll stop. Goodness," he shook his head and sighed, adjusting his cap with a smile. "I'm trying to provide some levity and you're threatening to walk out on me."

"You asked me to speak with you, not listen to your senseless chatter." Sleep tugged at her eyelids and Weiss felt a burning desire to be anywhere besides where she was now growing by the second. "If you're not going to get to the point…" She turned and grabbed the doorknob, opening the door and blinking as cold air kissed her face.

"The royal family invites you to dinner!"

Weiss froze where she was, eyes staring through the dark outside. Besides the swaying of the sign outside the shop there was no other noise. She knew she hadn't misheard Bisset, but she still turned on him, letting the door swing closed as she gawked.

"I… What?"

"For your honorable service in defending the kingdom from an existential crisis, and for your bravery and courage, His Majesty invites Weiss Schnee and company to dine with them." Bisset bobbed his head as he spoke, twirling his wrist before giving her a sly grin. "Or something along those lines. I'm afraid the particulars of your invitation are eluding me right now."

The King wanted to dine with her? Why? Weiss stared at the man's face and tried to determine if it was all a farce. Either Lord Bisset was Remnant's best bluffer or he was speaking the gods honest truth. She'd sooner believe the former.

That made no sense! She'd had a hand in stopping Merlot, yes, but so too had Coco and her friends, or however many other Hunters had been involved. Wouldn't it be easier to recognize the Church for its efforts? Make a public announcement acknowledging them if it felt that some recognition was necessary. Dinner though? That Ruby, Yang, and Blake were evidently included in that was more troubling than comforting.

"You seem confused."

"Why would the crown want to dine with me? According to them I'm nothing but a thorn in their side." Her eyes grew hard and she clenched her weapon tighter. "As far as many are concerned, I shouldn't even exist."

"Don't conflate the opinions of a few bad apples with that of His Majesty," Bisset warned, wagging his finger with a smile. "The only thing the crown is concerned with is the well-being of the kingdom and her people. And I'll admit he might not be the biggest fan of your organization but he's willing to look past your affiliations and meet you on a personal level. Not many are given that honor."

"It still makes no sense. Others were involved, some far more deserving than me."

"Others were involved, yes, but it was you and your group who bested Jacobis Merlot."

Weiss' eyes widened. "How did you know that…?"

"I didn't, it was a guess." That sneaky… Damn it, she'd walked right into that one. "But I'm sure His Majesty is aware of the details. He has eyes and ears all over, after all. It wouldn't do to be a man in his position and be unaware of the daily happenings of his domain."

Raven. It had to have been her. Why tell them though? Had she known about this before they departed? If so then she'd sent them into a trap.

"I don't suppose I can decline this, can I?"

"I'd imagine you can, although I don't imagine many would take that kindly. You're well aware of what a noble with a grudge can do I'm certain. And while His Majesty is still a fair and just man it would be an insult to reject his offer. As a citizen of Vale -"

"There would be no higher honor…" Bisset nodded and Weiss leaned against the door, dragging a hand over her face with a groan. "Why have I not heard about this before? This hardly seems like something that would be kept secret."

"You and your friends are to receive formal invitations tomorrow. I happened to hear whisperings earlier and thought it would be prudent to let you know ahead of time."

"... Thank you?"

"There are stipulations with the invitation. Precautions, I suppose you could say."

"Naturally," Weiss bemoaned, rolling her eyes. "And those might be…?"

"First and foremost, you're not allowed to bring guests. That means the four of you and no one else. I'm afraid they were quite clear on that front."

"You seem to know more than just a few whispers…" she said.

"I'm a very good listener." _Or liar._ Weiss drummed her fingers against the rapier's grip and a smile worked its way to her lips.

The metal was cool, yet not cold, and positively hummed with an energy she couldn't describe, something beyond her budding excitement. She could feel the metal in the weapon resonate with her body's energies, practically begging to be used as a conduit for spellcraft. Her eyes scanned the elegant craftsmanship and she wished she could see better in low lighting. Maybe back in her room she'd take time to look it over in full. _I'll need to thank Roderick for this too. It's incredible…_

"There's only one rule beyond that, and it's the reason that I've asked you out to speak tonight." Lord Bisset paused, then smirked and leaned on his cane. "Well, besides giving you a new toy to drool over."

"I'm not drooling!" She wasn't drooling right? Weiss resisted the impulse to check her mouth and instead scowled. "G-Get to your point!"

"So hostile! But fair. It's late and we're both tired." Lord Bisset reached across and offered a hand, chuckling when Weiss rejected it. "Awfully cold considering we'll be working together."

"We'll be what?"

"Naturally there are particular… Behaviors not welcome at the court. You're expected to be polite, composed, well-spoken, and to carry yourself with a sense of dignity. Hunters don't always have such proclivities, and I dare say you're lacking a few of those yourself." The man smiled when she glowered at him. "See? Precisely my point! While you might consider yourself refined it's, to put it bluntly, child's play compared to the court. When I spoke of chess earlier, I wasn't exaggerating: every word, every subtle movement, every gesture is examined like a jeweler inspecting a gemstone. Everything and anything will be put to scrutiny."

"Which is why, in his infinite wisdom, and just a slight bit of insistence from a few of us," he added under his breath. "His Majesty has requested that each of you be given an… Escort of sorts. A mentor, if that term is more appealing."

"Someone's to teach us how to conduct ourselves in court?"

"Someone is to _accompany_ you while there. We're to speak on your behalf so you do not provoke any of the others, and act as both guides and keepers during your stay. You are Hunters, after all. No one expects any of you to have the slightest inkling of how to behave among nobility."

"Act like a pompous dolt, be ignorant of the world around you, and presume you're better than everyone," Weiss listed off on her fingers before raising an eyebrow. "I think I have your behaviors memorized well."

"And that," Bisset tapped her leg with his cane. "Is precisely why this is necessary. I won't deny some of us are more… Shall we say oblivious than others." If she were as crass as Yang she might have suggested their heads were up their asses. Instead Weiss scoffed and shook her head.

"That's an understatement."

"But most do mean well. We can be removed if the citizens are displeased enough, it's not as if we can act without consequence either. While I'll admit we're not the most altruistic lot, myself included, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by what we have to offer."

Weiss sincerely doubted that. She expected plenty of false smiles and kind words, sure, but beyond that it would only be that: fake. A facade put on to try and earn her favor. Not unlike what she'd expected Lord Bisset to have done.

"So, we're expected to accompany a noble to this dinner. Fine. I don't imagine I can turn down the invitation." Weiss moved to hook her rapier to her belt only to realize she hadn't put on the holster. With a sigh, she let it hang from her hand instead, mindful not to let the blade touch the floor. "I don't suppose you know who will be joining us?"

"I'm not sure who your friends will be accompanying, sorry to say. However, I do know who your escort will be." Lord Bisset smiled and tipped his cap, then swept one leg back and lowered his head. Weiss felt her heart drop, groaning as the man smiled at her. "Miss Schnee, it would be my pleasure to accompany you to dinner. May we have a night to remember."

Weiss blanched, grabbing the doorknob and throwing the door open. She made it one step outside before turning back and pointing her rapier at Bisset. The man, nonplussed, continued to smile at her.

"This is _not_ a date, and we are not a… An item. You are to serve as my guide and nothing more."

"I've already explained why I don't have any interest in you haven't I?"

Weiss' face burned bright and she stomped a foot on the stone steps. He was infuriating! Immature! Rude!

"I'm finished with this. I'm going to bed."

"Not there on the step I hope?" Laughing at his own joke while Weiss turned and stormed out he followed suit. "Ah, I suppose I should extinguish that lamp. Wouldn't do to have the shop burn down." Weiss kept walking, drawing her hood up with her free hand and staring straight ahead. "You'll receive your formal invitation tomorrow, I'm sure! I look forward to dining with you!"

Weiss wished she could say it was mutual. Actually no, she didn't. She _wished_ she could tell the man to shove his invitation and tell the crown she wasn't interested. Yet somehow, she suspected slighting the King wasn't the best idea. Call it intuition.

A cold wind ripped through her clothing and Weiss folded her arms, awkward from clutching her rapier. The moonlight caught the weapon just right and it seemed to glow, streaks of icy blue coming across in the pale steel, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds in the basket guard sparkling. For the life of her she couldn't imagine why such valuable gems had been embedded in her weapon. If it were a noble's plaything then she'd understand: form over function. Yet for a Hunter it served no purpose.

Even so, Weiss couldn't help but beam and admire her new blade. It wasn't _the_ Myrtenaster - that one was in Atlas, but it was as close as she'd get to the genuine article. And it was hers and hers alone.

As annoying as the night had been, she found a skip to her step on the way back, and when she arrived in her room and shut the door she laid back in bed, wide awake as she marveled at the new sword in her hands, turning it over and admiring it from every angle.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Ruby chatted away to Yang under her breath, gesturing in an animated, exaggerated manner that begat her excitement. Something about going home to visit their father soon. Weiss admired how jubilant her partner could be so early in the morning, even with the news they'd received. In fact Ruby was the only one present who seemed perky and alert.

Weiss rubbed at her face and yawned, taking another sip of her murky beverage, grimacing and shuddering. Bitter, it went down her throat and heated her chilled frame but did little to chase away her fatigue. Deciding against another drink she set her mug down on the table, lowering her head onto her arms and shutting her eyes.

"Weiss, wake up!" Ruby shook her arm and bounced in her chair. "Our food's almost here!"

"Dun care…" she mumbled.

"Food will help ya wake up, princess," Yang teased. "Can't have you sleeping until we're done here, so perk up!"

"Why are you tired anyway?" Weiss lifted her head, reluctantly, and met Blake's expectant stare.

"Late night…"

"Oh, were you studying the notes?" Ruby whispered while leaning across the table. Weiss shook her head and the brunette pouted, disappointed.

"I bet she was out with a guy."

Weiss scoffed. "As if…"

"A girl then?" Yang grinned and waggled her eyebrows suggestively. She laughed and ducked under a thrown fork, apologizing to the barmaid who was nearly struck. "Not a guy, not a girl… Sounds boring then!"

Not about to admit she'd spent hours admiring her weapon, practicing channeling magic, and admiring it again, Weiss groaned and laid her head down once more. She only had herself to blame really; the rapier would be there in the morning and was in her possession now. Excitement had won out over common sense and instead of sleeping she'd fawned over her new blade like a dolt.

 _It's a fantastic piece…_ She turned her head, cheek rubbing against the finished wooden table as her fingertips grazed her rapier's blade, mindful of the sharper edges around the tip. _Impressively made…_ she mused, drumming a finger against one of the gemstones before sighing. _But not worth depriving myself of sleep._

"Well well, asleep already, Weiss?"

Eileen, the sister of Mrs. Oum, smiled as she approached with four trays expertly balanced on her arms. Flushing, she sat upright in her chair and tidied her appearance, brushing a stubborn bang back. "Thank you…" she muttered, eyeing her dish greedily. Her face bloomed into a darker red when a fork was offered over, repeating her gratitude again.

"You girls are here awfully early. Any special occasion?"

"Just decided to come out and have breakfast with some friends!" Ruby grinned. Her eyes widened and she gasped, grabbing Yang's arm. "Oh, I didn't introduce you two! Eileen, this is…" she glanced at her sister then beamed when given a nod. "This is my sister, Yang! Yang, Eileen!"

"Nice to meetcha!" Yang smiled, extending her hand.

"Oh, I wasn't aware Ruby had a sister," the barmaid mused, shaking Yang's hand before clasping both of her own. "Wonderful! When Monty comes back from the markets, you'll have to let him meet you!"

"Sounds good!"

"Wait, before you go!" Eileen hadn't gone anywhere but Ruby sounded like the woman was about to vanish into thin air. "You haven't met Blake either, right?" She leaned over and tugged on her friend's sleeve. "Blake, say hello!"

"Hello."

"She's not much of a talker," Yang laughed. "She's always grumpy this early in the morning." Their table shifted and Yang recoiled, lips twitching in a tight smile. "See? Sourpuss!"

"You talk too much." Picking up her knife and fork Blake started to cut into her eggs, pausing to look up and offer a faint smile. "Pleasure to meet you, Eileen. Thank you for the meal."

"It's our pleasure! Weiss, Ruby, and their friends are practically family at this point. Any friends of theirs are friends of ours!"

Weiss lowered her head and smiled. "You flatter us."

"There are dozens of shops like ours in the city, yet they come to ours almost every day," Eileen continued. "Not always in a group, sometimes it's just one or two of you." She wiped away a single tear from the crow's feet around her eyes, smoothing her bunned hair before patting her apron. "But it's always a pleasure. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got other tables to visit. You girls have everything you need?"

When all four shook their heads, Eileen excused herself and let them be. As important as their discussion was no one spoke for a while. Utensils scraped against plates and Weiss savored her meal; the eggs were fluffy and flavored with a dash of pepper, ham cooked to a light crisp, and the bread, freshly baked, had a distinct honey aftertaste that made her taste buds dance. The others had ordered much the same although she noticed Yang had not only doubled-down, but tripled her order of ham, while Ruby slipped half of her own portions and took toast from her sister.

Listening to the muted conversations around them Weiss eased back into her seat, pausing her meal to glance out the window. People strolled by, clothed in light scarves, coats, and caps. With autumn fast approaching it was only a matter of time until those turned into heavier garments. The cool wind outside carrying leaves on its boughs would soon be replaced by a biting gale with swirling tufts of white.

Atlas was perpetually experiencing winter, or something close enough to it. Considering how she loathed the cold Weiss couldn't say she felt like she was missing out there.

Once their plates were polished clean and Weiss chased the last of her water down, she slid her dishes to Yang, shooting the blonde a warning glare when she attempted to juggle dishes. Thankfully Eileen returned before a mess was made and she hauled them off with a laugh, much to Yang's chagrin.

"Now that we're through with our meals…" She trailed off and raised an eyebrow. Taking the wordless suggestion for what it was Ruby, Yang, and Blake each produced their letters, seals broken. Weiss placed her own on the table, the wax seal - a lion at the forefront, with twin axes crossed behind it and a wreath forming a frame, remained intact. She had no need to read it thanks to Bisset's message last night.

"Unless this is all some ridiculously elaborate hoax by Lord Bisset it appears we've been summoned by the King himself." Weiss pursed her lips, drumming her fingertips on the table. "I don't need to point out why this is a problem, do I?"

Yang leaned back in her chair, draping her unbandaged arm over the back and crossing her legs. "Besides not wanting anything to do with the guy? I can think of another dozen or so reasons."

"I think she was being rhetorical, Yang," Blake said.

"Is that like sarcasm?"

"No, it means she didn't really want an answer." Ruby lowered her head and swat at Yang's hand while her hair was ruffled. "Yaaaang!"

"I know what it means, Rubes. Just messing with Blake."

Weiss snapped her fingers once to get everyone's attention. "Besides it being highly suspect, it's a conflict of interest. Hunters are separated from the royal families precisely to prevent us becoming personal weapons. I can already see Ozpin having problems with us going."

"Would you even have to tell him?" Yang asked.

"And what's the alternative? Go without informing him and risk the repercussions? If the Archbishops says no then we can defer to his decision and he can deal with the King's ire. If we go without telling him then that's squarely on our shoulders."

"I don't see why it's such a big deal. They just want to reward us for helping." Ruby shrugged, then placed her hands on the table and smiled. "I think Ozpin would be fine with that, don't you?"

"There's also the fact it's obviously just to make them look good," Blake pointed out, glancing at Ruby when she went ignored. "Sorry, but I doubt your leader is going to be too thrilled about us being used as…"

"Trophies?" Yang suggested.

"Something like that. If they wanted to thank us, they could have done so in these letters," she lifted hers and waved it. "And left it at that. Instead they're trying to parade us around. Sure, what we did might warrant a reward, but we're also just doing our jobs, just like the other Hunters who helped. I don't believe Coco and the others were given the same invitation."

"They weren't," Weiss confirmed. "I spoke with Yatsuhashi before leaving this morning, he knew nothing about it. It's only us."

Which further supported Blake's belief they were just being brought in for show. To build morale after a scare by the Grimm and Merlot. _But then that still doesn't make sense. If they wanted to build morale, they'd try to take credit, not bolster the Church's standing._ If Raven was to be believed, then the two groups were still fighting between themselves. That stood to reason then that whatever this farce was would serve to harm the Church, not help it.

"They have something to gain by doing this. Whether that's trying to enforce the idea they're superior to the Church, or by showing that the Church is cooperating with them," Weiss trailed off and shrugged. "Either way it's not something we should do lightly."

"I'd rather not do it at all," Yang grumbled. "Hells, I don't want to be in the city at all."

"Yang, you're safe! They pardoned you!" Ruby smiled reassuringly at her sister. "You and Blake both!"

"Sure, the _crown_ did, but Ozpin hasn't said a word to either of us. You really think after they fucked up so badly with me he's just going to pretend nothing happened?" Yang glanced around the room and Weiss noticed her foot bouncing and her bandaged hand gripping the edge of the table. "I don't like being in the city, not this close to Ozpin"

"I'm skeptical as well," Blake agreed. "Pardoned or not there will still be those who harbor ill will towards me. Who's to say one of them won't have an assassin lying in wait? Or try to poison my food?"

"I think you're being a bit ridiculous," Weiss said, then immediately regretted it when Blake glared at her.

"Am I? I killed people, Weiss. I attempted to kill even more. They have every reason to want me dead, I'm not an idiot. No matter how much I try to act differently that won't change what I did." The ravenette leaned forward and put her face in her hands, going silent before shaking her head. "The fact that I'm a Hunter now hasn't made my standing with them any better either."

They went silent as the front door of the shop swung open. Yang jumped in her seat, staring at the older couple that shuffled in before exhaling and slouching in her seat.

"They'll have Magi there, you know they will. And it's not like we'll be able to tell who they are either." Yang tapped the side of her neck and frowned. "No marks. At best they'll have an emblem somewhere on their clothes, but even then, that's not required."

Knowing a Hunter when they saw one was of some cold comfort. If a Hunter came after them, they could pick them out in a crowd thanks to their Mark. As far as Weiss knew a Magi in service of the crown wasn't required to sport anything like that. There was probably no uniform either, and for all they knew only the noble employing the Magi would know their identity.

In a large gathering of people, not knowing who could draw a blade or cast a spell, and stuck around dozens of people who had openly loathed her in the past? Weiss couldn't say she felt thrilled about their prospects either.

"If we decline then it's possible nothing would happen. At worst it's an insult to the King, which they can't _really_ punish beyond, well, making us miserable." Weiss was used to that by now. She couldn't say Ruby was, nor did she want her partner having to experience what she did.

"I could just leave. Go and find Ilia and the others," Blake mused.

"You'd risk being labeled Rogue. You'd be back where you were before only with less support." Weiss smiled apologetically. "I know you want to help them, Blake, but walking away isn't the answer."

"And putting ourselves in the wolves' den is? Look, Weiss, I get you wanna try and make this work."

"I have as little desire to go as -"

"But this isn't a good idea no matter how you cut it," Yang interrupted. "If we go then we're basically setting ourselves up to get either killed or captured. Think they won't?" The Dimuran gestured to herself, smiling grimly. "How much you wanna bet someone there's dying to study me, huh?"

Weiss would like to say no one was. She'd like to but that would be a bold-faced lie. The nobles or royal family would take every chance they could get to get information on the Church, particularly if it could be harmful. Yang's 'condition', whether condoned by the Church or not, was a blight on their record. One which could be exploited.

"I still think we should go," Ruby said softly, lowering her head and pressing her fingers together. "I mean… When else will we get a chance to try and learn more about them? We could try to verify some of the stuff Raven told us, or at least get a chance to see how they view people like us."

"Hunters, or Faunus?" Blake scoffed and crossed her arms. "Because trust me, I know exactly how nobles feel about the latter. You only need to go down to the canals to see how Faunus in the city are treated."

"Not all nobles might be that bad! Lord Bisset seems nice, right?" Ruby asked Weiss.

"Anyone is nice when they want something, Ruby." Yang answered instead, leaning forward and planting a hand on the table with a sneer. "That bastard bought Weiss a sword too, you seriously think he did that out of the goodness of his heart? The guy is clearly after something."

"Even so I doubt that has any relation to our current predicament. Barring the obvious violation of… Well, accepting the weapon like I did," Weiss admitted, glancing aside and clearing her throat. "And it pains me to say this, but I think Ruby is right. We should take the opportunity afforded to us."

"You've gotta be shitting me…" Yang groaned.

Ruby huffed. "Yang, you really need to stop swearing!"

"I have to agree with Yang here. This is a ridiculous idea."

Weiss turned to Blake and gave her a measured smile. "Is it? The King himself invited us, which by extension means we're likely under his protection. Furthermore, attacking us is an attack on the Church. Even if a noble wanted to harm us they'd do so risking Ozpin's ire, and the entire organization at that. It would be tantamount to suicide. No one there is going to be daft enough to try anything."

"I figured no one was dumb enough to follow Raven either, but then how do you explain Plockton, Weissy?"

"Desperation. We're not desperate here but we do have a chance to learn more. About the feud between the crown and the Church, and perhaps gain some insight into what might be happening out of public view."

It would be a chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of the kingdom. Weiss knew, or liked to think she knew, how the Church operated. Missions given to Hunters, religious services, offering aid to those in need. It was the nobility and the royal family that remained an enigma to her. To all of them. And they wouldn't get a better chance to learn more than this.

"We likely won't have to do much," Weiss added. "Show up, perhaps speak to the king, probably have dinner and then leave. It's all going to be droll formalities, but I sincerely doubt they'll try anything. There's too much at risk for them."

"Workin' on a lot of assumptions there, princess," Yang warned.

"And you're not? You're _assuming_ they'll try something, and you're _assuming_ that they're plotting some kind of revenge." Weiss glanced between Yang and Blake before sighing. "I'm not saying your concerns aren't unfounded. I'm wary about being around these people too. But consider this rationally: attacking us is putting a target on the back of whoever is responsible. They aren't going to risk that just for some petty revenge."

"You really don't know nobles as well as you think then," Yang chuckled.

Perhaps not. O'Rourke had openly assaulted a woman for what she was and had berated her publicly countless times. He'd assumed he could get away with it, and for the most part he had.

Weiss' lips pulled into a wry smile, relishing perhaps unjustly the terrified expression on O'Rourke's face when she froze him. She didn't savor harming the man but gods if it wasn't satisfying somewhat to have him silenced, even temporarily. She'd hardly make a habit of freezing nobles though.

"I want to go." Maybe not want, but Weiss would attend and try to learn what she could. "I'll see what I can find out while there, and I'll go alone if I have to."

"I'm going to!" Ruby exclaimed, cringing when Yang shushed her. "I'm not letting you go alone," she almost whispered, offering a smile. "We're partners, right? We do this together!"

"I don't want you going, Ruby. It's too dangerous."

"Well I'm going!" Ruby huffed. "I'm old enough to decide what I do, Yang, and… And this won't be as dangerous as what we just did! Besides, I can't let Weiss go alone! What if something does happen?"

Yang opened her mouth to argue before tossing her head back and groaning. "Fuck, fine…" She slammed her fist on the table. "But if you're going then so am I. I'll just… I dunno, be a wallflower or something. I'm not risking sticking my neck out there. If they've got a bunch of Magi hanging around it'll be dangerous. No way am I letting you go alone."

Ruby wouldn't be going alone though. _Does she think I'm incapable of protecting her?_ Weiss wondered, bristling at the suggestion.

"You won't be alone, and like I said, I sincerely doubt they'll try anything." Weiss turned in her chair and smiled at the lone remaining member of their group. "Blake? Can we count you in…?"

The Meera's ears folded back and she toyed with her scarf, running her fingers along the thin cloth. Amber eyes stared at Weiss, likely through her, before closing. "Just… Give me some time to think about it, okay? I'll tell you by tomorrow, I promise."

"We only have three days to decide, so I certainly hope so."

Well, that had hardly been the worst conversation she'd ever had. Yang and Ruby were along, albeit reluctantly, and Weiss was hesitantly optimistic Blake would come around too. Gods knew that she'd appreciate having some friends there, surrounded as she would be. They'd be there for each other.

A few tables had begun to turn over and the shop was beginning to fill in earnest. With Eileen running around to serve everyone and no Monty in sight Weiss pushed herself from the table, set her share of the bill in the middle and rolled her neck. Fatigue gone for now thanks to her meal she smiled at Ruby and Yang. "Would you two like to join me in the markets? There's a few things I need to get."

"Uh… Sorry, but Yang and I actually have plans today." Ruby rocked on her heels before smiling apologetically. "We were going to head out of the city and riding horses! Dad has a friend who owns a few mares, and they said we can give it a try!"

"And I'll take any excuse to head outside," the older girl said with a smirk. "It's stuffy in the city. Too many people."

That was fair. Weiss turned to the ravenette and raised an eyebrow. "Blake? Care to join me?"

"Sure."

"Not a problem, I'll -" Weiss went silent, then her jaw dropped. "Wait, what did you say?"

"I said sure." Weiss looked at Yang, then Ruby, then back at Blake in awe. "What? Was I not allowed to say yes?"

"Uh… N-No, I mean yes, I mean…" Weiss took a deep breath. "I'm just surprised, that's all. This isn't because of pity, is it? I don't mind going alone."

"It's not pity. I have nothing better to do today." _Gee, thanks for that._ "And my uncle needs a few things too, come to think of it."

"Well, sounds like you girls have a date ahead of you!" Yang grinned, dumping Lien on the table before grabbing Ruby's arm. "Have fun! Don't do anything I wouldn't!"

"I feel like that doesn't exclude much," Blake mumbled. Weiss giggled and Yang stuck out her tongue, giving Ruby a look of betrayal when she laughed too. The sisters wandered off while bickering, pushing at each other until they vanished from sight. "They're a handful…"

"Oh let them be," Weiss giggled, following Blake to the door. "They're not hurting anyone."

"I know your hearing isn't as good as mine, Weiss, but you try sitting next to them when they're loud." Blake pushed the door open and held it, wiggling her ears.

"Point taken."

Stepping aside to let a small group inside Weiss drew up her cloak's hood, fixing her hair before looking around. Stalls in the plaza were beginning to gather business and a carriage meandered beneath the tree, its driver swatting the horse as it kept trying to make a snack of the leaves. If the small commons here was beginning to bustle she could only imagine what the markets must be like by now.

"Well, shall we?" She turned to depart and felt Blake grip her arm, glancing back curiously. "Blake?"

"Actually, there's somewhere I need to go first. I need to stop by my uncle's home."

"Oh, alright. I'll meet you at the markets then?"

"Er…" Blake shifted her weight between her feet and coughed. "Could you come with me, actually? It's on the way," she added. "We'll be quick, I promise."

If it was on the way then she had no reason to say no. She'd met the man once, kind of, and he'd seemed nice enough. As nice as someone could during a racially charged disruption of an awards ceremony. Weiss shrugged, giving Blake a smile and gesturing for her to take the lead. Nearby the horse drawing the carriage snorted, stomping its hooves as the door to the carriage closed. The driver glanced at her before giving the reins a shake and she watched as the carriage rolled away.

"Weiss?" Blake called from down the street, raising a hand over the crowd. "Everything okay?"

"Um… Yes! I'm on my way!" She jogged after Blake and slowed once she caught up, glancing back again and frowning.

* * *

 **Has anyone seen Chekhov's gun? Anyone at all? He says he's missing it. Probably not loaded. Hopefully not.**

 **I'd like to thank some generous folks recently for their feedback, feedback which I'll do my best to take into consideration moving forward.**

 **To clarify something, since I noticed it raised confusion: my races AND the overarching term "Faunus" both exist. Why, I'll get into next chapter, but for clarity's sake moving forward I'll attempt to use "Faunus" over the individual races, and use the races only when its pertinent to the story.**

 **As always, if you have any feedback - liked something, disliked something, have random thoughts, do feel free to leave them! I'm always happy to hear what people think!**


	39. Chapter 39:Crime and Consequence

**Hi folks! I made a chapter!**

 **...**

 **Not much else to say here. Enjoy!**

* * *

"This is where your uncle lives?"

"Yes. Where he moved to, actually, since taking over as one of the leaders." Blake paused, turning back when she realized Weiss had stopped walking. "Something wrong?"

"Um…"

Was there a tactful way to say someone's neighborhood looked horrid? Probably not, or if there was then it escaped Weiss. For a man at the helm of the Faunus Conglomerate however, someone who commanded enough respect to gain an audience with Ozpin himself, Weiss expected more… Affluence. Maybe not to the extent of a noble but certainly more than she was seeing now.

"It's…" She trailed off, gesturing uselessly at a nearby dilapidated home. Askew, with half shingles and half sheets of wood forming a roughshod coverage over a peeling brown box. "It beats sleeping outside?"

"Hm. I take it you've never been here before" Here specifically, or in this part of the residential district? Either way Weiss shook her head. "Sure, Vale touts that it's more benevolent than other kingdoms when it comes to Faunus, but that doesn't mean much," Blake began to walk again, staring straight ahead while Weiss' eyes wandered. "And in a way we are. We're even allowed in the main city."

"And put aside in hovels."

"It's still better, sorry as that sounds. My uncle's working to change that - him and the others. It's going to take a while, but…"

A while? Judging from the state of the buildings they didn't have 'a while'. Most homes were one story, thrown together with whatever materials had been available at the time, no doubt. Crowded, with not even an alley between most buildings, it was claustrophobia incarnate. That even the bridges spanning the canals - bridges taken by everyone in the city, were allowed to fall into disrepair was telling too.

People just avoided the Faunus' district, circumvented and took longer routes.

"You don't seem pleased by the work they're doing."

"It's a lot better than what the White Fang has turned into," grumbled Blake, running a hand through her hair. "It'll take time, but they'll make progress. They just need a little push, that's all. A little more aggression maybe, but nothing like what Adam's doing."

"Speaking of him…" Weiss paused again and wandered towards the edge of the canal. Dark water snaked its way down cobbled paths, the occasional piece of trash floating along. "Have you heard anything about their activities? About Ilia's warning?"

Blake joined her at the edge and crouched down, frowning as she cast a pebble into the water. "Nothing," she answered with a sigh. "There aren't many in the Conglomerate who can fight by virtue of being a peaceful organization." _Well that's a bit daft._ "And if the Church knows anything I haven't heard about it."

"Wait… Have you been eavesdropping?"

"Shadow magic is useful for a lot more than just hiding."

"It's a good way to get yourself punished too," Weiss warned.

"By who? I'm listening to clerics and clergy, no one important. I'm not sneaking around following Hunters. And I can't get into Ozpin's office anyways."

Weiss' jaw dropped. "You _tried?!_ Are you mad?"

Blake chuckled as she stood, waving to a group that called to her across the water before glancing at Weiss. "Tried what?"

"You…" Were there words to express what she felt? Imbecile worked. Dunderhead. Reckless fool. "He's the Archbishop! That's probably grounds for dismissal! Gods, you could possibly be jailed for that, Blake!"

"Jailed for what? I didn't do anything." The ravenette smirked, turning away and sauntering down the road. "Come on, Uncle Tukson's expecting us."

Weiss groaned, rubbing her temples before trudging after her friend. Why couldn't she be with Pyrrha right now? At least she was normal! Or Ren, he was perfectly sane. Except where Ren went Nora followed, and Nora was a different kind of headache altogether.

Resigning herself to Blake's request and whatever other surprises she might have in store they continued through the district. Away from the stone, brick, and trimmed wooden buildings of the city it was startling to realize just how pitiful living conditions were. The further in they went the more crowded things became. Groups of people gathered outside of homes, took up seating in the road or sat along the canal itself. Weiss excused herself more than once as she pushed through groups, patience wearing thin whenever Blake paused to speak to someone.

 _Hurry my foot. She's making conversation with everyone!_ Although she supposed that wasn't the worst thing in the world. People shared their concerns with Blake and she listened, promising to bring them to her uncle's attention. _It must be exhausting though,_ Weiss mused as she watched Blake comfort a fitful woman. _Why aren't the nobility offering a helping hand? Surely it wouldn't cost them much!_

Without the Church and her life as a Hunter she'd probably be in a similar situation. No family in Vale, nowhere to go beyond service. How were any of these people meant to live a better life when she'd had to resort to such extremes for hers?

"Weiss?" Blake's voice pulled her from her thoughts, and she hurried after the Meera. They passed by a group of children sat in the road, wearing clothing with more holes than a cheese grater, filthy and drenched. Despite their pitiful look they sat in a puddle and played, laughing and smiling.

 _They don't know how unfortunate they are. How long, I wonder, until they're as jaded as the adults?_ People her age and older sat around, dabbling in games of dice or cards or simply conversing. Depressing. The entire district was just depressing.

As it turned out Tukson's home was nicer than the rest. It had four solid walls, windows that weren't broken in, and a roof that appeared leak-free. Beyond that, with lichen growing up the walls, barrels and crates piled up outside, and a chimney boarded up, it wasn't noteworthy. _A king among paupers._ Weiss kept back as Blake knocked on the door, tapping her foot silently on the cobbled road.

Tukson answered the door shortly thereafter and Weiss' eyes widened seeing the man. They'd met before, briefly, and she'd already forgotten just how large he was. Easily Commander Rainart's size, although the dirtied doublet with holes and coated in ash paled in comparison to Hazel's glistening armor.

"Blake, I was wondering when you'd get back." He smiled, shared a hug with his niece, then noticed Weiss standing aside. "Weiss, it's good to see you again." He stepped forward and extended a hand, one which could probably clamp over her entire head.

"L-Likewise, sir," she said as her hand was swallowed up, chin tilted up to meet Tukson's smile with her own.

"Under much better circumstances too. I'd like to apologize for our last meeting."

Weiss almost asked what he was referring to until it came to her. By declaring their selection of Hunters unjust - not a Faunus among them, Tukson had effectively brought their graduation to an unceremonious halt. Not only that but she'd received no small amount of grief from him too. _He explicitly called me out for being a Schnee. How quaint. Original too._

"It's fine," she maintained her smile for her own sake as much as Tukson's. Anger wasn't going to get her anywhere, especially not when he was still clutching her hand. "Water under the bridge. I'd forgotten about it honestly."

"Well I haven't. I had come from a stressful meeting and wasn't in my right mind, but that's no excuse for my behavior. I sincerely hope you'll forgive me."

At risk of upsetting the behemoth of a man Weiss nodded, breathing a not so discreet sigh of relief when her hand was released. Taking a glance at Blake and raising an eyebrow she nodded towards the building. They'd come here for something hadn't they?

"Ah… Uncle, she's still here right?" _She?_ Hadn't Blake said she had something to pick up? Weiss narrowed her eyes accusingly. Blake paid her no mind, smiling when Tukson nodded in affirmation. "Great, can you go get her? We'll wait right here."

Right here? Says who? Weiss bid her time until Tukson went inside before grabbing a handful of Blake's sleeve. "What do you think you're doing? I thought you said you had something to pick up!"

"No, I said I needed to stop by my uncle's house. You assumed that meant picking something up."

"I… What… You could have said we were bringing someone with us! I wasn't expecting company!"

"No one's coming with us, Weiss. Relax."

"Then what are we doing here?"

The door swung open again and Tukson rejoined them. Spotting a tuft of brown hair behind the crook of his arm Weiss raised an eyebrow, leaning to her right to try and peer around the man. Whoever was behind him hid again and she raised an eyebrow hearing a faint whimper. "Um…?"

"Come now. You know she won't hurt you," Tukson urged gently, reaching behind himself. After another faint whimper he coerced his companion out, hands on her narrow shoulders, head hung and hair masking her face. Weiss stared at the drooping rabbit ears longer than was polite. "Apologies for having you come out here, Weiss, but Blake and I agreed to help the young lady with her request."

"Uh…"

"I could have told you but I assumed you'd say no," Blake explained with a shrug.

Why would she say no? Besides being put on the spot and faced with a girl she vaguely recognized this was wonderful. Weiss waited for the Kanin to speak and waited some more. A seagull soared overhead and squawked loudly, making the brunette jump and clutch her hands to her chest in fright.

"Do I… Know you…?"

"Y-Yes…"

 _Okay? Are you going to elaborate, or shall I stare at you more?_ The girl didn't lift her head nor say another word. _Stare. Got it._

Blake exchanged a look with her uncle before stepping forward, touching the girl's arm and smiling. "Velvet, it's okay. Weiss isn't going to hurt you or anything."

"I know, I j-just…"

Weiss had been about to tell the girl to speak up when she bolted from Tukson's grasp and slammed into her for a hug. Reflexes kicked in and she grabbed for her rapier, fingers wrapping around the grip just as the girl stepped back, wringing her hands nervously. Baffled, Weiss let go of her weapon and exhaled.

"Blake said your name was Velvet, is that correct?" The Kanin nodded her head, silent otherwise. Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose and looked at the girl, furrowing her brow. Giving her warmest smile she clasped her hands together and took one step forward. "You wanted to speak to me?"

Velvet nodded, peeking through her bangs before finally lifting her head. It took Weiss a second to recognize the face. It didn't help that the girl now wore a green tunic that, despite its cleanliness, did little to hide her anemic figure. The black leggings she wore didn't help matters either, and Weiss couldn't make heads or tails of the boots she wore, two belts around each to keep them on.

"You're that girl from before..."

"Y-Yes…" Velvet's lips quivered, and she clutched her hands to her chest again. "I… You… Um… Y-You… Saved me."

"I suppose I did?"

"It's not uncommon for people to look down on Faunus. It's also not uncommon for them to beat us if they think they can get away with it." Blake bared her teeth, lip curling. "Nobles are particularly guilty of it. They even travel through our district and treat us like we don't belong here."

'Our'. 'Us'. Blake was counting herself among them now? _Don't be ridiculous, she's always been one of them. She's just never had the misfortune of witnessing this firsthand._

Of course Blake had. If she thought that things were bad in the city then they had to be worse in smaller, more remote settlements. Weiss had always assumed survival and cooperation trumped bigotry. She certainly hadn't seen much discrimination. But then why would she have? Most settlements she'd visited were primarily Muran or ravaged by strife and far past the point of caring about race.

"Not all nobles are guilty, Blake," Tukson said, gentle in his tone despite a firm stare. "Just as not all Faunus are innocent. We can only do our part in showing that we are not the same as those who would do harm." He turned to Weiss with a warm smile. "Just as you've shown we have allies in the Church. You, and Ozpin as well."

"Th-thanks to you, um… I had the c-courage to… To seek help. I f-found people here and…" Velvet paused, covering her mouth as she broke into a coughing fit. Tukson rubbed her back as she doubled over, frowning when she shrugged him off, settling down with a raspy wheeze.

"Now I can thank you for h-helping me. I… I wanted to find you, b-but I wasn't sure how. The guards won't l-let me anywhere near the Cathedral, a-and I don't know where else to look, s-so…"

"She came to us and asked how to meet you." Blake smiled and shook her head. "I'll admit that I was skeptical when she showed up. But after hearing her story we couldn't say no. Uncle has been helping nurse her back to health and I agreed to try to bring you along to meet her."

Velvet's face burned brilliant red and Weiss smiled at the meek girl. "Well this is… Unexpected. You hardly need to thank me though. Anyone would have done what I did."

"Were that the case she'd not be asking to meet you," Tukson reminded her. "From her telling of it the market was full that day and yet no one else lifted a finger. No one besides you."

"Although after learning who was responsible, I wonder if it was entirely altruistic?"

Weiss glared at Blake, crossing her arms and scoffing. Did it matter? She'd helped, hadn't she? "Regardless, I only did what was right. I'm glad I was able to help you, Velvet. No one deserves to be treated like that." She reached out to pat Velvet's shoulder only to yelp when her hand was grabbed. "Uh, Velvet…?"

"P-Please, you don't understand! N-No one has ever s-s-stood up for me before! I didn't have a-anything, and n-now… Now they're giving me a place to stay, a-and food, and I even have clothes!" Pools of brown began to water as tears welled up and Velvet shook her head fitfully. "He might have k-killed me if… If you…"

"R-Really, it wasn't that big of a deal!" Weiss took a step back and cringed when Velvet let out a whine and stepped in after her. "I promise it wasn't!"

Could she get out of this situation yet? Gods, now snot was running down her lip! Grimacing as the brunette sniffled and wiped her face, only to grab her hand again, Weiss wondered how deep the canals were. That, and how sanitary swimming in the water might be.

"You have to l-let me repay you!"

"That's really not -"

"Let me be your retainer! I… I can h-help carry your things! Or I can look after your home! I'll… I'll learn to cook, or sew, or whatever you need me to do!"

Weiss blanched. Blake looked away when she turned to her friend for help, traitor, and Tukson coughed into his fist and found a fascinating strand on his tunic to busy himself with. Had they known she'd ask about this? Next time they dined together she was spiking Blake's meal with obscene amounts of pepper!

Edos preserve her, Velvet was still staring at her awaiting an answer! Giving her hand a useless tug to break free Weiss' lips curled upward, pushing against the bubbling panic in her chest.

"I… Really don't have need of a retainer. I'm sorry."

"B-But you saved me… I… I don't h-have anywhere else to go! Please, let me help you!"

"I doubt you're without a home, Velvet." Weiss grabbed Blake's sleeve and pulled the Meera to her side. "Blake and her uncle won't throw you out on the streets. I think you're perfectly fine where you are."

"I… I suppose, but how can I help you if I'm here?"

"Perhaps there's a way," Tukson said, earning Weiss' everlasting praise as he eased Velvet away from her. "It's true, I won't put you back on the street, but it also appears Weiss has no need of a retainer's services. Why not stay here and help us with the Conglomerate?"

Picking up on her uncle's train of thought Blake nodded encouragingly. "My uncle can teach you everything you'd need to know. And I'll offer what I can when I'm around."

"But Weiss…"

"I think you helping your fellow Faunus would be the best way to spend your time," Weiss insisted, beaming both in relief and to encourage the Kanin. "Velvet, I'm honored you want to repay me, truly, but I can't take on someone like that." Honestly, she didn't want someone like that. Having a servant just felt improper. "You can do a lot of good here though. If you insist on repaying me then… Pay it forward."

 _Or take up a craft, travel the four kingdoms on a spiritual journey._ _Anything besides groveling at my feet, please!_ How would she even explain that to the others? Hunters didn't have retainers! At least she didn't think most did. What would her friends think if they saw Velvet coming and going from her room at the Cathedral, following her everywhere and waiting on her hand and foot?

She could imagine what Yang would say. Nothing she could repeat. Ever.

"But… A-Are you sure? I could help you…"

"I'm certain! Positive!" Was she being too enthusiastic? Seeing Velvet look down and sigh she clasped her hands together again. "Velvet, please? Nothing would make me happier than knowing that you're helping to change this," she gestured to the rundown buildings around them. "You can do a lot better helping them than you will helping me."

"I guess…"

"And if Weiss ever does need help, she'll know where to find you."

 _Could you not?_ Weiss narrowed her eyes at Blake accusingly, then yelped when Velvet hugged her again. First Blake dragged her here and now she was leaving her at the mercy of an emotional girl? Fan-tastic. Awkwardly patting Velvet's back, she pried the girl from her, stepping back and clearing her throat.

"Y-Yes, I'll know where to find you…" _And where to go to complain about this._ "It's best for everyone involved, I think. Assuming you don't mind of course."

"I have nowhere else to go, and…" Velvet shrugged, a tiny smile making its way to her gaunt face. "I could help people like this. That would be nice…"

It would be, and better still? Weiss wouldn't feel like she'd conscripted someone into servitude.

Could they get going now? Would it be rude to go? They didn't have much they _needed_ to do but Weiss wouldn't mind moving on, preferably before Velvet tried to embrace her again.

Hopefully Ruby and Yang were having a better time of things.

/+/+/+/+/+/

"Ah, Yang, wait!"

"Wait? Come on, sis! There's no time like the present!"

"I know, but…" Ruby yelped, grabbing onto reins as she teetered in place. "The horse is a little big for me!"

Beside them the farmhand laughed, face becoming flushed when both girls turned towards him. "First time riding a horse…?"

"N-No, but usually they're not so large…"

The steed she found herself on now was more fit to support a man like Hazel, or someone like her father, not a growing young woman! Ruby had needed a hand even mounting the saddle and her feet could barely reach the stirrups, toeing the grip. Thank goodness for her flexibility or otherwise sitting on the beast's wide back would have been a nightmare.

Somehow, despite Yang being a full head taller than her, _she_ got the smaller horse! All because hers - Maple, oddly enough, was ornery and wouldn't let just anyone ride him. While she was flattered the animal took a liking to her it was daunting.

 _At least we won't be going very far, or fast._ Ruby squeaked when her saddle shifted, hands clenching the pommel instead as her seat was adjusted. _How am I going to get down?!_

Gravity, most likely.

Yang flashed her an easygoing smile and flipped her hair at the farmhand, snickering as he hurried off. It was nice that she felt good enough to tease someone again; the walk from Monty's Corner to the gates had been spent in silence, and not for lack of Ruby trying to start a conversation. The way her sister had been tensed up made her worry Yang would snap at the slightest provocation. But she hadn't, and now that they were here, outside the walls and on horseback, her sister was back to her usual self.

She'd admit her own spirits were considerably higher too being outside. With blue skies overhead and hardly a cloud anywhere, a gentle, cool breeze washing over their backs and friendly faces aplenty Ruby felt giddy. Now they got to ride horses for fun too, without the threat of Grimm coming stalking out of the forests.

On a reflex she looked around just in case. No trees for miles, just tilled farmland. Patches of cabbage, radishes, carrots, cauliflower and other vegetables interspersed between stalks of wheat and corn. Cattle and other livestock roamed nearby, corralled in their pens, with each farm and every animal separated by dirt paths.

It was nice. Peaceful. After everything they'd gone through and their unexpected invitations into a hornet's nest it was exactly what they needed.

"Alright, ladies, all settled in?"

"Sure are! Thanks again for letting us come out here, Wyatt!"

"Aw, think nothin' of it!" Wyatt grinned, eyes crinkling as he tipped back his straw hat. "After your pa helped out my girls it's the least I can do! Yer friends of the family now!"

Ruby smiled at the farmer, opening her mouth to ask what exactly Tai had done. Yang nudged her foot and she took the hint, giggling and rubbing the back of her neck as she scrambled for a different topic. "Uh… Horses are nice! Maple's uh… Big?"

Laughing, the farmer walked over and pat the animals head. "He is, ain't he? Took a liking to you right away! Surprising, since he usually don't like no one much."

"He tried to bite my hair…" Yang grumbled, settling into a staring contest with Maple. It lasted for all of two seconds when he snorted and looked away, stomping impatiently. Yang stuck her tongue out and stroked her own mount's neck. "Whatever, I like Vermillion anyways! Way prettier!"

"Careful though, she's got a bad habit of stopping to snack when you're ridin' her." The farmer paused then added. "Which means she'll be wantin' to stop to relieve herself too. Fair warning'."

"You're telling me that now!?"

Ruby clamped a hand over her mouth to deafen her giggles, snorting despite herself. Maple whinnied and tossed his head as if to join in, earning both of them a dirty look from Yang. What, it was funny!

"Why don'tcha girls go on and get? I'll be out by the pond if you need anything, ya hear?"

"Gotcha. Thanks again, Wyatt!"

"Thanks, Mr. Cress!"

Giving her steed a gentle kick, she yelped when it lunged forward with a single step, falling back and catching herself with the reins. Once they were moving it wasn't so bad. Her saddle was padded, and despite the fact he could easily buck her off Maple was content to let her ride along, making no issues about being steered anyway she wanted to go. Since the land was fenced in there wasn't much in the way of exploration to be had but Ruby was still intent on seeing everything there was to see.

Which amounted to a lot of farms, grass, and everything that came with it. Trailing along the fence they greeted a small group of guards on their way home, chatting with them for a spell before continuing on. A small convoy of carts on their way out of the city passed by and Yang made a point to stop and wish them well. Ruby did too, albeit far less bombastically than her sister, and partially hidden in her cloak.

Where trees were absent guard towers cropped up in their place. Not enough to make a forest - Ruby wasn't sure if they could even fit that many, and nowhere near as beautiful. Tall, unyielding structures of wood and stone they stretched out along the roads, looming over even the tallest barns. The nearest one, wider at the top than the base with arching supports holding it up, housed at least half a dozen guards by Ruby's count.

In place of Hunters the people beyond the walls relied on quantity over quality. Some would be Magi, no doubt, but the Church couldn't afford to keep Hunters on the farms. It struck her as odd: food was important and yet the Church couldn't provide people to keep it safe?

 _It's the royal family's job to protect farmers, not the Church's,_ her father's voice reminded her. _We fight Grimm or provide services. The guards and military handle the rest._

It seemed counterintuitive then and it still did now. Why not have Hunters - Magi actually trained to fight Grimm, protect farms? Was it because Hunters were so far and few between? Or was it because, like Raven had suggested, they were creating an artificial need for them?

Ruby slouched in her seat, doubt pulling at her thoughts as she absently brushed her hand along Maple's mane.

She hated questioning the Church so much, but Raven had raised some fair points. And what about magic? Why keep that secret?

Her steed whinnied and shook her from her thoughts, literally. Ruby clung on to keep her balance and was about to chastise Maple when she noticed him staring at her. Smiling instead she reached down and rubbed his muzzle, kissing the back of his head. "You're right, I shouldn't be feeling blue. I'm here to have fun!"

Feeling eyes on her she turned and waved to Yang, giggling as her sister waved back. "Watcha thinking about, Rubes?"

"Huh? Oh, uh, nothing."

"Nothing, huh? So, you're just looking glum for no reason?"

"I… Was it that obvious?" Abashed, Ruby hung her head before sighing. "Can we wait to talk about it? I just want to have some fun right now! I promise we can talk after we get home."

"So long as you keep that promise. You know you can't hide stuff from me!"

"Did you ever find your favorite blouse, by the way?" Ruby asked, lips quivering when Yang sputtered.

"Okay, you can't hide _most_ things from me!" Her sister huffed while she broke into a fit of giggles. "I do still want that back, by the way. Even if it doesn't fit me anymore."

Oh gods, like she remembered where she'd hidden it now. How long ago had that been? Seven years? Eight? Long enough that moths or something probably got to the article and ate it. _Hehe, saved by moths!_

The enclosure led them around the family's farm, a single-story house with a wide front porch and flowerbeds burning brilliantly, filled with vivacious purples and reds of lilacs and roses, yellow sunflowers that gleamed like the sun they were named for, and others Ruby couldn't even begin to guess the names of.

Oh, and there were roses. She knew those!

Behind the Cress family farm stretched a field of wheat, golden stalks towering over even her on horseback. How much bread came from that? How hard was it to grow so much? Ruby slowed Maple to a standstill and peered into the fields, watching as workers busied themselves with cutting down plants and piling them into carts.

Meera, Canis, Kanin. 'Faunus' as Blake had taken to calling them all, a term Ruby didn't fully understand but was making a conscious effort to use all the same. Not a single Muran in sight besides the pair shouting at the workers. Beside her Yang grumbled, saying a few words she wouldn't dare speak aloud before ushering her horse forward.

Not that the Cress family was much better, although to their credit they were working beside their… Helpers? Servants? What did farmers call their help? Ruby had no idea!

Mr. Cress himself was helping to pull in nets from their pond and gather fish they dredged up. Mrs. Cress sat at the rear of the house with a group of women, busying themselves with shucking ears of corn and piling them into baskets. Their children were… Somewhere. With all the fields around them Ruby wouldn't even begin to know where to look.

Rounding towards the front of the property again Ruby smiled as she watched a group of children run beneath the shadow of an oak tree. They were playing 'Hunters and Grimm', adorably, with one boy and girl chasing the others with sticks. Despite how inaccurate it was - Grimm didn't run, she couldn't help but feel fixated on it. When the Grimm were 'slain' and the Hunters broke into dance she laughed, clapping along to their jigs. Yang joined in with her and the children gasped seeing them, eyes wide with awe. Looking prepared to rush over they instead gathered their impromptu weapons when called, looking back and waving to them.

"They're cute!"

"Reminds me of when a certain someone was a pipsqueak too. Well, more of a pipsqueak," Yang teased.

"Yaaang! I'm not little anymore!"

"You're still my _little_ sister though, so yes you are! And you always will be!" Ruby batted at Yang's hand when her cheek was pinched, leaning away and huffing. "Besides, it was cute when you'd play Hunter! Running around saving me and dad from all the scary stuff!"

"Yang!" Burying her burning face in her hands Ruby leaned forward with a whine. Despite herself however she smiled, lifting her head a second later to laugh. "I was pretty awesome, huh?"

"Still are, sis," the blonde said, reaching over and ruffling her hair. "Still are."

Ruby bat at Yang's hands again, smiling all the while she smoothed out her hopelessly messy hair. That had been fun growing up; she and Yang would play pretend just like the kids had. After all, Hunters were the coolest thing ever! Fearless warriors who fought the Grimm and protected everyone. Their mom had been one of Vale's best and their dad, while not a Hunter technically, was no pushover either. With super parents like theirs it was inevitable she'd be drawn to them!

While nostalgia washed over her Ruby sent her horse along again, staring at Vale's imposing walls in the distance. Monumental slabs of grey that hid the city's beauty, and more poignantly, separated the lucky few inside from those who had to brave the elements without.

Hunters were the stuff of legends. She'd always aspired to be one and when the day finally came, even after Yang had gone missing, and Summer had passed, she still clung to that dream. If for no other reason than to ensure no child had to suffer the way she had she'd become a Hunter. That still held true even if her sister had come back into her life, and even if there was some chance her mom was out there somewhere. She'd stay a Hunter to make sure the kids here on the farm could keep playing and being kids.

Those had been such fun days. Now that Yang was back, she'd make sure to double down, no, triple down on fun! Life might be hectic for them, but she'd find every opportunity to let them be absolute dorks again. And sure, maybe ignoring the whole 'You were gone for years and presumed dead' thing was unhealthy, but Yang didn't seem to mind. If anything, her sister seemed happier to not be addressing it.

If it made Yang happy then it made Ruby happy, or at least content enough to leave it be.

"We should probably go find Mr. Cress, huh?" Ruby rounded Maple back towards Yang, laughing when he snorted at her sister. "Aw, it's okay, Maple! Yang doesn't bite!"

"Yeah? Well I just might if he tries biting me again!"

"She doesn't mean that!" Ruby cooed, petting her not-at-all scary steed. He was nice once you got past how imposing he was! Sort of like Ozpin! Heh, maybe she could nickname Maple that.

Except that would mean…

On second thought Maple was a fine name.

It had been brief but there was more for them to do! Ruby had a place by the river she was dying to show Yang, and then a sweets shop in the city they just had to visit. They had dinner with everyone to look forward to as well. They'd finally get a proper introduction to her sister!

"Huh…" Yang leaned off her saddle and frowned, prompting Ruby to turn around in hers. "Wonder what that's about…"

A small squad of guards on horseback stood at the edge of the property, speaking with Mr. Cress. Ruby couldn't imagine why they'd have anything to talk to him about. Grimm perhaps? Edging her horse forward she spotted a pair of cloaked figures behind the procession, garments white as snow. One of them turned to the other and Ruby noticed Vale's coat of arms on their backs.

One of the duo spotted them and they spoke again before directing their horses and the guards into the field, ignoring Mr. Cress' protests. Maple stomped beneath her and Yang grabbed her arm, tugging on it with a tight smile.

"Let me do the talking, alright? Probably nothing serious."

"Yang?" Ruby frowned and stole a glance at the approaching group. "Who are they?"

"I think they're royal guard? Dunno, don't recognize the cloaks," she admitted. "Probably just want to talk about our invites or something."

That didn't sound so bad.

Ruby managed a smile, one which wavered realizing every member of the procession was armed. Hiding her growing concern, she shifted in her saddle, raising a trembling hand in greeting. A few of the guards returned it which put her at ease, slightly. The two cloaked figures, faces hidden by strips of white cloth, stared at her and Yang silently.

"Ruby Rose? Yang Xiao Long?"

"That's us!" Yang smiled and leaned forward, tossing her hair. "What can we do for you? Need directions?"

The guard who'd spoken, a young woman, blinked owlishly before shaking her head. "Um… No? We're um… Here to talk to you."

"Oh? We must be pretty special then if you're all here to see us!"

"You are," one of the hidden figures said, voice muffled by the strip. Ruby cringed at the emphasis on 'you', staring at them and dropping her gaze the instant their eyes fell on her.

Undeterred Yang folded her arms and grinned. "'Kay, well we're right here. If this is about our invitations then we've got 'em, we're all set. Thanks for coming by to let us know though!"

"This isn't about that," the other figure said. She eased her cloak back and pointedly made her shortsword visible. "We'd like you to come talk to us for a bit."

Maple snorted beneath her again and took a step away from the procession. Ruby, keenly aware of the lack of a scythe on her back, couldn't keep her leg from bouncing nervously. It was probably nothing. Maybe just some questions about what they'd seen. Questions about what Yang had endured.

Why ask them like this though? Ruby's eyes drifted back to the sword and her blood chilled. Why come armed?

"How about later? I'm out here having fun with my sister right now. We'll be at the palace in the next few days," Yang said, waving a hand and shifting in her seat. "You guys can come back, yeah? Or tell the king that we'll see him soon enough anyways. I'm sure he'll understand! He seems like a pretty cool guy after all."

R-Right! They could come back! She and Yang were having fun!

"This can't wait, I'm afraid," the first figure spoke, flashing an axe strapped to his leg. "We've received some troubling reports about you. You're currently designated a threat to the people and need to be brought in. Please, we're asking politely."

"But we're prepared to bring you in if need be," the second finished.

"W-Wait! But this doesn't make any sense!" Ruby protested. "The king cleared Yang of any wrongdoings, right? She's been pardoned! Whatever you've been told doesn't matter anymore!"

"We've received reports of Miss Xiao long turning into a beast and attacking people. We've also had several witnesses report her exhibiting bloodlust during battle. One young lady in particular spoke of your behavior, likening you to the Grimm."

"Please dismount and allow us to lead you back into the city. There's no reason for anyone to be hurt today."

There was no reason for Yang to be arrested either! She hadn't done anything wrong! She'd been pardoned! Ruby looked back at her sister who continued to stare at the cloaked duo, jaw locked and lips pressed in a thin smile. She wasn't going to lose her again to something. She couldn't. Not when they'd just gotten back together after so long.

Her hands shook as she pulled on the reins, placing herself and Maple squarely between the group and Yang. She sat taller than anyone else thanks to her mount's size. Shame that height didn't translate to confidence.

"N-No…" Ruby stammered. "She hasn't done anything wrong. Please just leave us alone."

"We can't do that. We have explicit orders to bring her in."

"Whose orders?" Neither of the figures answered her. The guards shuffled awkwardly on their horses and deigned to look anywhere but at her, seemingly wanting no part in the conversation. "Whose orders?" she repeated, voice growing louder even as it wavered. "Who wants to talk to her?"

"That, is none of your business, I'm afraid."

"Well I'm afraid you can't take her!" Ruby felt her eyes welling as she shouted. "She doesn't owe you, or the king, or anyone anything! Yang helped protect everyone! She was pardoned!"

"Ruby…"

"And I won't let anyone hurt her! My sister deserves to be happy for once! So… So go back to whoever sent you and tell them… Tell them tough shit! They can't have Yang!"

No one was taking her. She didn't care if it was the king himself asking for Yang's time. They'd go and meet with him in due time, the period from now until that point was theirs. Their time. Together. Ruby's chest heaved as nerves, tension riddling her body, threatened to break in an instant. Through tears she glared at the two white-clad Magi - they had to be Magi, right? She didn't care what they were. Yang wasn't going with them!

Mr. Cress came marching over, face nearly as red as his beard as he stopped alongside the group.

"Oi, I told you not to trespass! I don't care who's authority you're on here, this is my home! Come back later!"

One of the Magi looked down at him before nodding to the guards. "Subdue that man."

"S-Sir?"

"He is causing a scene. Subdue that man at once."

"Y-Yes sir!"

Ruby's jaw dropped when the guards dismounted and put the farmer in chains, wrestling him to the ground when he fought back. They couldn't do this! That wasn't fair, they were on his property! This was… This was…

"Miss Xiao Long, please dismount. We won't ask you again."

"She isn't going with you!" Ruby screamed, pushing Maple forward towards the group. Her horse obliged, raising up before taking a lunging step towards the duo. Weapon or no she'd keep Yang safe.

Breath rushed from her lungs when she was pulled from her saddle, Maple whining as his rider was pulled free. The sky rushed up to meet her then the world flipped, sides aching as something wrapped around her ribs, trapping her arms at her sides. Held aloft and upside down she squirmed, gasping seeing tree roots jutting up from the ground and contorting themselves, binding her in place.

Vermillion cried out and from the corner of her vision Ruby watched the horse run away, braying in terror. The pair's own mounts reeled back but remained in place, soothed by their riders.

The moment heat began to lick at her back Ruby knew what was happening. Even without being able to turn she could picture Yang, flames running amok. Despite the warmth she shivered. "Yang…"

"Let. Her. Go."

"Stand down, Xiao Long. You're only making matters harder on yourself."

"I said let her go, dammit!" Yang's body crackled and the roots moved, dragging her out of Yang's path and to the side of the Magi. The rider drew their blade and Ruby blanched as it was held by her chest. "Don't you fucking dare hurt her!"

"Then come with us. All we're asking is you cooperate."

"Fuck off! Don't threaten my sister!"

"Let's be reasonable here, there's no need to fight. Stand down."

They wouldn't actually hurt her right? Ruby looked at her captor, the same one with the sword. Cold, lightless gray eyes stared back through a sliver in their mask, blade lifting to hover by her throat. Panic setting in she drew back, body beginning to prickle as magic built up in her muscles, sending a pleasant flood of energy through her limbs, swelling in her chest.

Time itself slowed, or it always seemed to when using her magic. The sword at her throat began to move back and she leaned away, kicking her legs and twisting her body. The roots creaked, snapping as she propelled herself, using her meager weight to try and break free.

Her magic ceased. Ruby's startled gasp as time returned to normal was cut short by a jarring blow to the side of her head. Her vision swam and she felt warmth trickle from her skull, groaning as her eyelids grew heavier in an instant.

Yang snarled, clutching her arm to her chest as flames danced along her body, hair beginning to float as if suspended in water. Through blurry vision she saw her sister fighting against herself, body twitching, flames crackling around her feet, steam rising from her form.

A sudden burst of flames made her scream in terror, the weightlessness that followed leaving her with a bout of nausea. Heat swallowed her and she cringed as wood burned away around her, scorching her clothing but extinguishing before it could burn through. Lifting her head she gasped seeing Yang carrying her, trying to stop her sister as she was set down. "Yang, don't!"

Both figures dismounted, drawing their weapons and fanning out. Yang, crouching down, grabbed at her arm again and grimaced, shuddering as the bandages began to leak out black smoke.

"Yang Xiao Long, you are to cease this at once and come with us! Further resistance shall be met with equal force!"

If Yang heard them, she ignored it. If she heard Ruby's desperate pleas for her to stop, they went unacknowledged. Dropping into a squat and slamming her hand against the ground, black, elongated fingers dragging through soft earth, Yang screamed.

"Leave! Us! Alone!"

Ruby cried out as Yang lunged forward, hitting a barrier and breaking through it. Flames erupted from her body and all three fighters vanished from Ruby's sight.

/+/+/+/+/+/

As far as being tortured went Weiss probably hadn't endured the worst of it, although she'd contend it was up there.

Not content to let her and Blake go without more than a simple chat, Tukson had invited them inside for tea and overly dry crackers. Much as Weiss would have liked to decline - and she really, really would have, she couldn't think of a way to do so without coming across as rude.

She didn't even like tea! It was bitter, bland at best, or was filled with so much lemon that her mouth might be caught in a permanent puckering state. Thankfully her host didn't drown their drink in lemon juice. Unfortunately, that meant it was bitter as Brussel sprouts. Nonetheless Weiss made certain to remain polite, thanking Tukson for his hospitality once they'd finished. The gods must have taken pity on her too because Velvet didn't bring up joining her again. With any good fortune that would be the end of that absurdity.

Stretching her arms over her back Weiss groaned, a knot in her back popping. Their impromptu tea time had left her hungrier than before, starved for some real food. Judging from the way Blake stared across the canal at stalls peddling food she suspected her companion felt the same way.

"Weiss…?"

"Hm?" She had just begun to turn when Blake put a hand to her back and forced her to about face. "H-Hey, what are you doing?"

"Shut up," Blake hissed. "Across the canal. Three buildings down to your right."

"What?" Nudged by a gentle shove she turned her head just enough to hopefully be inconspicuous.

It wasn't difficult to find what Blake was trying to point out. In a district where the wealthiest man wore hand-me-downs and the only carriages present passed through in a hurry a stationary one stood out. Red velvet inlay surrounded by a dark oaken frame, two posts rising along the front with a lion's head carved into wood, it was much too ornate to belong to any Faunus.

Much too familiar for Weiss' liking too.

"They were at the plaza." Weiss turned to face Blake and frowned as she was made to look at the lone scraggly tree along the canal instead. "They followed us?" she whispered, blinking once. "Wait, you saw them too?"

"Do you think I'm an idiot? I'm hardly new to this. If I didn't notice someone tailing us I'd have been killed ages ago."

Fair, but why keep quiet about it until now? Ultimately it didn't matter, Weiss supposed. The carriage following them hadn't done anything untoward and saw fit to keep its distance. There was nothing illegal about being in their proximity and so nothing they could do about it.

"We should go. Not the way we came back, through the canals here," Blake directed her forward with a gentle push before falling in line. "Don't look back. We need to figure out why they're following us."

"If this is another ridiculous surprise -"

"What noble would agree to help me with a prank?" muttered Blake. "Just walk. Force them to play their hand."

Yang must have been rubbing off on her as Weiss hated the idea of ignoring the issue. Why couldn't they just march over and demand an explanation. She had half a mind to do just that until a firm grip on her wrist and yank of her arm kept her apace with Blake. No one they passed seemed any the wiser, too engrossed in their muted conversations or business to pay them any mind. To the few who did look their way Blake offered a small smile and nod, excusing herself whenever someone tried to speak with her. Seeing Weiss alongside her, virtually hand in hand, a few of the cheekier sorts gave them knowing smiles and let them be.

 _We are not… This isn't like that!_ She protested, stewing in silence as a reluctant glow burned at her pale cheeks. The last thing she needed was half the city suspecting her of being friendly with Tukson's niece. _Not that Blake isn't deserving of companionship but certainly not me! I hardly think nearly killing one another is a good basis for any kind of relationship!_

Not that she was an expert, and as they trekked along the canals with no real destination in mind more and more people saw them together. Weiss' embarrassment grew to the point she deliberated hiding in her hood for what little good it might do; Ruby's affinity for wearing her cloak at all times was beginning to make sense.

Blake paid them no mind. While Weiss adhered to the rule of not looking back she did catch a glimpse of Blake's ears and used their movements as signs. The left one swiveled often, pivoting so it faced backwards. The right she kept steady save for the occasional twitch.

Compared to her own ears, superior to a regular ear as it might be, Weiss couldn't hope to do a fraction of what Blake was. Beyond hearing what was immediately before them any hopes of listening to the telltale squeak of carriage wheels was dashed.

Finally, after easily a mile of wandering along the canals, to the point where homes had begun to thin out and warehouses of the port cropped up, Blake took them across the waterway. Taking her chance to do so Weiss casually glanced down the canal. Above the heads of everyone on foot it was easy to pick out the carriage and the stark white stallion pulling it along. Far enough away to seem innocuous but blatantly following them from a distance.

"Come on…" Blake ushered her down a side road, one barely wide enough for the crowd inside of it. Weiss was dragged through throngs of people, instinctively gripping her bag at her hip as Blake led her. The carriage couldn't follow them along, surely, and chancing a look back she saw it stopped at the entrance, its driver staring after them before spurring their horse along.

"Are we okay now?"

"No." Weiss tensed, fingers itching at her sides. "We're still being tailed. We have to lose them in the crowd."

"Blake, we're in public, we're fine. We should just confront them." Weiss stumbled as she stepped into a rut, narrowing her eyes realizing Blake had stepped over it. "You're being paranoid! Who would be following us?"

The Meera remained silent save for a shake of her head. When Blake pulled her scarf up to mask her face Weiss followed suit and fixed her hood in place. Her rapier, still strapped to her waist, swung with each step, sharp edge concealed in a leather sleeve. Seeing someone armed in the city wasn't unusual and so no one paid them any mind.

That didn't keep Blake's paranoia from becoming infectious. Weiss found herself looking at the faces of everyone they passed for some indication something was amiss. Everyone was oblivious, going about their own day without so much as acknowledging them. As they rounded a corner and passed down an emptier, narrower road, Weiss glanced back to try and spot pursuers. Short as she was by comparison, she couldn't hope to spot anyone through the crowds, and as they thinned out she still failed to notice anyone out of place.

They had begun to circle back through the Faunus' district. Cobblestones became sparse in favor of simple dirt roads, ones filled with ruts aplenty. Lampposts were scarce, spread so far apart that in the evening people would brave a hundred feet of sightless pitch before finding comforting light again. Was that because many races could see in low lighting or because the city didn't care to provide them with proper illumination?

Where the crowds had thinned before Weiss had realized now there were virtually none. The occasional beggar sat outside a shuttered building, wearing naught but trousers and a tunic, if they were lucky, holding out cracked pewter mugs or rusted pans. The shops, what few there were, had more guards sat outside of them than customers. Although Weiss could hear people milling about they were all indoors, keeping to themselves and their families. With how tightly packed the buildings were and how pitiful they looked she couldn't imagine why.

"This isn't good…"

Blake pulled them aside, beneath the awning of a closed general store. The sign creaked above their heads and she released Weiss' hand, scouring up and down the road with narrowed eyes. Reaching into her black poncho the Meera retrieved a dagger and Weiss' breath caught, fingers fumbling with clasps to free her rapier.

"Where…?"

Her friend's ears swiveled before snapping to attention. "There, on the rooftops," she mumbled, inclining her head. "I'd hoped we'd lose them in the crowd. Tch… They must have been following from above."

"The carriage was a distraction then?"

"Most likely." Inching towards the edge of the awning Blake pressed against the building, leaning out and peering up. When no attack came, she waved Weiss forward, taking a glance down an adjacent alleyway. "We can cut through here. I'll use my magic and try to move us somewhere safer. Have your weapon ready, just in -"

Blake trailed off when a puddle nearby began to boil. The sun was out but nowhere near hot enough to cause the brown water to bubble and both girls froze before diving to either side. With a resounding crash a pillar of water jettisoned towards them, slamming into the shop's wall and punching a hole straight through it. Weiss covered her head with her arms as splintered wood fell onto her, brushing it aside as she heard Blake scrambling to her feet.

"Weiss, move!"

She didn't need to be told twice. Pushing herself up with the wall Weiss followed Blake not into the alley but down the middle of the road. Any questions as to why were quelled the instance a gust of wind erupted from inside, throwing a barrel well above the rooftops before it came crashing down behind them, exploding. Another gust of wind swelled overhead and hammered their backs nearly knocking Weiss off her feet. She caught herself and her legs churned, weaving a rune for self-defense.

The howling of a gale reached her ears and she turned, unleashing an Earth rune and raising a wall of stone. Solid rock crumbled on impact but held firm and the gust split, slamming into the buildings flanking them, smashing windows and kicking up clouds of dust.

Blake hissed behind her and Weiss whirled around, eyes wide as a white-cloaked figure landed between them. A half-sword scraped against the Meera's daggers, catching the grips and twisting Blake's arms. Her friend relinquished her hold on one and sidestepped another blade, catching the arm and sweeping her attackers feet out from under them, leaning away as a knife was thrown, missing her head by inches.

"Blake!" Weiss' rapier struck dirt and the figure darted away, waving a hand and sending the air abuzz with energy. Lightning cracked along their body, traveling inward from their limbs before focusing itself around their blade. Weiss wove another rune, breaths coming in staggered, panicked gasps.

Another wind buffeted her stone wall and she yelped as a chunk struck her shoulder, stumbling and lowering her head. Another figure jumped over the remaining wall, glaive raised overhead. Unleashing her rune Weiss watched them be swallowed up by a sheet of ice, paling when it shattered.

Behind her Blake winced, lightning striking her body and making her visibly seize up. Weiss couldn't help. The glaive twirled threateningly, blade missing her by virtue of striking her rapier instead.

The weapon held up. It was durable, thank Edos, although its short reach allowed for nothing but defense. Every blow she absorbed sent a numbing jolt down her arm and where she rock had struck her shoulder it already began to ache painfully.

 _No time for runes!_ She staggered back, scrambling away as the glaive cleaved through the tail end of her cloak. _I need to get distance! I have to separate us!_

Blake pulled herself away with the help of her shadows, blinking out of the Magi's attack and reappearing above them. Her daggers sliced through their body only to fail to draw blood. Baffled, Blake could only grit her teeth as lightning struck her again, crackling along her body and making her convulse. A boot drove into her gut and sent her flying into a stack of crates.

Weiss pirouetted and her rapier caught a magic-imbued blade. Electricity raced down her blade before stopping at the guard, dispersing abruptly. Using both hands to push the blade from her neck she caught motion in her peripherals and dropped, letting the sword glance past her as the glaive narrowly missed her hamstrings.

They had to run! As the sword struck her rapier again and again her eyes darted around the desolate space for a chance to escape. Alleys were far and few between. Anyone who had been present had long gone into hiding.

 _Remember the basics!_ The glaive buried itself in a wall beside her. _Block! Redirect their momentum! Use their aggression against them!_ The sword caught her handguard and Weiss wrenched, stepping into the attack and driving her shoulder into her assailant's chest.

A fist slammed into her stomach and spittle flew from her mouth. Breathless, she staggered and cried out, wind slamming into her and throwing her down the street. Desperation drove her and she clutched onto her rapier, skidding along the hard dirt and rebounding off a raised pile of packed earth. Trembling fingers wove a rune and she released a flame that, while paltry compared to Yang's, was more than hot enough to do damage.

The sword user dove away from the spell only to collide with Blake. The Meera pushed them into the dirt, flipping her dagger and burying it in their shoulder. A man's voice cried out in pain and she readied another only to be driven off by the glaive, nimbly dodging between jabs as the second thrust, driving her back.

Why was no one coming? Why were these people attacking them?! Weiss conjured another pair of runes, planting them at her feet. "Blake!" She released her spells and a sheet of ice exploded at her feet. The second melted it instantly, filling the air with a heavy misty. Seeing little more than silhouettes Weiss waited until Blake's form moved towards her, turning about face and making a mad dash down the road.

One burst of wind was enough to blow away their cover. Weiss' jaw dropped seeing lightning spreading across the ground, coalescing into the form of serpents, crackling and hissing as they twisted and bounded after them. Wind began to rattle nearby shutters, picking up small debris and sending them hurtling through the air.

 _A wall! We need a wall!_ Lightning would just circle around it. The winds had proven themselves strong enough to break her defenses. Weiss began to weave a rune only to wince when it shattered. _Focus! We need earth!_ She tried again. She formed the rune. Wide enough to seal the road off, she hoped. Thick enough to withstand the barrage.

A blood curdling howl broke her concentration and her spell vanished.

Further down the road, lumbering out of seemingly nowhere, a massive Beowolf dragged itself into their path. With spikes dragging against buildings it stood before them, dark purple tongue lolling out of its mouth, green, rotting breath clouding before its red gaze.

"Grimm?!" Blake gave voice to Weiss' wordless panic.

How? How was a Grimm in the city? That shouldn't be possible!

The Beowolf lifted onto its haunches and roared, tossing its bony-plated head side to side before charging. Weiss again struggled to form a rune before Blake grabbed her arm, trying to pull them aside and out of its path. Shadows stretched out from a nearby building, racing to take them to safety. Weiss' body tensed as she braced for impact.

The beast charged right past them, leaping over their heads and lashing out at the two white-cloaked figures instead. Wind buffeted the beast from above, but it held firm. Lightning struck its body and black smoke began to pour from wounds. Undeterred it attacked, swinging claws easily as wide as her torso with reckless abandon, driving the pair back.

"Wh-what… How…"

Blake spun and pushed Weiss behind her, dagger raised. Hearing the approaching footsteps and not content to be a damsel Weiss lifted her rapier as well, eyebrows shooting up.

"Lord Bisset?!"

"Yes, hello, hi, howdy! All that aside I really do think we should run!" The man was jogging in place, face sheen with sweat.

"What are you doing here?! What's going on?!"

"Questions, yes! Later, I do believe now isn't the time!"

The air itself heated as a bolt of lightning struck the Beowolf, eradicating it in an instant. No sooner had the beast fallen, no cloud of smoke following its demise, did a pair of oversized Creeps come charging down the other end of the road. Weiss could only balk at the sight watching as the two fell creatures harassed the pair of Magi on their behalf.

"Ladies, I do hate to be rude!" Lord Bisset shouted, already starting to jog away. "But we really must go!"

Weiss took one last glance back at their unlikely saviors before taking after the nobleman. Blake wasn't far behind, keeping pace with Weiss where she could have easily overtaken her. The Meera's befuddled expression matched her own and Lord Bisset, too busy running for his life and trying to keep his hat on, motioned for them to follow before cutting down a side road.

Willing to take any alternative at this point Weiss followed suit, pausing briefly as another Beowolf materialized out of nowhere, screamed furiously, and charged down the way they had just come.

Sure, Grimm as allies. Why not.

Nothing else was making sense right now.

* * *

 **Well, things took a turn there, didn't they? I'm sure this is all just a misunderstanding!**

 **We'll be getting some answers this next chapter, some lore stuff that admittedly I ought to have given y'all a loooong time ago.**

 **Better late than never, eh?**

 **Also, going to get on my soapbox for a moment here, but if you're aware of what's going on in Australia and have any money you can spare then be a good noodle and donate, please :) Every little bit helps; what they're experiencing down there is going to have lasting effects for decades, not to mention what the fallout might be even once the fires are dealt with.**

 **We might not be able to be heroes by slaying evil wolves and stuff but we can be heroes by helping with this!**

 **Preaching over, Gambol out!  
** **Next chapter... In January!**


	40. Chapter 40: Wardens

**Know what's fun? Exposition chapters. Hard to find a balance between giving so little it's irrelevant and so much that it's like reading a textbook. Did I find the middle ground? After countless edits I don't much care anymore! :D**

 **More answers are coming, I've just worked them into a handful of chapters as opposed to a singular long spiel. Hopefully that reads a little better.**

* * *

In lieu of everything that had happened as of late, from being reminded of the shadow war between Church and state to questioning the very essence of magic, Weiss liked to think she had taken things in stride. With a million questions floating around her mind and a fraction of answers she'd done a remarkable job of keeping herself composed. Few if any nightmares, carrying on her day-to-day business without any fuss.

A Beowolf's rage-induced howls echoed from behind them. A bolt of lightning crackled, lashing down from the sky above. Around them guards ran through the fleeing crowds, pale-faced but urged on by a sense of duty. No one paid them any mind as Lord Bisset led her and Blake away from the scene.

Grimm inside Vale City. The other insanity she could compartmentalize and deal with later. This?

It defied all logic.

Panic, as its wont to do, spread, sending crowds of people rushing for shelter or scrambling of the streets. Occasional as they were the howls of the beasts continued and Weiss felt a compulsion to lend her aid. The guards were doing it so why not her? A Hunters duty was to slay Grimm after all.

Then again none of the guards had masked Magi looking to slay them.

Commercial district behind them they continued to follow the canal, shops, stalls, and open-air tents giving way to homes. Guards had begun to gain control of the hysteria and had set up blockades in the road, ushering citizens behind their defenses - walls of crates, barrels, and shields held abreast.

They'd be a pitiful excuse of a defense against Grimm if not for Proctor Oobleck walking before the formation. Before the man had any chance of spotting her Blake grabbed her wrist and pulled her into an alleyway. Ahead of them Lord Bisset continued to run, face red and drenched in sweat. She had a feeling he didn't exercise much.

 _What's my excuse then?_ Her lungs burned, knees wobbling as she struggled to keep pace with Blake, who made a blatant effort to slow herself for Weiss' sake.

Thankfully she wouldn't have to go much further. Where one of the bridges crossed the canal a narrow stone staircase led down to the water's edge. Bisset waved them along and headed down first, skirting along the narrow pathway to either side of the water. Another Grimm cried out, a shrill, grating screech that made Weiss freeze and look skyward for a telltale black silhouette. It was distant but a lone Nevermore circled a nearby road, weaving between flung spells and volleys of arrows.

"Come on!" Blake urged, giving her arm another tug. Weiss scrambled down the last few steps and pressed against the wall, wrinkling her nose in disgust at the pungent odors.

No one paid them any mind down among the swill. Guards shouted orders above and people on the far bank were too focused on the scene above ground to notice their escape. Weiss gasped for breath and nearly gagged as the rancid air burned her lungs, covering her mouth with her hand as tears welled in her eyes.

Lord Bisset at long last came to a halt beneath another bridge. White coat stained with sweat and bangs hanging over his face he doubled against the wall, back rising and falling as he tried to catch his breath. Loath as she was to get closer to the water Weiss found herself joining him, breathing through her nose and mouth, fanning the air in a futile effort to keep it clean.

Blake, the only one still upright, stepped out from beneath the bridge and tried to look above. "I think we're clear…" She stepped back into the shadows and wiped her face down. "I don't see anyone so much as looking our way."

"Good… Good… Perhaps we can… Pause and…" Weiss couldn't finish as what precious air she had in her lungs petered out. _To hells with it. We're safe from those maniacs._

Bisset had answers, or he had a sliver of a clue what that was about. If she were able to speak without passing out Weiss would press him for information. She nudged Blake's side to prompt her to ask in her stead; Bisset continued to gasp for breath, dabbing his face with a cloth. After his infuriating visit the night before Weiss couldn't gather up enough to care he wouldn't be able to speak either.

When the Meera pushed her hand away Weiss frowned, nudging her friend's arm again. Blake had begun to stare at the bridge above them, ears perked at attention. Dreading the expression on her face Weiss held her rapier at the ready, arm trembling more from fatigue than nerves.

Had the Magi found them already? After she was so certain they'd have gotten away…

Something landed in a puddle behind her. Weiss had barely turned her head when Blake darted past her, pressing a small woman against the side of the canal. With one arm pressed to the newcomer's chest Blake held a dagger to her neck, the tip pressing into the hood hiding the girl's face.

Her friend hissed and Weiss' eyes noticed the dagger held between Blake and the mystery woman, aimed squarely for her heart. Neither moved. Weiss hesitated to raise her weapon and just as she had begun to Bisset clapped his hands, making her jump, shameful embarrassment rushing to her face.

"There you are! Gods, could you have made any more of a scene?" The man shook his head, removing his cap to smooth his hair. "You can relax, kitty cat, she's with us."

Blake narrowed her eyes at the insult and kept her weapon steady. "Tell her to get her knife out of my chest then."

"You might want to get yours from her neck? Do as you say, not as you do… Or however it goes."

Weiss couldn't say she trusted Bisset as far as she could throw him. That said, given the alternatives, she'd play along with whatever this was for the time being. Lowering her own weapon, she placed a hand on Blake's shoulder and tried to ease her back. "It's okay… They wouldn't have bothered getting us this far just to attack us."

At least she didn't think so. It would be an awfully elaborate way of trying to kill them.

Blake did back off, although she kept her dagger raised until well out of the woman's reach. Weiss couldn't blame her; she had half a mind to hold the girl at swordpoint too; after the Magi she wasn't feeling especially trustworthy.

The moment a blade was no longer to her neck the shorter woman twirled her dagger, sheathing it in her cloak and dusting herself off. Weiss wasn't sure why. Her black trousers looked brand new, not a thread out of place, and what she could make out of the pink doublet - a weirdly vibrant color, she looked more kept together than the rest of them. Only the girls boots, scuffed with dried… Blood on the toes suggested she wasn't some nobleman's daughter out for a stroll.

Well, that and the dagger.

And the blood.

"Fantastic work!" Lord Bisset pushed Weiss aside, nearly into the green water, patting the woman's head and chuckling when his hand was swatted aside. "You've lost them, yes? You're absolutely certain you weren't tailed?"

Pulling back her hood and flicking her hair the girl, or woman - Weiss wasn't sure, she seemed rather young, smirked. Instead of verbally answering she snapped her fingers, tilting her head and winking. _Was that a yes or was that meant to be suggestive?_

Something about the girl was strikingly familiar. The violet eyes were like Yang's, albeit a tad darker, and the crimson hair she couldn't remember from anywhere else. Weiss stared, tapping one of her feet as she wracked her brain for an answer.

"This… This is your daughter?"

"My daughter?" Bisset blinked owlishly before smiling, smacking his forehead. "Ah, of course! Yes, yes, my daughter."

Blake pulled a face and shuddered. "Zorander forbid… You procreated?"

"I take grave offense to that, young lady!" The nobleman turned on his heel and wandered back under the bridge. "Or I might if she were my daughter. Neo, would you be a dear and open the door? I'd like to get out of this wretched canal."

Neo? Door? Weiss looked around for any trace of an entryway. Smooth stone walls to their left, slow moving, gangrene water to her right carrying trash and scraps in its languid currents.

Neo, as if that was her actual name - Weiss hardly cared at this point, nodded and skipped past them. With a twirl of her wrist and snap of her fingers a section of wall beneath the bridge began to warp, rippling like the surface of water before sparkling. With the faint sound of glass breaking it began to crack before finally disappearing with a shatter. Loud, but with the shouting above it went unheard by anyone but them.

Gawking as the peculiar girl skipped into the entryway Blake nudged her shoulder, nodding back the way they had come. Weiss had half a mind to agree with the idea. There was enough of a crowd now that she doubted the Magi would try attacking them again. Besides that there were Hunters present, ones she could trust.

Assuming they weren't in on the attacks themselves.

"Ladies, I do insist you follow us," Bisset urged, making a sweeping gesture across his chest as he smiled. "It's much less filthy inside and I'd rather not test our luck." His smile faded and his nose crumpled. "Seriously though, might we go in? I'm afraid I'll vomit if we wait."

Weiss didn't consider Bisset to be any kind of threat. Neo was an unknown, but with Blake in tow she felt confident they would be able to handle any unwelcome surprises. Her friend was incredulous when she stepped toward the doorway and lingered at the precipice before hanging her head, mumbling about 'insanity' as they trudged inside.

 _Same, Blake. Same._

Inside the… Weiss wasn't sure what to call it actually. It wasn't part of the sewer system, evident by the fact that everything inside was dry.

Since when did an underground room have wooden flooring and painted walls?

The air crackled and Weiss' jaw dropped watching the entrance seal again, shimmering before being replaced by a door. Hesitant, she stepped closer to it and reached out, fingertips grazing the doorknob before she grabbed it. When no one moved to stop her she twisted and pushed the door open, stepping back and staring, dumbstruck.

Where a canal had stretched out before them a garden now stood, beds of yellow tulips and blooming lilacs organized into tidy square beds. A stone pathway led away from the door and Weiss eased her foot out, tapping the nearest step and blinking slowly. It was solid. Real.

"We… I…"

"Could you close the door? I hate when insects get inside, they're always such a nuisance!"

Lord Bisset handed his jacket off to a servant, a woman who didn't remotely seem as perplexed as she or Blake looked. Sharing a dumbfounded look she shook her head, shutting the door and walking into the den they now found themselves in. As if it was the most casual turn of events in the world the nobleman sat in a leather armchair, cracked open a tin case, and retrieved a cigar from inside. The girl, Neo, skipped to the desk at the far end of the room and sat on the edge, swinging her legs and smiling.

"Much better! You don't mind if I smoke, right?" He'd already lit the cigar before asking and took a long drag, sinking into his chair with a satisfied sigh. Weiss could only continue to stare, her blank expression not changing even as Bisset smiled at her. "You must have questions, and luckily for you I have answers."

Yeah, she might have some questions.

Just one or two.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Weiss, regretfully, had no shortage of enemies.

The White Fang was among them, but she'd stricken them from her list of suspects right away. They hadn't been Faunus so far as she could tell and, more importantly, they had managed to get into and presumably out of the city without issue. If an operative had made it into the capital, then Ozpin certainly would have acted more aggressively.

There were bandits. Raven, potentially, but also the woman Amber and her misfit crew. That seemed even less likely than the White Fang, however.

Nobility hated her because she had been born out of wedlock to a prestigious Atlesian family. The man her mother had slept with had no name, or if he had it had been stricken from the annals of history; no number of letters or research had ever provided any evidence as to who her father was.

If not for Archbishop Ironwood's intervention she'd have been thrown to the wolves, literally. Then, in an effort to spare her misfortune she had been sent to Vale to train and become a Hunter. Ozpin took over parental duties as did other proctors. Weiss had the Church to shield her, always.

Yet now, if Lord Bisset was to be believed, even her lifelong vanguard was now turning against her.

A grandfather clock chimed unceasingly in the room, it's heavy hands striking low, somber tones with each swing. Weiss' ears strained in the deathly silence of the room, listening to her own heartbeat, Blake's measured breaths. More than once Neo shifted on the desk behind the nobleman, never moving but seeming impatient. She lifted her head and Bisset smiled at her, silently encouraging her to ask questions.

"What you claim makes no sense…" As did most of what she'd been told as of late. "You're saying that Wardens attacked us. Wardens," Weiss reiterated. "The selfsame group of Hunters who are responsible for maintaining the barriers around settlements."

"At the risk of repeating myself, yes, that's exactly what I said," the nobleman replied.

"They maintain barriers though! They aren't some… Hired blades."

"I've never heard of them before now," Blake added, hands clasped together in her lap. "I encountered Hunters when I was with the Fang, never ones like those," she continued, leaning forward in her chair.

"Hm… Well, it's quite simple really: the Church never saw fit to send them after you. Maybe they didn't deem you a large enough threat to warrant it. Or perhaps they assumed some of their more veteran members could deal with you." Bisset shrugged, sipping the amber ale, lips puckering before he placed the glass aside.

"Doesn't much matter in the end. The duo you saw were Wardens through and through. And I hate to burst your bubble, Weiss, but they do in fact work as mercenaries. Of course, that isn't quite as advertised as being the 'protectors of Vale!'," he waved his hands dramatically. "Calling them assassins isn't going to paint a pretty picture for your organization now is it?"

Admittedly not, but then the Church hardly seemed to care about discretion. She and Blake had been attacked in broad daylight; the section of the city they were in had been less densely populated than others but there had to have been witnesses still. People would ask questions.

Assuming the Church didn't silence those who asked about it.

To get her mind off the morbid line of thought Weiss tried to find interest in Bisset's study. Grand and opulent as the space might have been it did little to distract her. A sealed cabinet with amber liquors, some pale, others blue and green, sat between two high rectangular windows. Trees swayed silently outside the panes and she watched a squirrel scurry along a branch before disappearing into the canopy.

 _Second floor. Greenery._ Weiss bit her lip and continued searching, content to let her eyes wander in the growing silence. She caught Neo's mismatched gaze and the woman smirked at her, winking and waving. _She's not disguised. Somewhere that they feel safe, then._

They had been ferried to this location by some kind of magic - if going from the filthy canals to a spotless study hadn't made that obvious enough. Were they inside the city? Outside of it?

Lord Bisset had opted to risk himself and help them. Generous, sure, but Weiss doubted his altruism. Raven hadn't helped them out of the goodness of her heart, and she doubted O'Rourke's sudden generosity in giving her a new outfit wasn't to come with some stipulations either.

"Why help us? You're risking yourself by doing this, aren't you?"

"And what Will the Church do? Have me killed?" _Apparently, they tried to kill me, so you're hardly immune._ Weiss kept the quip to herself. "Jokes aside I have contingencies in place in case they do decide I become a nuisance."

"Okay, but why help us? What do you have to gain from it?" Blake asked.

"What, a man can't do a good deed for the day?"

"They can but you're not. My rapier, giving us notice about the meetings, and now saving us from supposed assassins. These aren't just small favors: wealthy or not my weapon cost a fortune, and now you're giving the Church reason to come after you as well. You wouldn't do all of that without reward for yourself."

"Ah… Saw right through me, did you? Fine, fine, I'll admit that I do have my reasons. Oh, don't look at me like that, I'm not going to run in circles and make you chase answers. My reasoning is simple: helping you hurts the Church." Bisset held out his hands and grinned. "You girls know the truth about magic, what it does. One of you has the ear of the Conglomerate, the other has connections to not one, but two Archbishops. Your little friends have quite a bit going for them as well."

"My associates and I are very interested in seeing things… Shaken up a bit. We're not overly fond of the Church or the way it conducts business, so we seek chances to make changes where we can. You girls have connections, you have experience already that some Hunters never get, and to top it all off you have no real ties holding you down. At least not you two."

"Wait, you mentioned our friends," Weiss interjected. "Who are you speaking about exactly?"

"Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long, of course! Or should I call her 'Wildfire'?"

Blake snorted, frowning as she settled back in her seat. "She hates that nickname."

"And I hate that I hit my head whenever I pass through a low doorway," Bisset chuckled. Neo giggled silently and rasped her knuckles against her own head. "You have to admit that it's hardly the worst thing she could be called. And from what I understand it is rather apt."

"Who are your associates, exactly? Or do you plan to play coy?"

"Hardly. I didn't drag you two here to play with mystique and speak in hyperboles. You've already met one of them, I believe. Our dear Raven Branwen." Weiss and Blake gaped, hands going for their weapons. "Easy, easy! We share a similar goal but that's about it. I don't actually work for her, or vice versa. Sure, we speak now and again… And by 'speak' I mean she typically barks at me, but we mostly work alone."

Neo stuck out her tongue and pulled down her lower eyelid, pulling a grimace before shaking her head. Clearly not a fan, then.

"There are plenty of us throughout the four kingdoms that dislike the Church. Its monopoly on magic, the way it makes the kingdoms bend to its whims." Bisset wagged a finger at them. "And you had best believe that happens, girls. Or did you sincerely believe that an organization with as much power as the Church of Remnant couldn't influence things?"

"And you're any better? You let Grimm loose in the city!" Weiss snapped. "How? Why? You put innocent people at risk by doing that!"

Bisset tilted his head, then gasped and slapped his knee. "Ah, you mean _those_ Grimm!" _What other Grimm would I be referring to you imbecile?!_ "There were no Grimm in the city. Just as my dear daughter isn't really my daughter." He smiled knowingly and tapped the side of his head. "Illusions, ladies. Wonderfully useful class of magic, and Neo happens to be spectacular with it. I still haven't done anything wrong here beyond frightening a few people."

"Don't talk as though you're free of blame. The last I checked the Church isn't the group responsible for how Faunus are treated, or deciding which towns are protected and which are left to the Grimm." Blake scowled. "No, last I checked that was all left to the nobility to decide."

"And I still find it difficult to believe that the people who attacked us were Wardens. Ozpin asked me to become one before we left for our mission. I would have inevitably learned much of the information I did by working as one. There's no reason to kill me for it now. And he gave Blake a chance to fight instead of having her executed. Why bother with that if he was just going to have her killed?"

"If I can make a guess? Once you were a Warden you'll be held even firmer than you are now. Right now? You're a flight risk. You know things and he has less to tie you down; only your oath is keeping you in the city." And her friends. Plus, conspiracy or not, Vale was her home. She wasn't so keen as to abandon it on conjecture and assumptions. "As for Miss Belladonna? She had no choice but to agree, and if she died it was of no great loss to the Church. Rather than risk one of its own it conscripted you, yes?"

"Of course," Bisset added, crossing one leg over the other. "If you think I'm just blowing hot air then you're welcome to question the Archbishop yourself, although I'd advise against it."

"As for how other races are treated, well, I never claimed that we were saints did I? Yes, the policies are of our making." Bisset held a hand up when Blake growled. "When I say that I don't mean me specifically, Belladonna. I'm not influential enough to actually form laws. And sure, poverty is a terrible thing, and the slums are simply dreadful to look at, but at least we let the people live in the city. They're safe."

Safe, yes, but it was hard to appreciate that when you lived in squalor. Bisset had to have seen the children in tattered clothing playing in mud, or how isolated the Faunus were despite being in the city. Being safe seemed nice until you considered how marginalized and poorly treated the entire group was. Even the slums housing Murans and Ydrans were somehow nicer than the Faunus' district.

"You want us to trust you, that much is clear. Why should we though? You've given us plenty to consider and you've tried bribing me." Weiss had accepted the rapier on Bisset's behalf after all. The weight on her hip was a reminder of that. "The Church forbids accepting gifts from nobility and I'm beginning to see why."

"A rule that you've violated a few times now, haven't you?"

"Because you believe material goods will earn our trust," Weiss went on, ignoring her obvious blunders with a slight blush. "I'll accept perhaps that magic has unintended side effects, but it's still done better than harm. And I've received nothing but disdain and animosity from nobles since my birth," she gestured to Blake. "Blake has made an enemy of them while in the White Fang. How can we trust it wasn't some noble that attacked us? You have your own Magi, after all. Stealing a cloak or fashioning one wouldn't be that difficult."

"All fair points. And I can't say that every one of my fellows are keen about either of your successes. I know quite a few openly expressed disdain when the King declared you'd be pardoned." Bisset chuckled. "You should have seen when he announced he'd be holding an audience with you. I thought a few of them would have a stroke then and there."

"Hilarious." It kind of was. Weiss would be lying if she didn't want to see nobles squirm. She took another glance at Neo and raised an eyebrow. "We've already established that 'Emilia' here isn't who you said she was so we have one instance of you lying to us already. So, tell us, are you truly who _you_ claim to be? If you want us to trust you -"

"When I said you were perceptive before it had been in passing. I see that it was accurate," Bisset interrupted. "I suppose it would go a ways to show I'm on your side though. Very well…" The nobleman stood, adjusting his coat before sweeping an arm across his chest and one leg behind the other. He bowed deeply, having to use one hand to secure his hat on his head.

"Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, allow me to formally introduce myself. My name is Alexandre Bisset. Nobleman, connoisseur of life's finer things, and if I dare say, ladies man."

"I've seen better," Blake muttered.

"You wound me! And here I thought some honesty would be appreciated." Bisset smiled, tipping his cap before offering a hand to Weiss. "There, that's over and done with. You have my name now, satisfied?"

"Hardly." Weiss brushed the man's hand aside, frowning. "Fine, play your games. You're just giving us less and less reason to trust you."

"You would still trust the Church then?"

"They've perhaps deceived me, yes, but they still haven't tried to harm me." Unless Bisset's claims were true they had never attempted to injure her. Only nobles. People like him. Weiss stood from her chair, hands resting on her hips. "So no, I don't quite trust you."

"I'm hardly sworn to the Church, but Weiss has a point: everything you've said sounds convenient for you. Too convenient."

"Again, I find myself at a loss! Assuming my associates haven't had any luck convincing your friends, well… Perhaps a meeting with His Majesty will change your minds."

"You sent someone after Ruby and Yang?" Weiss tensed, narrowing her eyes. If he dared to harm either of them…

"You make it sound like I had someone attack them! Yes, I asked a friend of mine to speak to them, but only that. Considering how well our discussion went I don't imagine they'll have been swayed either. Shame, but at least I tried."

Blake snorted, shaking her head and sharing a skeptical look with Weiss. "If it's all the same we'll be leaving now. If you'll excuse us…"

"I'd not recommend walking back. We're a bit away from the city at the moment. I can have one of my drivers take you home if you'd like?"

"Away from the city?"

Bisset smiled knowingly, tipping his cap before leaving the study. Weiss and Blake followed, passing down a well-lit hallway adorned with chandeliers, landscape paintings, and with windows flooding the passage with natural lights.

"Not terribly far, but it would take an hour or two to make the trip back," Bisset explained, taking them through a small arboretum. Violet geraniums, blooming bluebells, and lattices with ivy snaking skyward filled the space. Weiss noticed a few Faunus servants pruning the plants, decidedly more well-dressed than anyone she'd seen in the slums. "Again, you're welcome to walk, but it might be risky too."

"If you decide to stage an attack again, you mean?" Blake said accusingly.

"Think what you will but don't say I didn't warn you. I do hope you appreciate what you're risking by going back."

Weiss, skeptical, rolled her eyes. "I think we'll take our chances."

The foyer was as unnecessarily opulent as she'd expect from a nobleman's home, even a fake. The marbled floor, so polished she could see her reflection, squeaked under foot as they walked. Bisset stopped to speak with one of his servants - did they know the truth, Weiss wondered. The woman nodded and hurried outside ahead of them. From behind Neo skipped to the door, opening it with an exaggerated bow and ushering them out silently.

"Well, hopefully we'll speak again soon. Perhaps at the ceremony." Not if Weiss could help it. "Emilia, and yes, the _actual_ Emilia, will see you two to the city. Give my regards to your friends when you get there, hm?"

Weiss doubted Ruby or Yang would know Bisset from a hole in the wall. Humoring him anyway she nodded, not bothering to share parting words as she marched outside. Immaculately trimmed hedges funneled them along a granite-slab walkway and more servants, Murans, for their lack of animalistic features and rounded ears, made up the bulk of them. A few acknowledge them but most were engrossed in their work.

A wrought iron gate between two stone pillars swung open soundlessly for them and a carriage drawn by a pair of mares sallied forth to gather them, Emilia, a young woman with strawberry blonde hair, sitting at the reins with a tentative smile. _These people are probably oblivious that they're being duped._ Weiss spared a smile and thanks for the woman, waving off an offer to be helped into the vehicle.

She wasn't some hapless klutz who couldn't work a door herself.

Weiss tugged on the handle and flushed when the door didn't budge.

"Erm… The latch under the handle, miss. You needs pull it to open the door…"

More whispering her thanks this time Weiss climbed in, settling into the soft, rose red cushions that lined the benches inside. Blake sat opposite her and she frowned seeing two daggers drawn, set to either side of her. Signaling they were ready to go the carriage lurched forward gently, the sound of hooves striking packed dirt signaling their departure.

Unable to help herself Weiss shifted closer to the door and drew back the curtain, peering out at the manor. Sure enough Bisset and Neo stood at one of the front windows, waving to them with polite smiles. As far as Weiss was concerned it was like having a Grimm smile at you.

 _A con man pretending to be a noble. Did he think that was going to help sway my opinion of him?_ Blake shifted across from her and Weiss raised an eyebrow, shooing her when the Faunus grabbed one of her daggers. Unless they were under attack, she didn't need the stress of Blake being armed.

"Let's just go meet Ruby and Yang. We can see what he said to them and discuss it." Blake nodded and set her daggers back down. She didn't sheathe them though and Weiss rubbed her forehead, exasperated. Settling back against the seat she stared out the window, watching the stone wall and shaped hedges of Bisset's estate disappear, giving way to swaying grass and the occasional tree.

 _Ruby's not a complete dolt, and Yang's sharper than she lets on. They won't have bought into his drivel, surely._

/+/+/+/+/+/

Yang was cold.

Before she even opened her eyes that was a sign that something was drastically wrong. The fire that burned inside of her, that kept her unseasonably warm, was gone. A sensation like ice running through her veins made her shudder and Yang opened her mouth to call out to someone, only to emit a raspy, weary groan.

Something soft beneath her supported her side and she realized she was laying down. Forcing heavy eyelids to part she blinked against the low lighting, licking her lips and giving her vision a moment to focus itself.

This wasn't the farm.

That should be obvious from the grey stone wall staring back at her yet it still took her languid brain a moment to process that fact. While her vision swam her other senses proved more reliable. She could hear the faint crackle of torches nearby, the shifting of chains and rustling of blankets.

A cold grasp on her wrist made her shiver and she glanced down, lifting her hands and staring at the manacles around her wrists.

Oh.

Pushing herself up slowly and wincing at a sharp pain in the back of her head she swayed, planting her feet on a cold stone floor. Licking her lips again she looked around her new surroundings. Stone walls in three directions, a cell door, no windows. Above there was stone, and below, stone. Even if she'd had her fire there'd be little chance of burning her way out of the room.

The pain in her skull made her wince and she leaned forward, resting her forehead in her hands and rubbing to try and ease the discomfort. Her feet shuffled and she heard more chains rattle. "Fuck…"

What exactly had happened? She'd gone to Cress farms with Ruby, ridden on the horse. They'd been having fun, for the most part, and they had planned on going to the markets afterwards.

Except they never made it there, did they?

Yang's eyes shot open and she rose to her feet quickly. Too quickly. Vertigo hit like a runaway carriage and she lurched forward, vision going dark as she collapsed to her knees. Quelling her swirling stomach, she puffed up her cheeks, choked back bile, then focused on breathing in and out and not the awful taste in the back of her throat.

Where was Ruby? Was she okay? Was she in another cell? Deciding against standing again she crawled across the floor, chains scraping and dragging behind her. Once she reached the cell doors, she grabbed them and pressed her face against metal, straining to see anything from her hovel.

No other cells were sealed. No one was inside then. Yang couldn't decide if that was good or bad.

She needed to get out. Wherever Ruby was couldn't be safe. Someone had locked her away, knocked her out too if the incessant throb in her head was anything to go by. Her sister wouldn't have taken that lying down. If she fought back too…

 _Gods dammit! Come on, magic! Work with me!_ Yang clenched her trembling hands tighter around the bars, gritting her teeth. Her arm was bandaged again, she realized. Her palm tingled and she saw blood beginning to leak into the wrappings. _Fucking. Work. Come on!_

Her arms trembled. She could feel the magic around her. Her body tensed in anticipation, every fiber expecting the sudden surge of energy that came with spellcraft. She just needed to channel small flames, enough to burn the bars, or weaken them to break. If she could just slip out and find Ruby…

The air crackled around her and static erupted from the bars. Yang yelped, her body seizing up as electricity shot through her. With a resounding crack she was thrown back across her cell, hitting the wall with a silent scream of pain. Agonized, she slumped down and hung her head, ears ringing, hands and limbs twitching involuntarily at the assault. Through messy bangs she looked up and paled seeing scores of runes lighting up around her cell, an invisible wall of them appearing between the bars.

"Oh, bet she won't try that again."

"I don't know, she seems kind of stupid."

Who were they talking about? Oh right, her.

Yang blinked slowly and lifted her head, struggling to focus on the pair outside of her cell. Had they always been there? Or had they come running after she set off the runes?

"Do you think that fried her brain?"

One of the girls laughed. "I don't think she had one to begin with."

"Listen, you bitch," was what Yang tried to say. What came out was slurred and incomprehensible. At least her limbs had stopped twitching, that was nice. Shame she couldn't do anything about feeling like she was submerged in ice though.

Her vision cleared up and Yang blinked slowly, doing a double take and leaning forward. Either there were twins in front of her or her head had taken a bigger hit than she'd thought. Would one person be talking to themselves? Heh, and they were saying she had no brain. She'd have laughed if her throat didn't feel like she'd been gargling glass.

"Oh, she didn't get knocked out!" One of the girls knelt down and smiled, torchlight reflecting off her emerald green eyes. "Guess you really are stronger than you look! When they brought you down here I thought you'd die for sure."

"Come on, Miltia, we're not supposed to be talking to her."

The kneeling twin huffed and glared at her sister. "Oh screw off, Melanie. I'm just having a little fun!" She turned back to Yang and smirked. "We deserve it after the headache that was hauling your top-heavy ass down here."

Melanie rolled her eyes, tossing back finely combed locks of black. Yang wasn't focusing on the girls' looks too much though. The white cloaks they wore had stolen all of her attention.

Almost falling off the wall she crawled back towards the cell, arms trembling to support her weight. Melanie took a step back. Miltia remained right where she was, going so far as to applaud and cheer for Yang's efforts. She almost made it to the bars before her arms gave out, slumping forward and groaning as her cheek pressed against the floor.

"Huh, I take that back, looks like you're bottom heavy too!"

Could she have her fire back? Pretty please. She didn't even need to escape right now. Just enough to burn that mouthy girl's hair off.

Yang's hands flexed at her sides and magic again denied her, swirling around her cell but unable to pass through. Finding the sensation of spellcasting failing to be nauseating she gave up, grunting as she pushed herself up onto her forearms and lifted her head.

"Where…" she rasped out, coughing. "Where… Am…"

"A cell, duh," Melanie replied. "Need to know basis, blondie, and you don't need to know. So… Just go back to bed already!"

 _Like hell I will!_ Yang pushed herself up enough to fall back onto her backside, slouching forward. She grit her teeth as her head throbbed again then forced a smile. "Come… In…" She curled a finger at the twins. "Say that… To… My face…"

"Pass. You smell really bad right now and the cell is a little cramped for more than one." Miltia hopped to her feet and dusted off her cloak. "Now that you're awake, though, we can have food sent down. You like food, right? Looks like you do!"

"Bitch…" Not the most eloquent of curses but hey, she managed to say it this time. Both twins smiled at her, waving before starting to walk off.

"Enjoy your stay! Try not to ruin the cell!" Miltia called back, voice echoing off the empty chambers.

Yang's posture slumped further, and she hung her head, squeezing her eyes shut.

White cloaks. The same people who had attacked her and Ruby back on the farms. Were the twins the same ones? Fuzzy as her memory was right now she was confident they weren't. The ones who had attacked were larger, less mouthy too. Not the same ones, but the same group. Where did she recognize those cloaks from though? They seemed awfully familiar.

Her head bobbed and Yang fought to keep herself upright. Her whole body was cold and just keeping her eyelids open was a struggle. She wasn't dying - she'd come close enough to know that much, but that didn't make it any less worrisome.

A new white cloak stood in front of her cell, though Yang could only see the bottom of it and a pair of muddied boots. She tried to lift her head and a glowing blue hand reached out towards her. Words died on her lips and she fell over, world fading to black.

/+/+/+/+/+/

"You can't keep me here forever!"

"You're not wrong, but I can keep you here as long as the boss says to."

Ruby huffed, stepping to her right. Junior mirrored her movements, keeping his arms folded, which was helpful. What wasn't helpful was the jerk was as wide as the door! Cutting to her left she scowled when he followed again, trying to fake him out and go left, then right.

"Can't you just sit back down? I don't want to be here anymore than you do."

"Then let me go!" Ruby protested. "I just want to see my sister!"

"And you'll see her when she's ready. Until someone comes by and says she's good to go though…" Junior leaned against the door and frowned. Ruby mirrored the expression and stomped her foot, then grabbed the man's arm and tried to pull him away.

If anyone had ever tried pushing a healthy tree over then they'd probably find it a futile effort. Ruby's cheeks puffed and she dug in her heels, struggling to find purchase on the carpet. When Junior moved and she felt something give way she nearly celebrated… Until she was lifted off her feet, clutching to the man's arm.

"Sit. Down."

It wasn't a request and Ruby flailed as she was carried back to her bed and dropped on the mattress. Sticking her tongue out at the Magi she slid to the edge of her bed, using the canopy to hide herself from Junior. She closed her eyes, inhaled, and focused.

She could feel the magic around her. Outside the room. As usual it was everywhere, just like air. If air let you create fireballs or, in her case, run faster than anything known to man.

Ruby could _feel_ the magic, but using it was another matter entirely. A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead as she fought to reel it in, imagining invisible lines thrown into the sea of energy. Nothing took. Whatever they had done to her, to the building, it prevented her from pulling in energy. After an unpleasant sense of vertigo overcame her, she exhaled and gave up again, falling back onto the bed in protest.

Junior couldn't use magic either which was nice. Seeing him manipulate plants before might have been really neat if he hadn't used those same powers to kidnap her and Yang.

Him not having magic didn't matter much when she didn't either. In terms of raw physical power, he dwarfed her in more ways than one. Yang could probably beat him - her sister was way stronger than she looked, but Yang wasn't here. In fact Ruby didn't know where Yang was. Junior and the others in the white cloaks insisted Yang was safe, that they were trying to help her.

If that was true, then why couldn't they see each other?

One of the girls from before had said Yang lost control. Ruby knew for a fact that had been wrong! Yang hadn't lost control when fighting Merlot, and even though it had looked scary on the farm she knew her sister hadn't lost control there either. They were going to help Yang, or so they claimed; kidnapping was a weird way of helping someone.

Besides, Weiss was working on it. She used runes, she was smart. If anyone was able to figure out how to undo Merlot's work it would be her.

Ozpin too, probably. Or Oobleck. Or Port, or Goodwitch, or…

Okay, so a lot of people might be able to fix this, but they couldn't trust those people yet, not until they knew for sure.

 _I just want to see Yang…_

Kicking her feet, she swung her legs and stood, wriggling her toes in the admittedly pleasant carpet. Dragging her feet along the red fabric she circled the room, hands folding behind her back. The house they were in - and it had to be a house, no prison had rooms like this, was nice. Like, way nicer than any she'd been in. In some ways it reminded her of the keep only less dusty and abandoned.

So really nothing like the keep.

An armoire with a folding mirror took up almost an entire wall on its own. Ruby paused at it and stared at her reflection, running a hand through her bangs and blowing them from her eyes. She hadn't really been injured before save for a bruise on her neck which was blatant thanks to the dress she wore. A _dress!_ She grumbled and pulled at the cream-colored cloth, kicking one leg and frowning as the flowing skirt engulfed her legs. She hated dresses. Why couldn't they have locked her in a room with real clothes?

Nearby a dresser wide as her arm span and twice as tall loomed before her. It was just filled with more stinky dresses. Well, that and shoes that never in a million years she'd wear: anything elevated was a hazard to her health.

Junior was watching her, again, and Ruby made a point to stick her tongue out again. It wasn't like she was doing anything wrong by walking around, was she? Wandering towards one of the windows, drawing back the cream blinds and blinking at the sunlight that poured through.

Why were the blinds cream too? Red would at least block the light! Or black, even better.

Stupid cream…

A… Tree, because she didn't know what kind it was, practically reached out in offer to help her escape. So long as one ignored the five foot gap between the window itself and the outstretched limb. It looked like it would hold her weight, probably. At the very least she'd be able to swing from it and get out of the room. From there she could get down below…

Three stories down. Ruby wasn't afraid of heights but that didn't mean she was oblivious to what falling would do to her. With magic she'd easily cover the gap and reach the trunk. Without it she'd barely reach the branch. If that branch broke she'd better hope bushes were beneath the tree.

"What are you staring at?"

"Just admiring the view!" Ruby glanced back with a smile, then pressed her face to the glass, straining to see if anything below might salvage a fall. Grass wasn't that soft, not from a third story. "I wonder… H-Hey!"

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Junior asked as he dragged her back to the bed, dumping her on it unceremoniously. Stupid? No, but mean. "There's people outside keeping an eye on you too, for the record. Try and climb out while I'm gone, and they'll grab you."

"Are you helping us or are we prisoners?"

"You're here for your own good, you and your sister both." Junior retook his post by the door and shook his head. "Just relax. When she's done, you'll see your sister and you two can go."

"She?" Ruby pressed, scooting forward on her bed. "You mean the person who's in charge, right?"

"Maybe, maybe not. All you need to worry about is sitting here in this room and waiting, okay?"

No, that wasn't okay. Okay would be getting to see her sister. Okay would be being back in Vale enjoying food with her friends. Okay, Ruby grumbled as her foot caught her dress, would be wearing something that wasn't conspiring to trip her up every second.

Someone was outside too? She couldn't see anyone but then that was probably the point. Were they in the tree or on the ground? Somewhere else entirely? If she could get out of the room, then maybe her magic would work; speed wouldn't amount to much without a destination but it would be a start. The house was huge, sure, but with her magic she could search it in a few minutes. Yang was here somewhere, she'd find her!

"Fine…" She pursed her lips, then folded her arms and turned her chin up. "I'm hungry. Get me something to eat!" She blinked, then rubbed her neck with the smallest smile. "Um… Please?"

Junior stared at her for a long moment, long enough to make her begin to fidget. With a loud sigh he opened the door a hair, pausing to make sure Ruby was firmly planted before opening it enough to step out. "Stay," he ordered, sealing it behind him. "I mean it. Try anything and we will start tying you to the bed."

That was a bluff right? Not a glimmer of humor could be found in Junior's expression. Ruby smiled nervously and nodded, waving until the man finally left. Once she heard the telltale click of a deadbolt she rushed over to the windows and drew the blinds closed.

Perverts.

She'd figure out a way to see Yang. It wasn't like her sister was contagious, and Ruby wasn't stupid either. There was a reason they were keeping them separated. She just didn't know what that was. People who wanted to help didn't start off by attacking you with Magi. A simple 'hello' would have gone much further to convince her of that.

Which in hindsight they did _kind of_ try to do in a roundabout sort of way. Ruby took out another dress, plain white and way too small even for her, turning it over in her hands and stretching it to test the fabric. When the seams held, she smiled, giving it another firm tug just to be sure.

She'd make these awful dresses work for her yet. Putting her selection back she nodded, closing the doors again and heading back to bed.

Her foot caught the dress and Ruby yelped, face planting in the carpet and groaning, muffled by the thick material.

She'd make them work just as soon as they stopped trying to kill her.

* * *

 **Gosh darn it. Don't you hate when you do what you're told and your boss decides to have you imprisoned with their personal hit squad?**

 **I'm sure everything we've been told now is 100% factual. Yep.**


	41. Chapter 41: Hazy

**Another shorter chapter, just to move things along. Debated skipping some of this but I'm always iffy about that. Skip something, even if you go over it later, and folks might be upset.**

 **So, a shorter chapter before another long one. I say "short" as if it still isn't overlong.**

 **Some day I'll manage to write more reasonable chapters.**

 **Today is not that day!**

* * *

Were they making the right choice?

Weiss didn't know, and as Vale's walls came back into view, a line of travelers waiting at the gates for entry, it seemed too late to reconsider.

She'd been initially dismissive of Ozpin and the Church lying about magic. While perhaps not the most malicious of secrets - Grimm were dealt with regardless, it would certainly make some people more hesitant to use magic, or more pressing still, employ Hunters. Simply put it would be 'bad for business'.

That was a white lie, she decided. A necessary secret for the safety of the kingdom.

Attacking her and Blake with Wardens though?

Their carriage reached the back of the procession and Weiss leaned against her door, drawing back regal purple curtains to peer ahead. Immediately before them a cart with crates of crops waited, the farmer at the reins fanning himself with a straw cap. Ahead of him were other farmers, traders, travelers. Near a dozen vehicles long it would take a few minutes at least to reach the gates.

Settling back with a sigh Weiss closed her eyes and nursed at her temples. Attacking her was possible, all things considered, but it seemed counterintuitive. People would see things. They would ask questions. Then there was the damage that the fighting would have caused, potential distrust in the Church, and an air of paranoia; if someone had managed to infiltrate the city that warranted such a response surely, they could do it again? Where negativity supposedly brought about Grimm such an insignificant event could spark a firestorm of doubt and fear.

If no Grimm appeared despite that people would surely begin to take notice.

Except they wouldn't because of the barriers around the city.

 _They can act with impunity thanks to the barriers. Spells or negativity, both are covered because of the wards._ People might react poorly but ultimately it didn't matter. Even the Grimm that appeared didn't matter. Whether people knew they were illusions or not was irrelevant; the Church had dealt with them and would deal with anymore.

Their carriage moved forward before stopping again. Weiss heard the telltale sounds of chains grinding against a pulley, the great gates of the city groaning, rumbling as it opened the way for newcomers.

The gates were typically left open. Was this cautionary? A reaction to the events earlier in the day?

 _Gods, it's only been one day._ Weiss slumped in her seat, opening her eyes and staring through the dim interior at Blake. Her friend's mind was elsewhere, amber eyes fixated towards a window, absently rolling her scarf between her fingers. _Are we making the right choice by going back? What if we're wrong?_

Something rasped against the carriage and made Weiss jump. Her cheeks flushed when a small window slid open across from her and Emilia peered through, holding back amusement at her start.

"There are Hunters at the gates, ladies. Just thought you might like to know."

What felt like a whole apple dropped in Weiss' gut. Was it safe to face them now? So soon after what had happened?

"Miss, what would you like me to do? I could leave, if you'd like. There are other ways into the city."

"N-No, don't. That will only rouse suspicions." Weiss took a deep breath and managed a shallow smile. "We'll go through, thank you, Emilia."

The woman nodded and sealed the window again. The carriage lurched forward once more and Weiss nervously thumbed the seam of her tunic, chewing on her lip while her foot tapped anxiously on the floor of the carriage.

Blake was staring at her now, face obscured by the dark, save for amber eyes which watched unblinking. "Going to the Cathedral is too risky right now. You realize that, right?"

"I can't leave those notes there, Blake. What if they reveal something important?"

"What if they don't and we're putting ourselves in danger for nothing?"

Weiss began to argue before clamping her mouth closed. Blake wasn't being paranoid; as a former assassin for the White Fang she had every right to be concerned. She knew how this worked better than Weiss possibly could.

"I'm just going to my quarters, that's all. I have no intention of speaking to the Archbishop." She had considered it but from Blake's clipped tone that idea went out the window. Where they would go instead was beyond her, but clearly Ozpin was out of the question. "You can stay in the carriage or leave. Your uncle will shelter you, I'm sure."

"And risk bringing those Magi to his doorstep? Forget it." Blake shook her head, glancing to the window again as their cart came to a halt. Her ear swiveled hearing conversation outside and Weiss shifted in her seat. It was the farmer ahead of them. The guards were checking the carriages.

"Weiss, do you remember how we met?"

"As if I could forget that unpleasant experience," Weiss mumbled. "What of it?"

"I'm going to do to you what I did with Adam. Hide in your shadow." Blake moved closer and paused, hand outstretched. "It's… Going to be unpleasant, but I promise it's safe," her eyes sought Weiss' and her hand continued to hover. "Either I can do this, or I'll conceal myself some other way. I'd rather be safe than sorry."

Touched that Blake wasn't going to abandon her Weiss nodded. She didn't know what the Meera's spell might entail but she trusted Blake enough to let her try. "Go ahead then," she whispered, eyes darting towards the door. Their carriage moved forward. Emilia began speaking with men outside. "Be quick about it."

It was like watching smoke carried away on the wind. Blake's body turned almost translucent before fading in wisps, striking eyes the last thing to vanish. At first Weiss didn't notice anything besides a peculiar tingling in the soles of her feet. Then the sensation turned to a rippling feeling like she dragged her skin across the tips of blades of grass. That sensation ran up her legs, along her spine, and made her fingertips twitch.

All things told it lasted a second or two at most, but it left Weiss littered in goosebumps. Taking a gasping breath, she shivered, drawing her legs closer and hugging herself.

If anyone had ever experienced the sensation of being watched then they could empathize with what Weiss was going through. Hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and she felt _something_ in her movements, like thin, invisible strands were tied to her limbs. On reflex she looked back at the wall behind her and saw nothing. She felt something there though. Something so close it might as well be coiled around her.

Someone knocked on the door and Weiss froze. Not answering was out of the question and so she drew a deep breath and inched closer to the door itself. "Y-Yes…?" she peeled back the curtains and her jaw dropped.

"Weiss?!"

"Jaune?!"

"What are you doing in there? What -" Weiss' hand shot out and clamped over his mouth.

"Please. Are you the only one here right now?" Jaune shook his head. "Is Pyrrha with you?" He nodded. That was good. "Any Magi in white robes…?" she asked nervously, shoulders sagging in relief when he shook his head again.

When she drew her hand back Jaune looked towards the gates before leaning in. "Weiss, what are you doing in there? Ozpin was trying to find you guys! He wants all Hunters on alert, says there were Grimm inside the city."

"I…" Ozpin was looking for them? Unsure how to take that Weiss policed her stunned expression and smiled. "I was visiting… A friend. You said Grimm were inside the city?"

"Yeah! The whole Cathedral was a mess when the news broke. You should've seen it! Oobleck and Port gathered a bunch of initiates and ran out into the city, and all of us were gathered and asked to help at the gates. No one knows what's going on!"

" _I somehow doubt that."_

Weiss jumped hearing Blake's voice in her ear. Not just at her ear, _in_ it. The other girl's voice echoed in her head and reverberated, an odd sensation that made her cringe.

"Weiss?"

"I'm just worried is all. Grimm shouldn't be able to get inside."

"Right? But a bunch of people are claiming to have seen them! Unless a bunch of people are mistaken -"

"Hard to mistake something for a Grimm."

"Exactly! Are you on your way to see Ozpin now? You probably should." Jaune glanced around the carriage, eyebrows raising. "The others aren't with you…?"

One of them was. Weiss frowned at the implications of the question. "You mean Ruby and Yang aren't here either?"

"No. It was just the four of us when Ozpin gathered everyone. We figured maybe you'd all been sent out early but we haven't seen any of you since. U-Until now that is."

" _They must have targeted them too. Weiss, we really shouldn't be doing this. Something doesn't feel right."_

"And what do you suggest we do otherwise?" Keeping her voice inaudible enough that the blond boob wouldn't hear her was trying. Hopefully Blake's enhanced hearing helped. "Jaune's seen us and he'll tell Pyrrha. We can't just avoid it now; people know we're here."

" _Would they sell us out?"_

Not intentionally, no. None of her friends had an inkling of what happened and would think they were just doing their jobs. In a sense they would be.

"Weiss? You uh… You okay? You're kind of… Talking to yourself?"

"Hm? Oh, I'm fine, I'm just tired. I expected Ruby and Yang to get back ahead of me, that's all." Weiss offered Jaune a reassuring smile. "Give Pyrrha my regards. I'll go speak to Ozpin and see you two soon."

Jaune, ever the hopeless buffoon, started to give a thumbs up before going for a salute, hand hovering awkwardly before he settled for a nod, face flushed. As he ran off Weiss couldn't help but laugh at his expense, drawing the curtain closed again. Reins lashed and the carriage began to trot forward, light passing through the curtains as they moved beneath the threshold and into the city. With her heart pounding wildly she didn't dare to look outside and instead sank into the cushioned seat, laying her rapier across her lap and running her fingers over one of the gemstones.

" _This is still a bad idea, Weiss. If Ozpin sent them to attack us we're walking right into his hands."_

" _If_ he did. Everyone appears confused by what happened, Blake. Even those in higher levels. Either Ozpin is the only one in the know, which seems unlikely, or this isn't their doing. Besides, we need those notes. There could be something in there that can confirm or deny everything we've been told so far."

" _I still don't like this…"_

"Yes? Well, I don't like having to face whatever happens while you hide in my shadow but here we are."

" _Don't play that card. You're the one that wants to go through with this. I'm just being cautious."_

"Paranoid, more like it."

She heard a low rumbling sound that Weiss assumed was Blake laughing. _"Sure, but paranoid is what's kept me alive. And if it's all the same, I'd like to keep living a while longer."_

The carriage rattled onward, pausing only for Emilia to ask where they wanted to go. Weiss gave her reply and she closed her eyes, ignoring the omnipresent sense that Blake was staring her down. It was unpleasant, feeling someone wrapped around you like a veil. The ravenette wasn't physical with her but she could feel Blake in everything she did.

"You weren't kidding,"Weiss bemoaned with a scowl. "This is all very unpleasant."

" _Just wait until I start reading your thoughts."_

Weiss' eyes shot open and a hand shot to her head. "You can't do that! C-Can you?"

Only a rumbling sound in her head replied.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Jaune hadn't been wrong about the Cathedral being a mess. Even now, hours after the initial event, the city seemed to be on the alert. Regular guards commingled with Hunters, discussing findings or lack thereof, Weiss assumed. A few she recognized, most were strangers, all of them dedicated to their task. It made departing the carriage a little easier and she managed to make her way towards the front gates without much notice.

No guards stationed at the front doors. A few nobles - obvious because of their unnecessarily expensive looking jerkins, immaculate hair, and the fact that they each had a retainer standing nearby, arguing with a senior member of the Church. Weiss couldn't remember the man's name but he looked to be over his head, mousy face contorted while he constantly dabbed his forehead with a cloth, straining to keep composed.

Better him than her. She'd just as soon freeze the lot of them and be done with it.

" _That's how you got into this mess to begin with,"_ Blake chided.

"I told you not to do that!" she whispered harshly.

" _Do what? You're glaring at them. It's not hard to guess what you're thinking, Weiss."_ Blake said she couldn't actually read minds, but Weiss was still skeptical. _"Quit glaring at empty air, you'll look crazy."_

Given the inherent risk of what they were doing Weiss hardly cared how she looked. She took a deep breath and fixed herself, looking around for someone to greet her. With the main hall packed with people and dozens of conversations going on she doubted anyone even realized she was there. Indeed, when no one came forward she started towards the lift, paused, and headed towards one of the side entrances instead. If people weren't going to rally her to Ozpin, then she'd stop at her quarters first and retrieve the notes.

Or at least confirm they were still there. Carrying them around was out of the question, especially if they were off to see Ozpin. She needed to look at them soon, perhaps once things had died down. It could be nothing beyond a madman's ramblings, or it could be important. Raven had given them up for a reason after all.

The residential wing was nowhere near as crowded as the main hall. Grateful for the respite Weiss hurried up two flights of stairs and reached her room in record time, lightly panting as she fumbled for her key. Grabbing the knob to undo the lock her breath caught, and she felt her fingers tighten on the knob. Nervous, she gave it a tentative turn and winced when it opened, easing the door back and stepping slowly into her room.

Nothing appeared out of place, but she was certain she had locked her door. Since coming back from Plockton she'd made a point to lock it whenever she left, double check, and sometimes even triple check.

She dropped the key on her nightstand and dropped to her knees, staring at her bedsheets before lowering herself.

There was nothing beneath her bed. Not a single sheet of paper remained. Even so Weiss reached under and blindly groped about to try and find any trace of the notes. Maybe it was hidden by a spell? Maybe her eyes were just having trouble adjusting?

Her hand slid across dusty floorboards and she came out empty. Sitting back on her rear she stared at her greyed palm, wiped it on her trousers and exhaled in trembling breaths.

" _Weiss…"_

"I know." She got to her feet and moved towards her pillow. Sliding back the case she reached about and smiled. Merlot's spell book was still inside, familiar leather bindings a welcome find. Clutching it to her chest she moved to the window and peered outside. People milled about aplenty, but no one was watching her room as far as she could tell.

" _We need to leave, Weiss. Now."_

"I know!" Someone had found the notes. Even if Ozpin was innocent in the attacks, she had been hiding sensitive information. Potentially incriminating information.

Weiss moved towards the door and paled. Footsteps were approaching, slow and steady. With softer footfalls she could hear the clinking of chain striking plate, the scuffing of something striking the floor. Backing away she looked at the window again, raced to it. Her fingertips pried at the frame and it refused to budge.

" _Weiss! Get to shadows! I'll get us out!"_

With sunlight flooding her room there were barely any shadows to speak of. _The bed!_ Weiss dropped to her knees again and crawled towards it, dropping to her stomach. It was plenty dark enough, hopefully dark enough for Blake to use. With the journal clutched in one arm she started to crawl under…

"Miss Schnee?"

Weiss closed her eyes and grit her teeth. Her head was under and the rest of her stuck out like a sore thumb. She must have looked like an absolute idiot.

Slowly, trying to mask the movement, she slid her arm forward and deposited the journal under the bed. Pushing herself out from under the bed and ignoring Blake's repeated remarks she stood, dusting her tunic off and putting on a smile.

She didn't recognize the man before her. A Hunter, going by the mark on his neck, but that was the only feature she could identify. Tall, taller than Ozpin, and thin as a reed, he stood in the doorway with his arms folded behind his back. Two guards flanked him, each in full armor, halberds in hand. Useless in cramped quarters, not that it meant much.

"Yes…?"

"The Archbishop has been looking for you, young lady. All Hunters were asked to report to the Cathedral hours ago."

"I… I was out of the city, I apologize. I'm here now however," she gestured to herself, stating the obvious.

The man scoffed and Weiss cringed. "Yes, that is apparent," he observed, stroking his mustache, thick as Port's but still retaining a rich black color. Hair greyed at his temples and green eyes, hard as the gemstones in her weapon, watched her, scrutinized her. "Might I ask what you were doing in here?"

"It's my room. I'm allowed to be here, aren't I?"

"Hm. I suppose you are, yes." He stepped aside and one of the guards entered, ushering Weiss back towards the far wall. She stood, breath held, as the Hunter stepped inside and knelt by her bed. He drew the journal and she stepped forward to stop him, grunting when the guard pushed her back.

"However, you are not allowed to hold onto information like this without explicit permission from the Church. You should have delivered this to someone's desk first thing."

" _Weiss, cast a rune. If you can make a distraction -"_

"No!"

All three men looked at her, puzzled. Weiss lowered her head and closed her eyes, trembling hands gripping the hem of her tunic. "I planned to bring it over but I've been busy since I returned. I haven't looked at any of it."

It wasn't a lie, she really hadn't gone over it yet. Not much of it anyways.

"Regardless this is not something that just anyone should be allowed to carry, least of all a newly minted Hunter." The journal was handed off and Weiss didn't relax at all when the guard backed away. "The Archbishop has been hoping to speak to you. I'd suggest you follow me, unless you want to potentially make matters worse for yourself."

" _If we go to him Weiss there's nothing I can do. My magic was blocked before."_

What was the alternative? Flee? The man before her was a Hunter. The Church was _filled_ with Hunters.

Returning had been a mistake. Weiss had known it was an idiotic move and yet she'd still consented to it.

Maybe the information inside the notes wasn't enough to warrant any serious punishment. Perhaps Ozpin truly was in the dark about the attacks as Jaune had suggested. Weiss swallowed thickly and forced her feet to move, every step hindered by invisible boulders bound to her legs.

 _Jaune didn't mention the attacks at all, just Grimm. He didn't know about the Wardens._

Her friends hadn't been told everything. Of course, they hadn't been, why would they?

The whiskered man took the lead and Weiss fell in line behind him. Both guards flanked her, their presence more intimidating than the cumbersome weapons they carried. A few new initiates still in their rooms opened their doors to see Weiss being led away by her armed escort and her ears burned, lowering her head as she tried to ignore the obvious implications.

Her shadow stretched out towards the Hunter and Weiss hissed. She could almost feel Blake's palpable reluctance as the shadow retracted, reforming around her feet. Ahead of her the Hunter raised an eyebrow in question.

"Just nervous…"

"Hm. I would be, given your position."

With that vote of confidence Weiss stepped out into the now oppressive sunlight, a chorus of conversation drowning out whatever her captor said to her. The Cathedral loomed ahead, towering over her, its white and gray stone walls appearing more like a prison than a place of learning and faith.

Somewhere inside was the master of the prison, and potentially the executioner's axe awaiting her.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Weiss wished she could vanish on the spot.

This must be what a cornered mouse feels like. A cat with its prey, trapped, toying with it before batting it around. There were ways to get out, sure, but they were all risky. And unlike a rodent she couldn't hope to contort herself into small crevices, disappear into unreachable places safe from would be predators.

Comparing herself to a mouse might have been humiliating if it wasn't so apt.

In Ozpin's tower, far removed from the clamor and excitement below, the air was deathly quiet. Weiss could only hear her own racing heart, the occasional clearing of someone's throat or the creak of a chair. Eyes locked on the floor she rubbed her thumb over the back of her hand, certain it was going to end up raw. She didn't dare look at anyone, she didn't dare speak unless spoken to.

The Archbishop hadn't spoken to her outside of a greeting. He had been pleasant, cordial. Not at all like a man looking to silence her.

That, most of all, unnerved her.

Weiss couldn't meet anyone's eyes, but she did let her own roam across Ozpin's desk. She stared at the empty rucksack that had been hidden beneath her bed. The pile of papers, some yellowed and torn at the edges, were organized into smaller piles, no doubt by content, relevance, or whatever metric they had used.

Ozpin sat at his desk and watched her as she fidgeted despite her best efforts. Any proclamations of innocence refused to pass her trembling lips. Blake, who until reaching the lifts had been clamoring to escape, now was speechless. She couldn't even be certain the Meera was with her anymore.

"Weiss…" The gentle tone Ozpin used didn't fit her reasons for being here. Weiss nodded once, stiffly. "You understand why you're here, don't you?" She nodded again. Imperceptibly. The muscles in her neck threatened to seize entirely and choke off oxygen to her brain. She almost hoped they would. "I would appreciate a vocal response, if you'd please."

"Y-Yes sir…"

"And I understand that Arthur has explained the details to you. Do you have anything to say about this?"

They were hers to carry, not Ozpin's. That even as the Archbishop he'd had no right to go into her room and search through her belongings. For some inexplicable reason they had cause to suspect her of hiding something. Weiss scrunched up her shoulders and closed her eyes. Someone had said something. That was all she could think of.

Qrow was notably absent from the proceedings.

"N-No sir."

"The information contained within these documents is not only heretical, but outright blatant lies. It's not uncommon for people to dispense rumors and try to discredit the Church. Why, if we brought in every individual who tried I imagine the city would be packed to the brim with bodies."

"That said, this information in your possession are the works of a man who very clearly had an agenda. Someone who sought to do harm to countless innocents to further his own perverse ambitions. Notes like these," Ozpin explained, picking up one of the stacks. "Are not the kind of information that we can leave laying around idly. If the wrong people were to get their hands on this, they may try to replicate his work, or become emboldened. We'd have copycats running rampant. As it stands, we barely dealt with a single Merlot, and that was thanks in large part to your efforts."

Weiss might have felt pride if she didn't expect something nasty to follow the praise. Nothing came. She pursed her lips, clenching her hands together and finally lifted her eyes to look at Ozpin.

He was the same as ever. A calm, gentle smile, posture relaxed, eyes partially obscured behind dark spectacles. He seemed warm, trustworthy, a confidant and a friend.

"This… Let's call it propaganda, is dangerous. Doubly so if one of our own is found with it. It can cause dissent, disrupt trust, and lead the public to doubt or question us." Ozpin removed his spectacles for a painfully long pause, cleaning the lenses, inspecting them. "I think it's self-explanatory then why you should have brought this directly to us."

"It is, sir."

"Weiss." Ozpin smiled again, sliding papers aside. "You're here for a gentle reprimand, nothing more. Please, relax. Beyond this there is no forthcoming punishment for your actions."

"But sir, she's concealed information from us! And we have reason to believe that she has been compromised!" Arthur, the lanky man who'd led her hear, regarded her like one might a gnat. Insignificant. A nuisance. "Surely you're not going to let matters rest so easily."

"I intend to get to that, Arthur. Please allow me to work, hm?" Ozpin waited for the Hunter to step back to his position by the door before continuing. "Weiss, there are some questions I was hoping you could answer for me, if you'd be so kind?"

She was hardly in a position to say no, now was she? Weiss listened to the drone of the grandfather clock nearby, heartbeat doubling each chime. A pale, shaking hand wiped sweat from her brow and she nodded. "Of course…" she added after a pregnant pause. "Whatever you need."

Ozpin stood from behind his desk and collected his mug, circling around and sitting on the edge. He never stopped smiling even as he drank from his mug. "Splendid," he said, setting his drink aside. "Let's start simply. Can you confirm that you met with High Commander Hazel Rainart in Holbrook?"

He knew? Weiss didn't know why she was surprised really. Ozpin knew somehow. She'd not be shocked to hear that he knew the comings and goings of every person in Vale.

"I did…"

"Thank you. That confirms the agreement that I had with His Majesty, and that you received the instructions." Weiss' face must have borne an expression of consternation because Ozpin leaned forward and gestured for her to settle. "I understand those orders must have come as confusing, and I'll admit that I was not thrilled to have to work with nobility either." The casual admission and chuckle came as a shock. Ozpin, always polite with the nobles, sounded just as fed up with them as she was.

"But the safety and well-being of the kingdom takes priority over our personal feelings. Am I to understand that you met with Miss Xiao Long then?" They had and Weiss confirmed as much. "Wonderful. While her situation is a… Difficult subject for us I admit that we made the right decision, pardoning her. I understand she was instrumental in Merlot's defeat."

"Sir…?" Weiss leaned forward in her chair. "What exactly did Yang do?"

The words slipped out before she realized it and immediately Weiss drew back into her seat, biting her lower lip. She knew, to some extent, of Yang's involvement in experiments. She likely knew more than Ozpin ever suspected even. She wanted validation though. The 'word of God', if such a thing existed.

Not the slightest bit upset by the line of questioning Ozpin pondered it for a moment, nodded, then took a stack of papers and held it out.

"Miss Xiao Long's nature is a sensitive matter, one that I would sooner dispense with and not discuss. However, I believe you've seen more than enough and deserve answers. Arthur? If you'd please."

Weiss had hoped Ozpin would share the information himself, not some mouthpiece. That they were going to share anything in of itself was promising however and she'd not shirk an opportunity to learn. If not for her own curiosity's sake, then maybe to glean information about Yang's condition.

"If you insist. I still think it's early to tell her." Arthur pulled at his jerkin's collar and frowned. "But since Ozpin insists, so be it. Yang Xiao Long is the product of an unfortunate misstep on our part. To keep matters brief we were exploring ways in which a Magi could avoid Spellcast Sickness. Several options were explored, some more promising than others. Jacobis Merlot's was one of the more… Novel solutions."

"And immoral," Ozpin added.

"Precisely. Initially the Grimm had no part in it. Their inclusion came after a period of trial and error. No, at first Jacobis sought to change the body itself, whether through medicinal or magical means, to create an immunity to the illness' effects. After exhausting all avenues however it is believed he began his ghastlier experimentations. Without our knowledge he had Grimm brought into the city and he began to find ways to imbue some of their more… Unworldly traits into people. Endless stamina, a need for no rest, and in some cases, regenerative abilities."

"He asked for recruits, young Hunters who were willing to help test new ideas. As none of his prior work had caused any significant side effects, we saw no reason to deny him. Miss Xiao Long wasn't the first to be recruited but she was the last." Arthur scowled. "Others died while he practiced his foul work, and when he finally succeeded with Miss Xiao Long, she ran rampant, slaughtered clergy and Hunters alike, and disappeared."

"However, through these notes and accounts we now realize that Merlot exercised some degree of control over Miss Xiao Long," Ozpin continued with a gesture to the piles of sheets beside him. "Rather than attempt to make a hardier Hunter for mankind's benefit he developed a personal weapon, one whose magic was amplified to the point where it would become unruly."

"How was all of this hidden from the public? I never heard of anything like this happening," Weiss asked. She'd been in Vale for years, well over a decade now. Yang and she were similar ages if not the same. It couldn't have been that long ago…

"Merlot's experiments, towards the latter end of his tenure, were carried out in secrecy. We stopped receiving reports, all but lost contact with him, and found his workshop abandoned before long. He carried out his work in the cellar of a chapel outside the city, hidden behind false walls and barriers. When Miss Xiao Long's magic exploded the building caught flame. The disaster was labeled a horrific accident and nothing more."

"A regrettable falsehood," Ozpin admitted with a weary sigh. "But we could hardly tell the public that a young lady with a Grimm sealed inside of her was loose. And so we sent people to track her down. At first to kill her." Weiss' face lost all of its color. "I did not wish for the young lady to die but you must understand; she was an existential threat to the kingdom. Merlot could bring her anywhere, set her loose, and entire towns could be erased in a day."

"Yang wouldn't do that!" Weiss protested.

"Indeed. We found out later that she managed to resist Merlot's commands, whether through recovering her will or a weakening of his hold on her. Whatever the case, we decided that she wasn't as dangerous, and Merlot himself warranted more immediate attention. Our searches for Miss Xiao Long lessened and we redoubled our efforts to find Merlot, inevitably driving him underground."

"Until recently, that is. We found familiar cases around the kingdom, and then the rest you know." Arthur stroked his mustache and furrowed his brow. "That bastard was attempting to raise an army, and he was willing to let the kingdom burn for it."

That was the brief version? Weiss shuddered to think what an in-depth explanation might entail. It was nice to finally have some background for Yang's situation though, even if the details and specifics were sparse. _Why had Merlot suddenly decided to try and make himself stronger though? What made him change his focus from the Church to giving himself power?_

Neither man said a word on the matter and Weiss didn't ask. If there was an explanation for that they'd tell her, or it might exist within his notes. Notes, she lamented, which were now further out of her reach than ever despite being in plain view.

"We believe now that, despite her situation, Miss Xiao Long can be trusted. And while her condition is still a cause for concern, we are working through ways in which we can help her." Ozpin took another drink and paused to adjust his scarf. "Speaking of which, do you know where she is?"

Weiss frowned. "No sir, I don't. I haven't seen her or Ruby since early this morning. They mentioned something about going out to a farm... Sir?"

Ozpin's brow furrowed and a rare look of concern flashed across his face. Moving from his desk he circled around it, opening a drawer and removing a small container. "Do you happen to know the name of the farm she was going to?"

"Erm…" After a moment's deliberation Weiss shook her head. "I don't. Is something wrong?"

"Were your friends going to ride horses, Weiss? I need you to think very carefully."

"Y-Yes? Yes, they were. I distinctly remember Ruby mentioning it." At least she was fairly certain Ruby had, it sounded right.

Ozpin cursed. It was hushed, soft, but Weiss was positive she'd heard it. Seeing the man visibly upset for the first time in, well, forever, made her fidget uncomfortably in her seat. Arthur seemed just as unsettled, pacing back and forth by the door, hand cupping his chin.

"Weiss, I need you to listen calmly. Earlier today a farm was attacked by a rogue contingent of Hunters. I don't know who authorized it, or who was involved, but we've received multiple reports of Hunters outside the walls. One of the local farms run by the Cress family suffered extensive damage to one of its fields as a result. They were after something, I fear, and I think I may know what that something is now."

Without saying so explicitly Weiss followed along just fine. She shot up from her chair, took a step forward and grabbed the weapon at her hip, not drawing it but gripping the handle firmly. "We have to help them! If Ruby and Yang were attacked -"

"We don't know for certain yet. It's possible they weren't involved. However, they have also yet to report to any summons and we've had no luck in locating them. Qrow is out as we speak attempting to track them down." Ozpin chuckled wearily. "Impossible to believe that Miss Rose might have been kidnapped yet again. Forgive me, Weiss, I do not find any of this humorous. It's just absurd."

"What's absurd is that someone is overwriting your authority, Ozpin." Arthur stormed towards the desk. "You and a select few have authority over Wardens, no one else! Everyone who might have issued the orders are accounted for and…" He stopped immediately when the Archbishop stared at him.

"Wardens…?" More disbelief than posed as a question Weiss repeated the word. "Wardens really were responsible for this then?"

Ozpin stood back slowly, smoothing his shirt and composing himself with a deep breath. "Miss Schnee," he said carefully, using her family name to make a point. "What do you mean by that?"

"I was attacked earlier by Magi in white cloaks. They attacked us," Weiss paused when she felt pain in her side, a faint but undeniable stabbing sensation. "Blake and I," she went on. "Blake's gone into hiding and I… I fled to a friend's home outside of the city. It's where I was until recently."

"And this friend of yours identified those attackers as Wardens? Based on what, exactly?"

 _Crap._ Acutely aware of both men staring at her now Weiss dropped her hand from her weapon, not wanting to give the wrong impression. Ozpin didn't seem angry with her, not outwardly, but his unreadable face could easily be concealing it.

"I… Um…"

"Miss Schnee, please be seated." Ozpin sat before she did and removed his spectacles, running a hand across his face. "Arthur, please go get Glynda and bring her back here with you. It seems we have much to discuss with Miss Schnee. And if you can, find Miss Belladonna as well."

"A-Actually, sir…" There was the stabbing pain again. Weiss lingered before the desk and looked down at her feet. She stomped, furrowed her brow, and stomped again. When nothing happened, she huffed and pointed to the floor. "Blake is here."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Blake is…" Weiss growled. "Blake, enough already! It's fine!"

" _You're an ass, you know that?"_

Weiss' shadow became lighter than before. Rather than materialize as gracefully as she'd vanished in the carriage Blake more popped into existence, not there one second and the next she stood beside Weiss. Cross, red in the face and eyes boring a hole into her skull, the Meera huffed and drew up her scarf, ears folding in displeasure.

Ozpin raised an eyebrow before releasing another sigh. "Arthur?"

The Hunter paused in the doorway and glanced back. "Sir?"

"Make a stop by Port's quarters, and if he's there ask for one of his ales, if you'd please." Ozpin smiled humorlessly. "We're going to be in for a lengthy discussion, I think."

* * *

 **I'm going to endeavor to get chapters out 7-10 days apart. I've said this before and it's rarely worked but I'd love to get them out faster, especially where I'm trying to FINALLY establish some core stuff that I ought to have done...  
** *checks chapters*  
 **Anyways, thanks for reading!**


	42. Chapter 42: Isolation

**New chapter, who dis?**

* * *

 _Drip._

Most people would be concerned to hear that she'd been in cells more than once. Her dad would probably have a heart attack. Her friends? Something between awe and horror. Raven…

Raven would probably put her in one so that didn't count.

Yang stared up at the damp spot in the ceiling, narrowing her eyes as another droplet hit the floor.

Not beneath a building, not unless the room was leaking. Outside? It had rained earlier so that made sense; the ground had become so sodden that water had saturated it. It would explain why she never heard anything unless someone was in the cells with her. Which there wasn't. No one else was down here save for whoever was on guard duty.

Pushing her tongue through her lips Yang leaned forward, chains pulling at her wrists. The water hit her tongue and she immediately fought back a gag, spitting and shuddering, face pulled in an ugly grimace.

Water mixed with manure if she had to guess. Why'd she even try that? The answer was simple: boredom.

Great, so she was imprisoned under a fucking flower bed or something. What were the chances people didn't even know the cells were down here?

Heaving out a frustrated sigh she got to her feet. Her posture slumped because of the chains and she stared at the bolt in the center of the floor, sticking her tongue out childishly. With her magic cut off from her it wasn't like she could burn her way out and the links were too thick to break bare handed. The bastards who stuck her in the cell knew what they were doing.

Down the hall, the wooden door creaked open, deadbolt sliding against rusted fixtures. Jasper, a kid who couldn't weigh more than a few sheets of paper, jumped in his chair, nearly knocking it over as he stood. Yang snorted and rolled her eyes.

 _Drip._

Figuring it was just a change in the guard Yang dropped onto her bed. The wooden frame flexed beneath her, creaking, and she shifted her weight to draw her feet up and lay back. Maybe she'd go back to tracing patterns in the ceiling. That sounded like fun.

"Is she awake?"

Or not. Yang's eyes snapped to the cell door, slowly rising from the bed. Jasper nodded to someone just out of view and spoke - or mimed, she couldn't hear the kid, gesticulating wildly. More interested in the woman who'd addressed him Yang moved towards the cell door, reaching for bars before remembering the enchantments placed on them.

"You're dismissed. Be a dear and ask one of the twins to come down when I'm done, won't you? I shan't be long."

Pinkish-orange hair bobbed into view; a full head shorter than her. Peach gave her a smile caught somewhere between apology and greeting, one that tried to convey both happiness and regret. Yang wasn't sure which, too busy just staring at the woman to pick out subtle nuances. She could have had a tree sprouting out of her forehead and she'd have been too confused to notice.

"Yang… May I call you Yang? I'm glad to see that you're awake and none the worse for wear. When I heard that things turned nasty at the farm I'd feared you were injured. I'm happy to see that's not the case."

Why was this lady here? They'd last met in Ambrose; a town ravaged by disease. Despite already feeling like ages ago it couldn't have been more than two weeks. In any other scenario she'd be thrilled to see the woman again; Peach being here meant that Ambrose had survived the ordeal. Which in hindsight was obvious seeing as they'd run into Coco and company recently.

"Yang, dearie, can you hear me?"

"Uh-huh… Loud and clear." Yang tilted her head and blinked. "... Why are you here, grandma?"

Peach laughed, covering her mouth and grabbing her rounded belly. "Grandma? Dear, I'm not quite that old! And I'm here because I brought you here, of course. Why else would I be here?"

"You brought me here?" Yang played with the idea before shaking her head. "Some goons in white jumped me and Ruby and -" Her eyes widened, and she lunged for the bars, grabbing it. Electricity zapped her hands and she stumbled back with a yelp. "Fuck!"

"Please be careful! Those spells are an ugly necessity, I'm afraid. So long as you don't touch the door, you'll be fine."

"Screw the door! If I'm here then Ruby must be here too, right? Let me see her then!"

"Please don't yell. Your sister is here, yes, but for the time being -"

"Then let me see her, dammit!" Yang almost grabbed the bars again before settling for stomping her foot. The cold floor made her calloused sole sting on impact and she curled her toes, gritting her teeth and pulling at the chains. "Please…" she half-whispered, half pleaded. "I just need to make sure she's okay."

"Ruby is perfectly fine, sweetheart. She's being kept in another building on site, in nicer accomodations than any inn you'd find." The woman looked at her cell and grimaced. "Nicer than yours too. I know this is all a bit much, but I promise that our intentions aren't to harm either of you."

"But you had us kidnapped?"

"We did try to have you come with us willingly, but as I understand you started a fight, my dear," Peach reprimanded gently. "What's done is done. You're here and you're awake which means we can finally have a talk." She took the chair Jasper had occupied and settled into it, scooting closer to the cell and dropping her satchel at her feet.

"I didn't start anything! They attacked Ruby and I defended her. Don't paint me like the bad guy here."

"Did they…? Well in that case I'll speak to them when I'm done here. I'm very sorry, Yang. They were never supposed to harm either of you. I realize now it means little…"

Damn straight it meant little. Hard to forgive the lady responsible for cramming you in a musty cold cell.

Not having magic really, _really_ sucked. Not that Yang felt like she'd blow the lady away if given the chance, she wasn't a total monster, but she'd break out in an instant and go find Ruby. Without a means of getting free she huffed, sitting on the cold floor, crossing her legs awkwardly with chains rattling.

"Fine, talk. What's going on?"

"We're just trying to get some answers, dearie. After everything you endured at the hands of that madman Merlot, I wouldn't dare subject you to anything unpleasant."

"You had some guys attack me and stuck me in a cell where I can't use my magic." Yang raised an eyebrow. "That sounds pretty unpleasant to me."

"And I am sincerely sorry for all of that, but you're a risk. That Grimm of yours, while it could be an asset, could just as easily make you attack others blindly. I've seen the reports from Holbrook, dear." Peach gave her a confounding smile. "I'm doing this so everyone is at ease, and so no one attacks you in turn."

"Locked me up for my own good?" Yang chuckled humorlessly, leaning back and linking her arms around one knee. "Real nice of ya."

"This is for your own good," the woman repeated. "There are other people who'd do to you what Merlot did if given the chance."

"And you're different because…?"

"Because I'm trying to cure you, sweetheart." The answer made Yang stop and stare. Cure her? She almost laughed, a soft, derisive sound. "I know what happens to you, and I know _why_ it happens to you."

"Because of the Grimm, right?" Yang asked, bored. "Look, if we're just gonna go over this stuff I'd rather take a nap."

"It's because of the Grimm, yes, but it's also because of magic. What it does to us. Dear, the Church isn't as blind to what happened in Plockton as you think. Of course, it helps that your own mother all but admitted everything to her brother."

Yang's lips drew into a harsh line. "She's not my mother."

"You know magic attracts Grimm but not why," she went on without missing a beat. "From the sounds of things Raven doesn't quite know either other than it does." She was being led on and she knew it yet Yang couldn't help but lean forward just a bit. "Miasma, dearie. Grimm are attracted to miasma, everyone knows that, it's why its banned from use. But the truth of the matter is that _all_ magic produces miasma. Every spell to varying degrees makes it and that is what makes Grimm flock to us. To Magi, to Hunters, the very people sworn to kill the beasts."

"Magic makes miasma?" Yang repeated, brow furrowed.

"Spellcast Sickness. Haven't you ever wondered how it makes someone ill? It is, after a fashion, miasma poisoning. Most don't know that however since it can't be used but the symptoms are strikingly similar. I've seen quite a few cadavers in my day, sweetheart, a product of my profession." Peach's smile fell and she closed her eyes, prominent wrinkles forming on her face as it contorted.

"So many young men and women and veterans alike. Overexerting themselves to protect people only to die by their own hand. The Church keeps it a secret because we _need_ magic to kill Grimm. Without it we'd be wiped out. A necessary evil, but evil nonetheless."

Yang clicked her tongue and shifted her weight, chains rattling, dragging coldly against her exposed skin. It all sounded reasonable enough. Hell, she'd even say it made perfect sense given what she'd seen. Magic existed everywhere. It was like air. If all it took for Grimm to appear was some magic then Remnant would be blanketed by the things, but it wasn't, and they weren't. There had to be something else to it.

Just because it made sense didn't mean that Yang bought it entirely.

"Got a way to prove that? Cuz I've had plenty of people tell me plenty of things over the years, ya know." She smiled bitterly. "Doesn't mean a whole lot without some proof."

"Miasma drives Grimm into a frenzy, attracts them and makes them attack people. It's like nectar for bees." _If bees were huge with sharp claws and fangs then sure, just like nectar and bees._ "What's happened to you in the past when you've been around magic? Surely you've noticed?"

She'd go mad. The Grimm reacted, drove her into a frenzy. She'd nearly attacked Ruby and Weiss in Holbrook. Again, in the caves. By some miracle she hadn't gone berserk in Plockton.

"That's my proof, dear. I have plenty of accounts about your behavior, and plenty of documents from the Church that supports what I've said. It's a dreadful secret we've kept from our own but without it we'd be powerless. The world needs magic, Yang. Side effects and all."

"So… Where do I fit in? You mentioned curing me?"

Peach nodded, inching forward towards the cell bars, chair scraping against the floor. She reached a hand through the bars and Yang stared at it, then took it when the woman nodded encouragingly. A green light formed around their hands, disappearing abruptly with a faint spark.

In the brief moment Yang felt her arm itch and something tense inside of her. The woman drew her hand back, shaking it, and Yang inspected her bandaged arm curiously, contorting a bit to run her other hand along the limb.

"Without that Grimm you won't be targeted anymore. You'd be yourself, and with luck, people will stop trying to replicate what Merlot created."

"A monster."

"A tireless Hunter, but one with a terrible curse," Peach corrected. She gave a soft motherly smile and placed her hands on her knees. "I'd like to help you be free from that, sweetheart, and I think I know how. Ambrose, as terrible as it was, gave me some valuable insight about your condition."

"And your way of curing me was to kidnap me? Keeping me in isolation?" she balked.

"It's quarantine, dear. I'm sorry for how it happened but surely you must understand? If you're given to anger, then you lash out. I can't perform something like this in the city where civilians could be at risk. We can't have a repeat of the chapel."

Yang cringed, sinking into herself with a grimace. She'd much rather not have to think about that ever again. Even when lost to Merlot's commands she could still hear things. The screams, the panicked cries as people tried to escape. In a fugue-like state she could recall how flames danced up the walls, rafters breaking, blocking the exits and crumbling. It was hell inside the building, fire and brimstone. People engulfed in flames.

The smell of blood.

Gods, that she could picture it so vividly even now made her retch. Her body shuddered on reflex and she curled up on the spot, burying her face in her knees.

"Yang? Yang?" Peach watched on in concern, rising from her chair. She moved to open the cell door.

"I wouldn't do that."

The small woman jumped with a start, putting a hand on her chest. "Oh, Arthur, don't do that! You'll give me a heart attack!" She looked into the cell again and moved again to open it. A hand caught her wrist and she pulled in protest. "Arhur, she's harmless as she is. Let me comfort -"

"It is your duty to make sure she survives the ordeal, not to comfort her. Until that thing is removed she is a risk."

Yang pried her shining face from her knees, drawing short, gasping breaths. Peach, several heads taller than Arthur, glowered up at him. She looked to want to defy him, and more than once she sent a pity-riddled glance her way. After a long moment's silence, she nodded, her wrist released. "Very well, but if you harm her then Ozpin will hear of it. We are here to help her, not hurt her."

"Rest assured we are doing what is in Miss Xiao Long's best interests, nothing more. Now if you'd be a dear and return upstairs there's some work that needs doing. Hurry along, won't you?"

"I swear to Edos, if you harm her…"

"I have no intentions to. Now go, you have business elsewhere."

With one last passing glance Peach hitched up her robe and hurried out of view. Yang listened to hurried footsteps against wooden stairs and the sound of a door creaking open before slamming closed. As dubious as she had been about Peach's company, she found herself wanting for it instantly. The woman seemed to be kindly, certainly more so than most people she'd met. A genuine desire to help.

The lanky man with her now leered at her like a predator. Not one appraising a meal for there was no hunger in his eyes. Pure hatred. With her own flames snuffed out she wondered if this man hadn't stolen them with how intensely he glowered at her, trying to set her aflame with his eyes alone.

"I'm going to make one thing abundantly clear." Arthur lowered himself to a squat to come eye to eye. "You are a blight on the Church. Your mere existence is heresy. An unholy marriage between beast and man." His expression hardened, growing angrier still, face turning red. "That you still live is a sin. Ozpin may want to keep you alive, and the crown may wish it so as well, but I'm not so inclined."

Even with unpleasant images in her mind still Yang shuffled forward on her knees and sneered. "Am I supposed to be afraid? I've seen scarier shit than you in my sleep, you mustached reed."

"Your bite is worse than your bark, clearly." In a swift turnaround he calmed himself, stood and adjusted his doublet, smoothing out wrinkles. "By some idiocy you're safe, but rest assured that given the slightest provocation I _will_ dispose of you, girl. It would be so much easier to bury you along with this sordid ordeal."

"But you can't, because Ozpin says so," she said. "Thanks for the info, by the way. Now I know what's going on here."

"Because it doesn't matter, dear. Because, frankly, you're not expected to survive the procedures." Arthur smiled cruelly. "The people of Ambrose didn't. Oh, did she neglect to mention that part? Everything with your treatment is theory and nothing more. There's a very high likelihood it will kill you, or at best, render you catatonic."

A twinge of terror was masked behind a sharp laugh, Yang's hands trembling as she gripped her trousers. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? Hide what you guys failed to do, pretend it didn't happen. Wouldn't want a stain on the Church now would you?" She settled back down and smiled. "Except I see a shit stain right in front of me."

"Charming. Almost as charming as your younger sister who I dare say will be absolutely devastated to hear of your passing."

"You leave Ruby out of this or I swear -"

"You'll do what? You're powerless in there. No magic to call upon whatsoever. Please spare me your empty threats."

"When I get out of here I'm going to seriously enjoy burning that mustache off your face," Yang growled.

Arthur smiled and raised a hand to the cell. "I don't doubt you'd like a chance. A pity you won't get it." His hand began to glow blue. Yang's eyelids suddenly felt heavier, her head swaying despite her best efforts to keep it up. "Now, be a dear and sleep, won't you? After all, we have much work ahead of us." An insult died on Yang's lips and she fell sideways, hair obscuring her face. Arthur smiled, cancelling his spell and waving. "Enjoy your rest, girl."

/+/+/+/+/+/

What was finer than a good drink in the lovely outdoors? Sure, technically the outdoors in question were cordoned off by brick walls and wrought iron gates but it was still outdoors. Perhaps the trimmed hedges without a leaf out of line, the brick walkways, water fountains to the left and right of the central path, and a pond with fish further back weren't wholly natural, but it was still outside.

Life was full of technicalities. Technically, metal shouldn't float and yet Atlas created a vessel to do just that. Technically, Grimm should have wiped out humanity ages ago. Magic solved that issue too. With a sip of honeyed whiskey, he let out a contented sigh, craning his head back and soaking up the sun's rays.

Technically he should be in Vale right now meeting with his fellows to decide on some important business. So important in fact it had completely slipped from his thoughts. If it was serious enough one of his attendants would come to fetch him.

None had and so he elected to lounge about instead.

"This is the life isn't it? Spending afternoons in a cozy garden, lounging about and sampling some of the newest imports the kingdom has to offer." He cracked one eye open lazily and smiled. Neo stared at him, arms folded and legs dangling off a low wall. "Oh, come on, don't pout at me. It's relaxing!"

They had work to do unofficially but that could wait as well.

Rising from his chair, popping his back with a groan and adjusting his cap, he sauntered over to one of the fountains. Crystalline water showed his face back to him and he leaned in, using it like a mirror to fix his collar.

"You know, one of these days I'll get another fountain installed." He held out his glass and Neo took it eagerly. Too eagerly. He smacked her hand before she could drink and tutted. "No alcohol, you know that."

Neo stuck out her tongue and dumped the drink in a rose bush.

"Neo! I wasn't done with that!" His companion's answer was a sweet smile and twirl of her pink and brown hair. "Wonderful, now I've got to get someone to bring me another drink." He smiled and fetched his cane, twirling it as he followed along the path. "Unless that's your way of telling me I've had enough?"

What was wrong with a bit of self-indulgence? A new fountain, a few casks of whiskey or wine. He'd bought himself a statue of the goddess Xion which now stood proudly over a bed of lilies, gardenias, orchids, and over variants that the botanist had listed off, yet he hadn't enough care to memorize.

And what a lovely statue it was. As goddess of all things scholarly the statue held itself with dignity, long straight tresses flowing down her back, a robe swirling around her body, concealing her more private areas; a shame as the statue was otherwise gorgeous. He paused at the base of it and smiled, tapping its foundation idly. On one hand a book, its font a Mistralian scrawl he couldn't possibly hope to read, and in the other some kind of branch. It was symbolic of something, probably. Again, he didn't care to know.

"Hm… Do you suppose the gods like when we erect statues of them?" he mused aloud, tapping the base again. "Do you think they enjoy it, or do you suppose we're making idols for nothing?" Neo shrugged, looking at the statue head to toe before making a crude gesture. "I hardly bought it for that! What do you take me for?" He held a hand up and looked away. "Forget I asked."

"I've always wondered about it." Moving away from the statue he continued down the brick path, cane held behind his back. He passed along squared hedges, lattices with flowering vines creeping up them, attempting to reach the sky for more potent sunlight. "I wonder if the Church with all their gospel and priests believe what they spout or if it's just food for the mindless masses?"

Another nice thing about days off was the chance to entertain idle thoughts. Not that his companion was the best person to converse with; Neo's range of vocalizations amounted to that of a newborn. It was a good thing she couldn't read his thoughts.

"That reminds me, we've got that confounded wedding to go to don't we? For Lady Lavender?" Neo wasn't his stewardess, but she kept track of enough to know. He grimaced when she nodded. "Lovely. I'll need to have another suit tailored. I'd be a laughingstock if I showed up with the same suit as last time. Can you imagine?"

Her response was to put a hand to her forehead and lean back in dramatic fashion.

"Exactly! I can't do that. Lord Bisset has a reputation to upkeep after all."

He circled around the garden, following the intersecting paths until he reached the rear. There sat the pond with a variety of fish which, much like with the botanist, he'd feigned interest as the gentleman from the fishery listed them off. Goldfish, those he knew, but the red and black ones, or the white scaled, slender fish? It was like trying to differentiate between two rocks.

Neo crept to the water's edge and knelt, smiling as she watched fish swim about. Mismatched eyes followed one as it swam closer to the shore, a goldfish no bigger than his hand. Fixed on the creature she leaned in closer and held a hand towards the water…

He groaned when she plucked it out and lobbed it into the gardens. For no reason other than sheer boredom, he was sure. "And this is why the groundskeeper is cross with me. How do I explain fish ending up in the beds?" She gave him a sickly-sweet smile and zipped her lips. "Your tendencies are going to cost me a fortune, Neo."

Chuckling, he peered into the pond and kicked a small pebble into the water, watching as fish scrambled from the disturbance. "Ah well, not like it's my Lien anyways."

Nearby at the water's edge a willow stood, its drooping branches forming a dome of green, a handful of branches skimming the pond's surface. A lovely addition if he was honest, if a bothersome acquisition. Who knew there were no willows anywhere in this region of Vale? He certainly hadn't.

"Let's head inside. I don't know about you but I'm hungry," he said, smiling as Neo hopped to her feet and nodded emphatically. "Maybe some fish? No, not the one you threw, but you've inspired me, what can I say? Maybe a nice white wine to go with it too. Hm… I wonder if we've gotten anything new this week."

The willow's branches rustled, and he passed it off as the wind until a black blotch moved around between the limbs. A cursory glance revealed a black bird hopping between branches. Not uncommon. If he counted the number of birds across his estate, he'd go mad before long. They hardly warranted any attention.

Most didn't have a message tied to their legs.

"Oh, a gift for me?" He smiled and held out a hand, clicking his tongue. The small avian fluttered into his palm and held still as he fiddled with the tie. And fiddled some more. Small strings were such a pain in the ass to undo. "Come on you… Aha!" Letting the bird fly off his hand he took a seat on a stone bench beneath the tree and unraveled it.

" _We need to talk."_

"My, if that isn't cryptic! And without a name either. How am I supposed to know who is so important that they demand my time?"

The bird fluttered and landed before them, hopping in place and pecking at the ground. Looking around, it flapped its wings and hopped closer to them, pecking at the ground at his feet. Then it fixed its beady black eyes on him, cocked its head, and squawked. "Roman! Roman! Dead! Dead!"

A talking…

Oh, that wasn't good.

He tossed the note aside, gathered his cane, and shooed the bird away with it. "Neo, let's get inside, preferably right this moment." He turned to run, calmly, back to his home, only to gasp and stumble back as a red blade almost caught his throat. "Ah! Bloody hell!"

"Hello to you too, Roman. I see you've been enjoying yourself."

"Aha… I suppose you could say that. Just letting myself savor some perks of my new station." He raised a finger, slowly, to try and inch the blade back. It pressed against his skin and his hand dropped.

"I've noticed. I've also noticed that you've not been keeping in contact like you're supposed to." Raven smiled dangerously, raising an eyebrow as she used the flat of the blade to lift his chin. "Care to tell me why? Or has your head ended up so far up your ass that you can't think straight?"

Neo, pale as Roman himself, drew a dagger from her white twin tail coat. Raven's eyes shifted from her employer to her and she smirked, easing the blade back from his throat.

"Move so much as an inch and I will relieve you of that arm, runt."

She kept still but clutched the dagger tighter. Staring at one another for an agonizingly long moment Raven finally stepped back and lowered her sword while Neo kept her dagger ready, grabbing Roman's sleeve and pulling him back. Placing herself between him and the bandit she frowned, knuckles turning white.

"Gods, you two look ready to shit yourselves. Relax, I was just having some fun."

"Your fun could involve not scaring me half to death you know," Roman protested.

"But that _is_ the fun. What can be better than watching a self-assured man squirm? Little else I think." She sheathed her sword and only then did Neo finally lower her daggers, although she didn't sheathe them herself. Raven clicked her tongue and the bird, a raven, he idiotically realized, flew to her and dissolved into her palm. "You still didn't explain yourself. I'm waiting."

Was there an explanation that didn't involve him getting cut open like a swine? Probably not. Roman smiled and nodded, tugging at his collar, then taking a moment to adjust his cap. "Would you care to come inside and have a drink while we talk?"

"Answers. Now."

"Fine, fine! Yes, perhaps I've been a little… Carefree in my time here. But can you blame me? I have everything I could possibly want, I have access to the palace, I hear all kinds of interesting and, dare I say, salacious rumors. You wouldn't believe the things that people discuss openly when they think they're among their peers!"

"You won't believe how quickly I can lop off your head either." Raven's thumb caressed the guard of her sword. "Care to find out?"

Letting out a frightened squeak more befitting of a mouse he held up his hands and took a half step back. "I've neglected keeping in touch, okay? It's not like any of you have sent me letters either though! You haven't sent a messenger, Hazel hasn't, and -"

"If there were new developments that were important, you'd have been informed. You know about the Schnee girl and her friends already so there's no point." The black-haired woman paused, then frowned, black scales along her face garish against her pale skin. "Which brings me to my original point. Why. Haven't. You. Been. Updating. Us."

"See, there's been a recent… Turn of events. Ones that I haven't quite had time to work around, but I am! It's just…" The sword inched out of its sheath and his eyes widened. "Wardens! Wardens attacked the Schnee and the cat! I tried to tell them not to go back but they returned to the city!"

"And you let them!?"

"What was I going to do, lock them up here? If I kidnapped them then the Church would send Hunters, or worse, more Wardens, and I'd be exposed. I couldn't risk that!" Roman sighed and lifted his cap to rub at his forehead. "I didn't think they'd be stupid enough to return but the Schnee girl seems to trust Ozpin still. I thought she was supposed to be smart."

"Wonderful. At least you delivered the invitations. You did that much, didn't you?" He nodded. "Then they'll be meeting with the king soon. Ozpin can't do anything to them without someone noticing their absence."

"Eheh… About that."

"Roman…?"

"I've heard from some sources that those two weren't the only ones attacked. They were attacked in the city, and that made a bigger scene, but there was another attack outside of the city too. A farm where… Erm…" This was the part where she killed him wasn't it? Roman cleared his throat and wrung his hands together. "They… May have attacked your daughter and the Rose girl. And… They may have… Sort of… Taken them?"

He expected an explosion of anger, or maybe a blade to the chest. Raven stared at him for a time before nodding to herself, tapping her chin in thought. Neo glanced back at him warily and tried to ease him back just in case. It wasn't like the woman was _that_ unreasonable. Scary, sure, but she wasn't the brute that people assumed her to be.

Roman groaned when his back slammed into the stone and stars filled his eyes. Neo gasped and fell into a bush. The branches of the willow cracked, fluttering erratically, and pieces of loam and mulch flew everywhere. A boot slammed into his chest and he tried to grab it, yelping when a sword hovered before his face, close enough that the tip brushed against his nose, blood trickling down onto his upper lip.

"You had _one_ job, Roman. Keep the Wardens off them, whatever it takes. One fucking job."

"I t-tried! I gave them the invitations; I was having them watched day and night! I'm not sure how they managed -"

"Because it's what they do you moron! You got complacent and they made a fool of you!" Raven growled and put the green blade to his neck. "I should kill you for your incompetence…" she narrowed angry pools of red. "But I won't because as much as I hate to admit it we still need you. But you had better have a plan to fix this."

Slowly, once the blade was moved, Roman pushed himself up, leaning on his hands before sitting up. He fished out a cloth with a trembling hand and wiped his lip dry, then his nose. "I'm working on it. I have contacts in the Church, I'm trying to find where they were taken."

"Find out faster."

"I am _trying_ , but this isn't exactly the kind of thing you can ask about openly. And I'd prefer not to get my contacts killed by being hasty!"

"Ralthor's balls…" Raven grumbled, stomping away before returning, lips curling. "I have played their damn games to prevent this from happening, and for what? I did not make myself an assassin for those pricks because I wanted to!" She glanced over to Neo who found her way out of the bush, a small gash bleeding on her shoulder. "You will stay where you are or the next wound will be a fatal one."

"And you…" Raven squatted down and laid her sword across her knees. "You are going to get that information for me by tomorrow, and you are going to contact Hazel. If they're using Wardens, then I'll need help getting them out."

"You're going to attack them?!"

"No, I'm going to fucking walk in and ask nicely for my daughter back. Yes, I'm going to attack them!" Raven spat.

"But Hazel's position -"

"Hells take his position! I bet he wants nothing to do with it anyways knowing him. Tell him to either come himself or send someone else, I really don't care. I just need more bodies." She paused, her eyes flickering to Neo. "She's coming with me," she added. "And you, if I need it. Any good in a fight?"

"I um -"

"Good. You made this mess so it's only right you help fix it." Raven patted his cheek, or more smacked it, stinging his skin. She stood back and pinched the bridge of her nose. "What a wonderful shitshow this is… And what about the others? Schnee and Belladonna?"

"L-Like I said they went back into the city. I haven't gotten word of where they've gone from there, or if they're even alive!"

"Ozpin wouldn't have killed them. He needs Weiss just like we do." She began to walk away, holding out her hand and conjuring another bird. She whispered to it and sent it on its way before glancing back at Roman. "Get to work."

"A-And where are you going? I could use some help with the search!"

"I am helping you though." She smiled, patting the blades on her hip. "I'm going to get those two back from Oz while you start looking."

Back from… "Are you insane? If you go into the city they'll have your head! It's crawling with Hunters!"

"If they're in the city then I'll figure something out. But I'll know for sure before long." Raven nodded towards the bird beginning to disappear in the distance. Roman called for her to wait and went ignored.

She kept on walking, frightening a poor serving girl that had just come outside. Raven took the bottle from the tray she carried, popped the cork, took a long drink, then set it down and patted the girl's back, nearly knocking her over. She disappeared into the house.

Neo was at his side in an instant and helped him to his feet despite her wound. He brushed her off and took the same bloody cloth to her shoulder, pressing down and letting her hold it in place. "Come on, let's get you inside and have them patch you up." He couldn't bring himself to smile fully while he dug into his pocket and produced a cigar, nodding gratefully as Neo lit it.

"Gods… Well, we're technically not dead yet," he mused morbidly, taking a long drag.

Technically. Life was full of technicalities.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Caught between exiting and entering the city nigh incessantly as of late Weiss was becoming intimately familiar with the guards at the gate. A few she knew by name - Richmond, the oldest man who walked with a limp, greeted her, Blake, and Glynda with a lopsided smile. Hans and Erik, two of the more regular faces, sat by one of the barricades playing a game of dice. Weiss waved when they looked up and shook her head at an offer to play. Official business and all.

The others she didn't recognize. The city had hundreds if not thousands of guards inside its walls. Guards to escort nobility, guards to watch over warehouses. Patrols to keep the streets clean, ones out at the docks to keep the peace and oversee trades and shipments. Even more patrolled beyond the walls regularly. That she knew even a handful by name was remarkable.

With regular traffic in and out of Vale getting through the gate was as simple as them, or rather, Glynda flashing her mark. They were sent through without a moment's hesitation and moved to the side of the road to let a cart filled with crates rattle on by.

"We're going to Cress farm, a small plot about a mile out of the city. From what we understand that was the last place Miss Rose and Miss Xiao Long were spotted. From there we'll search the immediate area for clues." Glynda, hands folded behind her back, looked over her shoulder to her and Blake. "You two are to assist in the search but allow me to handle questions, am I clear?"

"Yes ma'am," Weiss said. Blake nodded stoically. "If we do find information though…?"

"Whatever we find we'll bring back to the Archbishop and he'll organize a search party if necessary. Given they have Wardens under their command this is not something you two should take lightly."

Weiss wasn't, although she wasn't thrilled leaving it to someone else either. If the people responsible decided to move Ruby and Yang, then they would be long gone before anything was done. If matters weren't so dire, she'd almost laugh at how obscene it was; they'd rescued Ruby only for her to end up captured again. It was like having a princess that constantly found herself kidnapped.

... Did that make her Ruby's knight?

 _She isn't allowed to leave my side after this, I swear. It's like the universe is conspiring to keep us apart._ Her heart wasn't going to survive many more of these surprises.

The walk out was spent largely in silence. Glynda had no reason to speak and Blake… Well getting Blake to converse most days was as easy as taming a Grimm; impossible without magic. Cress farm, which was a 'small' plot, had to easily cover half an acre. While the home itself was small and the barn relatively small as well it was clear that despite the fields they worked the family had little wealth of their own.

It was also clear that this was the site of the battle.

Long before Weiss ever saw the painted sign with the family name, she noticed tree roots jutting out of the earth, twisted and gnarled. Soil upturned, great pits had formed where the roots drove through, forming muddy puddles from an earlier rainfall. A day and a half since their disappearance and no work had been done to repair the damage wrought. Not that Weiss would even know where to begin.

Passing through a rickety wooden gate they had to move around the path leading to the farmhouse. A patch of grass turned black from flames crumpled in the wind revealing scorched earth. Spires of stone thrust upward, jagged and sharpened like a spearhead.

Weiss paused at a trail of scorched earth and stared, inching closer to the grass and kneeling down. She thought it had been charred blades of grass but instead of black it was deep red, crimson. Dried blood.

"Miss Schnee."

Yang's, Ruby's, or someone else's? She bit her lip and hurried after Glynda, past a small pond on their right and a field of golden wheat to their left. Outside the farmhouse two young children played with their pet dog and upon seeing them both went running into the building. The dog, small as it was, ran towards them, stopped short, and began to bark.

A haggard looking man came out of the house to greet them, dark rings under his eyes and one arm in a cloth sling, bandages around his forearm. Wary, and understandably so, he kept his distance, nervously itching at his bandaged arm. "Yes…? How can I help you?"

"You must be Wyatt Cress. Glynda Goodwitch," the strict woman greeted. "I'm here on behalf of the Church to ask you a few questions about recent events. If you could please cooperate, we'll be out of your way shortly."

His leathery face twisted slightly, forming a half-smile, half-grimace. "More Church business… Ain't supposing I got much choice. So be it, ask your questions then."

Weiss hoped they'd go inside and sit but they remained out in the road, under the sun that gradually grew warmer and warmer. Pulling at her jerkin she grimaced feeling her doublet peel off her skin. Having had to trade in her usual tunic for more formal wear, something more befitting a Hunter, she found the heavier clothing unbearable. Blake fared little better, although at least they'd let her keep her scarf. As if a scarf in the waning summer heat made sense.

"We understand that your property was the site of a battle between a small group of Magi. Can you confirm the identities of those involved for me?" Glynda asked.

"Aye… Was Tai's girls, Ruby and Yang. They was here ridin' some of our horses around, sweet girls, those two. Favor for a favor from their old man." Wyatt wriggled his nose, snorted, then turned and spit. "They was having the time of their lives when a group of guards and some hooligans rode up, started demanding they go along with 'em."

"And this group, you mentioned guards, but what about other people? Were there any striking features about them?"

"Wore cloaks white as snow, they did. Kept their faces hidden until the fightin' started. Besides that, weren't much to see. One was a girl, can't be much older than Tai's girls, and the other was a big lout, good six feet or so."

Glynda began drumming her fingers behind her back, inhaling through her nose. "Care to elaborate…?"

"The man's face, aye, I got a good look at that I did. Square jaw, trimmed beard, mean brown eyes dark as coal. Spoke in a real deep voice, the sort that'll make you shit yourself if he catches you in an alley." Weiss grimaced at the phrasing. Glynda nodded, listening as though any of that meant anything. "Lass I got less of a good look at. Purple hair, short. Not much else really."

"That's more than enough, thank you. Are you aware of the general direction they might have gone? Did you see them leave?"

The man turned sheepish and scratched at his grey tinged russet beard. "I… I didn't. Got knocked by a spell, cut my arm pretty good. Hid, then by the time it ended they was already gone. Not been able to get any answers from anyone." He looked past Glynda to Weiss and Blake, then stepped forward cautiously. "You two… I recognize you. You're friends with the girls, ain't you?"

"We are, and we're doing everything we can to help find them," Weiss said. She made sure Glynda wasn't cross with her for speaking then smiled when given a nod. "The Church is going to do everything it can to help find them, I promise."

"Ain't the Church responsible for this to begin with? They had your marks, miss," he said to Glynda. "That makes 'em some of your own, don't they? What's your boss thinkin' having those two attacked like that?" Wyatt's face grew red. "You got some nerve coming here."

"What happened was not condoned by the Archbishop or any of us. A rogue cell of our own is responsible for this." She bowed her head. "I'm sorry that you've had to experience this, our own inattentiveness allowed this to happen, but please do not accuse us of causing this. We do not deal in the business of attacking our own like that."

What could she do but nod in agreement? Ozpin had said as much and she believed him. Sure, he'd withheld information but only because it was necessary. The Church wasn't perfect, but it wasn't some wicked entity either. And a few unruly Hunters didn't make the entire organization corrupt.

"Anyways, thank you for your time, Mr. Cress. If we have any further questions, we'll be in touch with you. As for your land…" Glynda took a survey of the ruined property, sighed, and adjusted her spectacles. "We will have someone out by tomorrow to repair the damage done. If any of your crops, animals, or belongings were damaged we will also compensate you accordingly."

Wyatt nodded but didn't leave yet. He came closer instead and looked between Blake and Weiss. "Please make sure those girls come back alright? I… Something ain't right with Yang. I don't know what but it ain't no magic I've ever seen before. And Ruby… That girl ain't cut out for this life, I swears it. Please make sure they're both safe?" He grabbed Weiss' hand and she shuffled her feet, looking for help from Blake.

"We'll get them back," the Meera nodded, ears folding, then swiveling. A raven flew overhead, circling around them. It cried out repeatedly, and while high above them Weiss couldn't quite make out the words it sounded an awful lot like 'found'.

Both turned at the sound of boots on the ground and the crunch of gravel. Glynda turned with them and cursed, putting an arm out and keeping her and Blake back.

"You! You have some nerve showing yourself here!

Raven smiled as a portal blinked shut behind her, dropping a stone at her feet. "Hello to you too, Glynda. It's been far too long."

"Not long enough. You're either insane or you've lost your mind, coming here." Glynda raised a hand, fingers stretched. A purple aura engulfed some of the larger stones and they trembled before rising out of the ground, circling above Raven. "I have enough to deal with at the moment so I suggest you leave here, now."

"Hm…" Raven drew her green blade and balanced it on her shoulder. "I can't do that. You've got something I need." She smiled. "Two somethings, actually. I'll get out of your hair as soon as I get those two off your hands."

"What are you doing here?" Weiss balked, stepping past Glynda. "We want nothing to do with you!"

"No? You might change your mind when you hear what I have to say." She leveled her sword at Glynda, eyes locked on the woman. "Your friends, my daughter and her sister, they were taken by Wardens. And guess who orders them around?"

"What happened was not our doing, Raven. Neither Ozpin nor myself sent -"

"You're the only ones who can! Don't feed me that shit!" Raven shouted. She twisted the blade, dull edge skyward, angled down. Green wisps appeared and circled the blade, twisting like twin snakes, and a small burst of air created a cloud of dust at her feet.

"Like I said, I'll leave, but not before those two come with me. I'm going to need their help getting my daughter back." She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Again. So, either hand them over or I can kick your ass and take them. What happens next is up to you, Goodbitch."

* * *

 **There we are! Bit of info for magic, setting up some character relationships, and some fun in the coming chapters.**

 **I just want to take a moment and thank everyone that reads my little story. I really ought to do it after every chapter but I haven't. So, thanks! That even one person seems to enjoy it makes writing it worthwhile.**

 **Y'all are the best!**


	43. Chapter 43: Alliance

**Who's got delays? We've got delays! We've got long delays, short delays, delays for good reasons, delays for no reason! If you need a delay then come on dooooown!**

 **Sorry it took so long to get this one out. My sanity is fine, I swear.**

* * *

 _Goodbitch? Seriously? Does she think she sounds clever?_

Weiss would have laughed at the schoolyard taunt if Goodwitch and Raven weren't poised to kill each other. They couldn't let this fight happen; the farm would be destroyed if not by the duel then by the resulting Grimm. Close to the city or not it was a disaster waiting to happen.

And why was Raven so keen to fight? This close to the city it was suicide to start a fight. She had to know that. Was she that desperate?

 _This is ridiculous._ Weiss, throwing common sense to the wind, marched out between the women, passing beneath hovering stones and staring down the bandit's blade.

"Schnee, what are you doing?" Raven hissed.

Raven's weapon was peculiar, she'd come to realize. Green and red, strange colors for blades, but perhaps there was a reason for it? She utilized fire and wind, not unlike how Weiss preferred ice with her runes. It was why her rapier being made of Everfrost was so good; both good for enhancing her magic and for her specialty in ice magic. Did Raven use those blades for the same reasons?

She wouldn't dream of drawing her weapon on either woman. Still she gripped her weapon, holding it, comforted by the slightly chilled steel. Fighting was absolutely out of the question. So, she'd settle for the next best thing.

Weiss drew a deep breath, closed her eyes, and doubled forward.

"Are you two absolute idiots?!" Blake cringed at her piercing yell. A small flock of swallows took flight from the nearby tree. Weiss turned on Raven, steeling herself as she stared down the bandit. "You're asking to be killed coming near the city like this! And for what? Suddenly you care about your daughter? You sure didn't seem to before!"

"I saved her, didn't I? I saved _you_." The last word came in a growl and Raven stepped closer. One of the rocks halted above them. "Unless you're forgetting, Schnee, I _own_ you. Now move aside."

"No one _owns_ me. I have allegiances but I am a free woman," Weiss retorted, a hand to her chest. "You saved me, yes, but that means I owe you a favor, nothing more." Raven bared her teeth but didn't advance. Weiss turned on her heel, sent a silent prayer to whatever god might be listening, and stared at Goodwitch. "You know what magic does, don't you? Why are you so ready to endanger the farm then?"

"Miss Schnee, watch what you -"

"No! You're putting these people in danger by using your magic so carelessly! What happens if Grimm appear? Are you two going to keep fighting or protect the farms? Or is that mine and Blake's job?" Weiss shook her head angrily. "You're both being ridiculous! We're working towards the same goal! We're on the same side!"

"I am not on their side, Schnee."

"For once I'm in agreement with her," Goodwitch said. "She is not an ally of the Church. She has killed far too many of our own."

Realizing perhaps the futility of her efforts Blake took Mr. Cress and ushered him back towards his home. A crowd was forming, inevitable really. How often did these people get to see something like this? The most exciting part of their days were probably whenever a wild animal wandered onto their lands.

"Miss Goodwitch…" Weiss took a breath to calm herself. "I'm not excusing what Raven has done but you can't say you're surprised. All this subterfuge, these secrets, it's only natural people dislike the Church."

"And you," Weiss turned Raven. "What did you expect to happen to you? You attack villages, kill Hunters, and you take delight in it! They're justified in sending people after you!"

"The secrets they keep -"

"Everyone has secrets! Remnant has been safer since the Church was formed. I'm just as sick of not being told everything as you are but don't act like they're the only ones at fault! Now please." Weiss raised her hands then dropped them at her sides with a resigned sigh. "We're on the same side in this. Can we just work together, just this once?"

A fight would endanger people. A fight would potentially tip off her friends' captors that someone was beginning to search for them. Weiss doubted they were ignorant of that fact but she didn't want to take chances. They couldn't afford to fight now.

Would they cooperate?

Weiss jumped as a rock fell behind her, then another. Surprised, she watched Raven sheathe her blade and take a step back, hand never leaving the grip. It was good enough, more than she could have hoped for. A weight fell from her shoulders along with the rocks and Weiss exhaled, shaking hands smoothing out her hair as she took a moment to herself. _That could have been disastrous…_

"You sound just like Ozpin, brat," Raven said.

Goodwitch cleared her throat loudly. "You mean she sounds reasonable," she corrected, fixing her spectacles.

"She sounds like a fucking mouthpiece. You lot really do a good job at brainwashing your soldiers don't you?"

"I am not brainwashed. I'm perfectly capable of thinking for myself. I'm also perfectly capable of seeing what a colossal waste of time all of this is!" Weiss, still between the women, took a step back. Blake rejoined her and remained silent. "We're working towards the same goal, aren't we? Then histories be damned, let's work together!"

"I told you I'm not cooperating with a scoundrel, Miss Schnee."

"I'd sooner slit my own throat than work with the Church."

What did an aneurysm feel like? Weiss swore she was having one. Either that or a splitting migraine brought on by sheer stupidity. Nursing at her temples she inhaled sharply through her nose, reigning in a series of expletives.

"Miss Goodwitch? The Church has formally forgiven Blake, hasn't it?" Weiss asked.

"Yes, as per our agreement."

"Then, if I understand correctly, you're forgiving the murder of nobility yet not of Hunters?"

Goodwitch's brow furrowed. "Do not make false equivalencies. Miss Belladonna's crimes -"

"What? They were done on someone else's orders? So that absolves her of guilt?"

Blake sighed beside her, nudging her with her elbow. "I'm perfectly fine not being involved in this, you know."

"I'm making a point," Weiss hissed under her breath. "You can't call Blake innocent yet damn Raven for the same crimes. Either they're equal or -"

"Killing people meant to protect the kingdoms harms everyone, Miss Schnee. Nobility is replaceable. It is far easier to instruct someone in the ways of governance and law than it is to train a Hunter. A village can survive without its leader, or one can be sent in the interim. The same cannot be said for a village which loses its Hunter."

"Except she only kills Wardens." Because that somehow made it a lesser evil. Raven wasn't giving her much to work with. "Which yes, is worse _if_ she kills the ones who created barriers, but you and Ozpin said before that of the twenty-four in the kingdom you were only missing one. Clearly Raven hasn't been making sport of slaying them then if that's the case."

Goodwitch's face held a slight scowl, she narrowed her eyes, and said nothing.

"You've worked with us before, several times," Weiss went on, directing her attention again to Raven. "You don't kill the Hunters which protect settlements so clearly you recognize not all of them deserve your…" she rolled her eyes. "Justice, or whatever you call it. You can work with Hunters if you get over yourself."

"I cooperated with you runts because I needed you. Because my daughter was with you."

"Stop pretending you care so much," Blake interjected. _So much for staying out of it._ "She's told me about you. How you left the family alone, how you never helped her until it was convenient for you. Stop using Yang as justification; she's your daughter, not some excuse."

"Watch your mouths. What I've done is none of your concern -"

"We think it is. You're involved with us, one way or another, and you expected us to just leave with you, no questions asked? I think we're perfectly justified in being concerned." Weiss held her hands together. "Stop being a hypocrite. We'll work with you to save Yang, but clearly the Church won't leave you be."

"So, we should agree to a truce here and now. Raven cooperates, the Church assists, and we save our friends. Again." With any luck it would be for the final time. With the way things were escalating the entire kingdom would be involved in the next rescue effort before long.

 _Edos be good… If I just jinxed us…_

Bystanders, realizing that a fight had been avoided, began to disperse. Goodwitch removed her spectacles and rubbed her eyes, grumbling something that sounded incredibly rude under her breath. Grumpiness was fine, she'd tolerate it if that meant these two would stop.

"This is a waste of time…" Raven spat. "You two just come with me already. I have someone looking into where they've gone. We can move as soon as I have information."

"Oh, you mean Lord Bisset?" Weiss took no small satisfaction seeing the bandit's jaw drop. She might have just gotten the man killed, hopefully not, but she took some pleasure in the shock. "I'm well acquainted with him too. We could all make the trip over there now."

"Wait, she knows Lord Bisset?" Goodwitch's brow shot up and she leveled an accusing glare at Raven, then another at Weiss. "Miss Schnee, if you're not telling us something -"

"With all due respect, ma'am, you're not the only ones who can harbor secrets. Spare me your accusations, please."

Raven actually laughed at that while Blake snorted and shook her head. That very well could have just landed her in some deep trouble. _If I haven't already damned myself then I might as well keep going._

"Lord Bisset can continue his search, and he'll send word to _all_ of us when he finds out where they are. We'll pool resources and go after them as soon as we know where to attack." Weiss smiled. "Then, once this matter is settled, everyone can go their separate ways. Everyone can go back to hating each other or whatever it is you do."

Raven put a hand to her hip and scoffed. "Hm. Where'd you find a spine, Schnee?"

"This is insubordination, Miss Schnee. You're fortunate that your proposal has some validity to it otherwise I'd have you punished for your defiance." Goodwitch, reaching into the satchel on her hip, drew a Waystone and stepped away from the group. "Ozpin will be informed of this. All of this."

"Fine." Weiss threw up her hands. "Put the blame on me if you need to, I'm not going to apologize for doing what's right here. What's necessary."

The enemy of your enemy as the saying went. Did she want to work with Raven? Not particularly. Did she trust the Church? Somewhat. The fact remained that they would need help to save her friends; with at least four Wardens involved they'd need an equal number themselves to have a chance, and that was assuming there were only four.

"I suggest you return to the city post-haste. Ozpin will want to speak with you two." Weiss couldn't help but roll her eyes. Goodwitch held out the Waystone and the rune on it glowed, projecting a white stream that cut into the air itself. It shimmered, hissing and snapping, forming a portal. "Raven, I humbly suggest you stay as far away as possible. Even the slightest provocation and this tenuous agreement is off."

"Run on back to your little master," Raven cooed, shooing Goodwitch away with a grin. "Oh, and if you see my little brother do tell him I said hello. It's been a while; I hope he's well."

Goodwitch sniffed before disappearing into the portal. It snapped shut behind her and Weiss rubbed at one of her temples again, frowning feeling a nagging pain behind it.

"I'll admit, Schnee, I planned on killing her and taking you two by force. But this arrangement of yours could be interesting." Ah, and there was the source of her headache. "They'll give me some nice meatshields while I work my way to Yang."

"And Ruby," she said curtly.

"Yes, yes, and Summer's brat too. Relax, I'm not going to leave either of them there." Raven chuckled, resting a hand on her blades as she turned to leave.

"Wait. You told us before you weren't going to become involved anymore. And you do not own us," Weiss reiterated. "Plus, you clearly haven't cared enough in the past to help Yang, so why now? What's changed?"

"Hm. I don't know. Maybe it's just a whim?" Raven glanced back and smirked, cocking her head. "You just keep being a good dog, Schnee. Let me worry about the rest."

Tempting as it was to bite back Weiss was keener to see the woman gone. Watching Raven stroll away she let out a long sigh, sank to her knees and hung her head. The farm was still standing, no Grimm appeared, and, for the moment anyways, an unlikely alliance had been formed. Whether it would stand the test when everything began was something she could worry about later.

Right now though? After the Wardens attack, Bisset saving them, and now this? She'd done more in a day than most had in a lifetime, she felt. Falling onto her back she let her limbs splay out, staring up at the cloudless blue sky. Blake blocked out the sun, standing over her with a slightly bemused expression, black hair falling in curtains to frame her face.

"They're probably going to ream you for this, you know that right?"

She did. Even if this worked Weiss was sure there would be consequences. Maybe not quite as dire as being sent on a suicide mission as before but certainly some form of punishment. _They agreed though,_ she told herself with a smile.

They wouldn't have agreed if the potential for success didn't exist, however slight.

She'd probably be in for a world of hurt after the rescue but right now she just couldn't bring herself to care; the day had used up the last of her concerns.

"Let's get back. I want a meal, then my bed."

"You're really going to go right back there? They just all but arrested you, Weiss," Blake pointed out.

"Where else? Besides, that's where the others are." Weiss sat up and plucked a blade of grass from her hair. "I'm thinking we might be able to convince them to lend a hand."

"Without telling Ozpin to do it?" Weiss was helped to her feet and she dusted herself off. "You're a glutton for punishment today."

"This alliance is shaky at best. I want someone with us that we know we can trust, and we can trust those four." Pyrrha and Jaune, Nora and Ren. They were too new to be as unreasonable as Goodwitch, and while inundating them with the 'truths' of the world felt unfair she'd like no one more to work alongside. "But that can come tomorrow. Let's relax for today…" She looked up, the sun since past its zenith, gradually making its way towards the horizon. "What's left of it."

/+/+/+/+/+/

Weiss had been _up_ Ozpin's tower numerous times in her time in Vale, but never down. Hells, she wasn't even aware there was a down until today.

After spending all of last night dealing with inner turmoil, she had dragged herself to the lifts only to be redirected by Goodwitch. "Not up", she had said, taking Weiss past the usual cages, through the rear of the building, past the clergymen's quarters. In the far end of the main cathedral a solitary lift sat behind, of all things, a false bookcase. In an otherwise unassuming miniature library tucked away in a forgotten corner this other lift waited for them.

Why the secrecy? Weiss had asked as she and Goodwitch filed inside to no answer. Perhaps tellingly was that the lift itself, squared, was made of solid sheets of metal, not bars like the public lifts, nor could she detect the usual grind of chains as they whirred, cogs churning in motion.

The lift was immaculate, not a scratch or dent anywhere. When it stopped after a minute's descent, they entered a long, spacious corridor, pillars lining it, sconces holding candles aloft, already lit.

"Mind the walls, Miss Schnee. They mean you no harm."

"The walls…?"

Curiosity got the better of her and Weiss paused to stare at a gap between the pillars. Pale yellow bricks, unassuming, rose high above, disappearing into the shadows overhead. There was nothing to note about them. Stepping closer, glancing at Goodwitch who watched on with a slight frown, she reached out towards the wall.

In the blink of an eye the stone shifted, and a hand of rock shot out, grasping her wrist.

"Hells!" Weiss screamed, pulling hard as she could. The hand refused to budge and to her horror pulled her closer, other hands reaching out. "Make it stop!"

Goodwitch snapped her fingers and at once the hand released her and she fell back with a thud. Grasping blindly, the limbs receded into rock once more and the wall became flat, unremarkable. Panting, Weiss pulled herself back on her hands and stared.

"A security measure to prevent unwanted guests from roaming these halls." Her lips twitched and a smile flickered before the usual stern expression returned. "Once we're finished here you'll have no problem walking these halls."

Weiss nodded, rising to her feet and clutching her hands to her chest, heart beating wildly. "Th-that's a relief…"

"Until then," Goodwitch continued, walking away again. "I humbly suggest you refrain from wandering away. They won't kill you, but I can't promise it won't be unpleasant."

"What will they do…?"

The woman smiled properly this time and hummed. "Hold you until one of the Sentries arrives."

"Sentries…?" Weiss wasn't sure she wanted to know.

"We're likely to encounter one or two on our way. Do keep up." Weiss, realizing she had been lagging behind, jogged to match Goodwitch's pace, moving just a bit closer for good measure. "You seem less enthusiastic than before."

"Y-Yes, well, that was before I knew the building itself might kill me."

"Restrain you. Killing intruders is the job of the Sentries, not the Gatekeepers."

Weiss paled, then gawked seeing her escort smiling to herself. "You… You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"I haven't the faintest idea what you could mean."

She'd wished that Blake could have come along to at least have someone to suffer alongside her. Now though? Blake was the lucky one, not having to venture down here.

Wardens. Sentries. Gatekeepers.

If Weiss didn't know any better the Church made a habit of using presumptuous names for their rank and file to make it sound more grandiose. Maybe they did it precisely for that reason.

Her eyes darted to the wall at her right, drawing in a sharp breath through pursed lips. They couldn't hear her thoughts, right? The last thing she wanted were those unholy hands grabbing her again because she'd had a dissident thought.

When Goodwitch had said 'halls' Weiss expected perhaps two or three branching paths. Yet from the main corridor where the lift arrived there were a multitude of pathways, branching out like limbs on a tree, intersecting, leading to rooms, dead ends, and gods knew where a guide Weiss would certainly have become lost. The fact that every hallway was much the same didn't help navigation at all either.

The walls were all the same yellowing brick, weathered as if struck by blasts of wind; the air in the halls was still. The flooring, made of dark tiles, shone like onyx in the candlelight, showing years of scuffs and scrapes. There was no furniture in the halls beyond the sconces and Weiss wondered more than once if anyone ever ventured down here.

One corridor after another they walked, navigating the maze of seemingly neglected pathways. Just as Weiss had begun to grow weary and suspect Goodwitch herself lost they rounded a corner and came to a halt.

For all the walking they had done she'd expected something grand. A giant hall, an auditorium, something remarkable hidden away in the cathedral's furthest corners.

Instead a single door at the end of the hall was all that awaited them. Light seeped beneath the heavy wooden slab and Goodwitch approached, passing by a twin pair of stone statues set into small indentations along the wall. Weiss wasn't sure why she was surprised when their heads turned, slowly, eyeless sockets tracking her movements. Hearing stone grating on itself she hurried after her senior, fumbling nervously with her sleeve as she waited.

"Archbishop? We're here." A muted response answered them, and the door swung open without so much as a sound. Ozpin sat just inside, nursing a mug with a tome in his lap. Further inside Oobleck lingered along with Port and two other instructors she'd had as an initiate; Ahmar Fatalwa, a Vacuo native with a demeanor as pleasant as a King Taijitu's, and Azalea Belle, a woman so energetic, so excitable that it made Ruby and even Nora seem tame by comparison.

That Belle only smiled and nodded at her then was disconcerting.

"It's about time you've arrived," Ahmar growled. More spoke, really. Evidently a throat injury years ago had reduced his voice to an unpleasant gravelly sound. "You take the long way, Glynda?"

Goodwitch closed the door behind them, turning up her nose as she strode into the room. "I took the most direct route. It's not my fault this building is a labyrinth."

"We owe our thanks in that regard to our forebears. They developed the tunnels as a means to deter interlopers, along with those charming stone creatures. Why, I don't think if we were to build this structure today, we'd need to go to such lengths; a simple ward or illusion would be enough to trick most people!"

Port's mustache quivered, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Do I hear a complaint about history, Bart?"

"The history is fine and sound, but the necessity leaves much to be desired. Why, to maintain all of this, not to mention catalogue every square foot, keep track of the Sentries, make sure the enchantments are up to date…"

Bickering, Port and Oobleck began to debate the points of, what the latter liked to call, "a convoluted attempt to deter intruders that have long since stopped prowling these halls." Weiss would agree it was excessive.

It had certainly made her never want to wander beneath the cathedral alone though.

For how many people there were the choice of space was an odd one. Hardly larger than her room with a desk claiming a quarter of it it was any wonder they'd picked this of all spots to meet. Hells, Weiss still wasn't sure why they needed to meet down where they had. Why not above ground? In Ozpin's office? Anywhere would be preferable.

As far as meeting spots went this was easily among the most dismal. The candles along the walls did little to illuminate anything, casting long, eeries shadows and silhouettes against a paneled wooden wall. The room itself, the air she now had to share with six other souls, had an acridity to it that made her throat itch and nostrils burn.

Maybe it had something to do with the container on the desk? Ozpin sat beside it, watching her as she stared at the small oblong box, creeping vines carved into the light wood; her sense of smell was far from acute, but she was certain the odor came from there.

"If you gentlemen are quite finished," Ozpin interrupted, silencing both the bickering men and Weiss' musings. Lowering his hand, he shifted in his chair, crossing one leg over the other. "Thank you for joining us, Weiss. And please forgive the unusual location. With recent developments I felt it best to conduct ourselves with a little more discretion."

Did he mean her sneaking Blake in with her before or something else? Blake had been sent off on an unrelated task, much to Weiss' chagrin, so that wouldn't be a problem. _Does he mean nobles? Raven?_ She wondered what about any of this required so much secrecy.

"Sir… If you don't mind my asking," she began, giving voice to her thoughts. "This all seems like a bit much. Doesn't becoming a Warden just involve receiving a new mark?"

"Among other things. Typically, you would be trained and, given your proclivity towards runes, we'd have you learn how to create wards. Recent events however have made us need haste." Ozpin smiled. "The rest of your training will come once this sordid matter is resolved, I promise. For now, however, we'll simply adjust your mark."

"That makes sense." Kind of. Not really. Weiss folded her arms and shuffled in place, craning her neck to peek at the box again, then settled when made aware everyone present was watching her. "If I could ask another question? What exactly will this new mark allow me to do? Isn't it just an identifier?"

"If you'd stop asking questions, we'd explain it to you," Ahmar barked.

"There's no harm in a little curiosity, Ahmar," Ozpin chided gently. "A typical Hunter's Mark, the Mark of the Church, whatever you'd like to call it," the Archbishop waved dismissively. "Serves purely as an identifier, a symbol that you are a Magi in the employ of the Church of Remnant. A Warden's mark differs in that while it also serves as an identifier it offers unique boons to those who bare it. Azalea, if you would?"

"Gladly, sir! You see, Weiss, the Warden's mark not only serves to show who you are but it also reduces the fatigue that a Magi endures when casting magic!" The woman steepled her fingers, face split by a toothy smile as she bounced on the balls of her feet. "It's incredible, really! It helps to mitigate the symptoms of Spellcast Sickness and lets us cast spells with reckless abandon!"

"Not quite reckless abandon, but with far less consequence than a typical Hunter," Oobleck corrected. "Since a Warden's job is so demanding, whether supplying the magic to create a barrier or deal with rogue Magi it is often necessary to be able to draw upon larger reserves of magic. The Warden's mark enables us to do precisely that."

"And there will be time for questions later," Ozpin added, smiling the moment Weiss' mouth opened. "How it works, why we only give it to a select few, so on and so forth. For the time being those details should suffice."

Even if that was all the mark did then it was remarkable. Weiss groaned inwardly; she could imagine Yang's laughter at her unintentional pun. Was that a pun...?

She did have a hundred questions and being told she'd have to wait for answers was frustrating. Fitting, given the Church's penchant for withholding things, but no less frustrating. Her eyes drifted to the strange container once more and her nose wrinkled. "Does that have anything to do with this…?"

"Yes, actually. While a typical Hunter's Mark is made exclusively by magic, one of a Warden requires extra ingredients. It seems I'll be offering an explanation after all." Ozpin took the box, waved his hand over it. A green glow engulfed the latch and it popped open. "Spellcast Sickness takes a toll on Magi because it attacks the body itself. It is, after a fact, miasma which forms as a product of spells themselves."

"By using the life force of another creature, and yes I do mean its blood, we can use it as a catalyst to redirect some of that miasma. A one-time application acts as a sort of… Sponge, shall we say, absorbing the putrid byproducts and releasing them safely. An antiquated solution, admittedly, one which dates back to the origins of the Church itself, but an effective one."

"Glynda was kind enough to find an animal for us to use as well!" Azalea giggled, ushering Weiss over. Against her wishes she inched forward, leaning in as Ozpin opened the container. "A bit of a random choice but it'll work just fine!"

"It's… A raven?"

If she wasn't mistaken, she saw Goodwitch smile for half a second. The implication, however discreet, wasn't lost on her either. Weiss shivered, covering her mouth with her hand as a waft of rotted flesh hit her nose.

"Gods!" she gagged, fanning the air before her. "How long has it been dead?!"

"Since this morning," Goodwitch answered. "I may have caused undue harm to the bird in the process of acquiring it. Its blood should still work just fine however."

"She almost splattered the damn thing against my window," Ahmar grumbled.

"I was trying to make its death quick, Ahmar."

"Then why in the bleeding hells did you hit it five times?!"

"Might we get on with the matter at hand?" Both Goodwitch and Ahmar went silent immediately. Rising from his chair, taking the container back, Ozpin chuckled at Weiss' paling complexion. "I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to take a seat while I administer the mark, Weiss. And, if I may, perhaps pinch your nose while I work?"

"How are you not all gagging?" Weiss wondered aloud as she sank into the lone seat.

"We're used to it," Azalea answered easily, cheerily. That wasn't off-putting at all.

Oh how lovely, so they built up a tolerance to fetid rot. Would the day ever come when Weiss found the scent of a rotting body to be, perhaps not palatable, but tolerable? She supposed a butcher grew used to the smell of animals after a lifetime of working with them, alive or otherwise. Farmers too.

Weiss shifted, craned her neck, and peeled down the collar of her jerkin to give Ozpin access to her mark. Being compared to a butcher or farmer wasn't the most unflattering thing but something about desensitization was unpleasant.

"I'm going to remove the initial mark first," Ozpin explained, fingers hovering over her skin. "There's going to be a slight unpleasantness, but rest assured it's fine. Once the mark is removed, I do have to use blood to prepare the new one, however."

"Every Warden goes through this?" She tried not to whine and failed miserably.

"Every Warden."

True to his word her skin prickled, feeling as though she'd laid in the grass and blades were stabbing into her skin. The mark itself heated up and she clenched her jaw, squeezing her eyes closed and curling her toes in her boots. It only lasted a few seconds, but she could feel her skin was hotter than before, irritated. Her hand reached up to nurse her neck and Ozpin gently stopped her.

"I wouldn't. Rubbing it only makes it worse. Once the new mark is in place, you'll feel fine." Ozpin handed the box to the lone Vacuan man. "Ahmar, if you'd please?"

With a gruff nod Weiss watched morbidly as Ahmar produced a knife, setting the bird on the chipped surface of the desk. Her stomach curdled hearing a rib cage being broken apart, squirming as she watched the man cut away skin and innards, leaving the raven flayed and bloodied. When Ozpin dipped his fingertip inside, she almost jumped out of the chair then and there.

She didn't, much as she wanted to. Oh gods, why was the blood still warm?! Weiss craned her neck a bit further and whimpered as she felt the blood smear against her skin, staining it red beneath Ozpin's fingertip.

"You're doing great, Weiss. Almost finished."

"I don't suppose I can bathe after this?" Weiss whined.

"The blood won't linger, don't worry."

What did he mean it wouldn't linger? If the blood wasn't going to stay then why use it? After tracing the vague shape of a circle on her neck she felt Ozpin's finger move away, pouting as she watched him clean his hand on a cloth. Oh, so he got to clean up and she remained covered in a bird's blood.

"Now then, this part may be a bit unpleasant. I would advise planting your feet firmly on the floor and sitting on your hands, or gripping the arms of the chair." Ozpin studied her for a moment before looking between the others present. "Does anyone have something we could put in her mouth?"

"Wait, what?"

"Ah, I believe I do." Goodwitch retrieved a cloth from her sleeve, spotless, mercifully, and handed it to Ozpin.

"So you don't bite your tongue," he explained, waiting for Weiss to open her mouth before placing it between her teeth. Were they treating her or torturing her? "The pain will pass, but as the mark is bound to you there will be some discomfort. Everything you're about to feel is normal so do try not to panic. It will be over in just a moment." Ozpin's hand hovered over her neck. "Are you ready?"

For lack of being able to open her mouth Weiss nodded, closing her eyes tight and bracing for whatever was to come.

At first it wasn't anything worse than having her first mark removed. A slight prickling sensation, nothing more. Then a heat began to build, low at first, like the heat that might be produced if someone rubbed a hand against your skin hard enough. Then the heat began to build, slowly, then peaking suddenly. What felt like an iron being pressed to her skin made her tense, crying out through the cloth in her mouth. She jerked away and a pair of hands grabbed her shoulders, firmly holding her in place.

"We're almost done, Weiss, just bear with it," Ozpin urged, keeping his voice low and soft.

If it was only to take a moment, then it was the longest moment of her life. Somehow the heat grew hotter still, sweat beading on her skin. Her skin never broke but she felt it harden, almost as if forming a callous. Pain spread from her neck down her spine, making her toes curl and hands clench the chair, fingertips digging into the wood. The back of her skull throbbed, pain pooling behind her eyes, and she felt her entire being twitch and shudder. One leg kicked out on reflex and tears seeped out from the corners of her eyes, face crumpling.

Then it was over. As if it never happened the heat suddenly vanished. While sweat still dribbled down her face and dripped into her lap, once allowed to move, she spat the cloth out and grabbed at her neck. Her skin was smooth, not even hot to the touch, and besides sweat it was completely dry.

She'd thought perhaps foolishly that Ozpin had been the one panting, yet seeing him standing by, concerned yet silent, Weiss realized it was herself. Drawing sharp breaths she tried to get up only for nausea to strike, making the dim room spin around her. A gentler hand than before eased her back down and from somewhere a cup was produced. She took one look at the liquid and drank greedily.

"Because of the nature of the mark the process to apply it is a bit more intensive than your typical one," Ozpin explained. Understatement of the century. Azalea smiled at Weiss and offered another cloth, then dabbed off her face for her. "The pain was a result of binding the magic to your body, whereas before we only needed a superficial mark. I think you'll find that the benefits far outweigh the temporary discomfort. We certainly have."

 _Discomfort?!_ Between feeling like her head was ready to explode and her skin being seared off Weiss felt like 'discomfort' was an awfully light way of putting 'complete and utter agony'. Wiping away lingering tears with the back of her hand she took a deep, shuddering breath. At least she could find some sliver of comfort knowing everyone present had endured the same thing as her. _Or at least other people have. Misery loves company after all…_

"Now, the effects won't be immediate, or even noticeable, but this will go some ways to enhancing both control and endurance. Given that you'll be facing Wardens most likely this should help even the playing field."

Ahmar scoffed. "She is still a girl. Even our newest member has a year's experience on her." The long vertical scar on his right cheek scrunched up with the rest of his face. "Don't feed her false hopes, Ozpin."

"He is doing no such thing! The mark will give Miss Schnee a boon that few Hunters can enjoy! Furthermore, her companions will be there to handle the brunt of the combat. No, we anticipate that Miss Schnee will have a more supportive role in this endeavor." Oobleck's unkempt green mane bobbed as he nodded, sliding spectacles back into place. "That said he isn't entirely wrong, Weiss. Do be mindful that this mark, while a wonderful thing, does not make up for any gaps in experience."

Nor would she ever be so delusional as to think that were the case. That did beg the question though…

"Sir? Who will I be going with?"

She hadn't been allowed to recruit any of her friends for it. Too risky, Ozpin had told her, and there was plenty to merit that. While a shame she'd be going with people she didn't necessarily know she could at least be grateful her friends wouldn't be in the line of fire.

Ozpin, already heading for the door, paused with his hand on the handle. "Ah, yes. Miss Goodwitch will be among your party for the raid, as will Qrow Branwen. And, thanks to a certain someone's insistence on cooperation," he made a point to smile at Weiss as she shrunk back in guilt. "Qrow's sister will be with you as well. Apologies in advance by the way, Glynda."

"Qrow is there to keep his sister in line, I am accompanying him to watch over Weiss. If anything should happen to Miss Branwen it will be most… Unfortunate." Goodwitch frowned. "But I think I will survive."

"The enemy of my enemy, Glynda," Ozpin laughed, holding the door open. Port and Oobleck left first, with Ahmar right behind them. Azalea took a moment to inspect Weiss' mark, parting with the promise to check on her again before they left; with no set date for the raid, or location, gods knew when that might be.

"She will escort you back to the surface once you've had some time to recover. While I know you tend to enjoy exploring the city, Weiss, I insist you remain at the cathedral grounds until we're ready. And…" Ozpin gave a slight bow. "Welcome to the fold. As of today, you are officially a Warden."

Leaving sounded wonderful. Walking a bit less so. Just keeping herself vertical was tiring and Weiss sank back into the chair, nodding gratefully to Ozpin for his wishes, then apologetically to Goodwitch who had been resigned to watch over her.

That was it then? No ceremony, no official declaration, although that might come later.

After her graduation and becoming a full Hunter, Weiss had expected a bit more. It didn't need to be anything momentous, even if the situation might have warranted it. She had a new rank in the Church, premature, sure, and a new host of responsibilities with it.

Sinking back into her chair she closed her eyes as a small headache came on. Her fingers nursed at her temples and she frowned, willing the discomfort away with a sigh.

It was beneficial at least, Weiss decided, even if doing this meant reaffirming her allegiances with the Church. With Ozpin. The constant back and forth, who to trust, the questions, it was beginning to wear on her. Maybe it was just easier to side with the devil she knew. Whatever the Church did or didn't do the fact remained that Remnant was better off since its inception. The others? They were unknowns, people looking to grab power, nothing more.

The pain in her head began to subside but she kept her fingers working at her skull, posture relaxing once the discomfort had completely fled. It would be another few minutes before she'd be ready to go, rising to her feet and pausing. The bird was still there, stomach sliced open and splayed out on the table.

"Leave it," Goodwitch ordered, gesturing for Weiss to leave ahead of her. "A Sentry will be along to clean up for us."

 _Well that's convenient._

On the woman's heels Weiss left the small room behind, pausing when she heard stone shifting. With one look over her shoulder she watched one of the statues peel itself from its pedestal, dust crumbling from its stone figure. The raven's carcass seemed to attract it and it loomed over it, briefly, before lifting it up and

Weiss assumed it would throw it out but instead she clasped a hand over her mouth as the statue's mouth opened, dust spitting out as its jaw unhinged, and it dumped the bird into its gullet. By the time it turned to see who was staring at it she was down the hall, shoulders scrunched and eyes trained front.

/+/+/+/+/+/

It was now or never.

The sun had set hours ago, and clouds had rolled in, turning the darkness of night into an impenetrable blanket of shadow. A storm was brewing, the air itself heavy, moist, but so far only gusting winds had appeared. Outside of her room branches groaned and creaked, wood just limber enough to flex doing so for self-preservation, leaves rustling loudly as if screaming against the gusts.

If Ruby was going to try to escape now was the best chance.

After laying in bed for hours waiting to be certain she was alone, and then a bit longer still to be double certain, she slowly sat up and peered around. Nothing. No silhouettes, no movement. Someone could be using shadow magic, but she doubted it; her magic was cut off in the room and so too was everyone else's.

The blankets came off and she eased out of bed, cautious still. On her toes she made her way to her dresser, wincing as the doors squeaked open, and dug out her makeshift rope at the bottom of it. Whoever owned the dresses would be livid seeing what she'd done to them. She'd apologize later, maybe, but right now Yang was much more important than some frilly garments. With her arms full she dumped the rope on her bed, found one end and tied it off to one of the four posts. Giving it one tug to see if it was secure, she carried the rest to the windows.

Panes of glass shook whenever wind struck them and outside, she could just make out the tree flexing in the wind. _Can't light anything to check otherwise they'll see me,_ she lamented, sighing. Good thing she wasn't afraid of the dark!

When she opened the windows, they slammed against the side of the house, thrown wide by the wind, and Ruby cringed as she stood frozen as a statue, half anticipating someone to take notice. The sound went unheard and no one saw her open the windows. Smiling to herself she collected the bundle, took one look outside, and heaved. Dresses and blouses tumbled into the darkness below and she breathed a bit easier hearing them hit the bushes beneath her room. No leaps of faith at the end then.

Well, the whole throwing herself out a window with little more than a gown to support herself was a leap. So, no double leaps then.

"Hang in there Yang, I'm coming!" Giving the 'rope' one more tug for good measure she swung a leg over the window frame and sat perched on the edge, lowered her head when the wind kicked up, slapping her in the face. Once it died down, she turned and gripped the ledge with one hand, her other wrapping around her lifeline.

With a silent prayer and nervous excitement Ruby let go of the ledge and held both hands around a pleated dress. Fabric stretched but her knots kept. The wind kicked up again and she shivered, her borrowed nightgown affording little insulation.

Not nearly enough discomfort to stop her she began to ease her way down, feet pressed against the cool outer wall. It was slow going as inch by inch she traversed the wall, pausing now and again at the slightest sound.

She wasn't afraid of heights either. Climbing trees on Patch was a pastime of hers and Yang's growing up. Jumping off a cliff near their home - cliff was being generous, she'd admit, it was more like a hill, into the ocean was a regular occurrence for her and other kids. Her dad would probably have a heart attack if he knew they had been doing that. Ruby found herself smiling fondly, lowering her head and giggling as the wind buffeted her.

They would get out of here and go to Patch. Their dad would know what to do. They'd tell him everything they'd heard, true or otherwise, and he'd be able to help them decide. Then they would find Weiss and Blake and all the others and make a choice together.

That was a little ambitious though. Still dangling on the side of the building Ruby glanced down and tried to will her eyes to pierce the darkness below. The home was three stories and she had to have traversed at least one by now. A glance up and she couldn't make out the window she'd exited anymore. Nor could she see the ground beneath her. She was in no woman's land and had little choice but to continue. Not that she planned to turn back anyways.

Her descent finally rewarded her after painstakingly climbing down when her foot grazed leaves, slick with water from the gardener's rounds. Her face split by a smile, Ruby reached down and found her rope to be at its end. No matter, she'd made it as far as she needed to.

"Here goes nothing…"

Her hands left the last dress and for a second she was weightless, hovering in the void of night, before gravity reared its head and she fell with a yelp. It didn't last long and soon she was splayed out on top of a bush, wincing as a branch poked her in the side, scratching skin. It took some wriggling and she probably looked absurd, but she worked her way out of the leafy nest, crouching low in the grass and looking around.

Yep, still couldn't see anything.

Now, where was Yang? Questioning the people sent to watch her hadn't borne any results. Her windows had such poor views that she couldn't hope to figure anything out by watching out of them.

That didn't mean she was totally clueless. Tiptoeing, cringing when a crack of thunder announced the storm's impending arrival, she started to circle the manor. A few of the lower windows shone bright and she pressed closer to the bushes, lowering herself to keep out of view. A kitchen with staff at work late into the evening, men and women in pressed linen and aprons preparing tomorrow's meals.

Closer to the corner of the home she approached a study, bookcases lining the room with plush cream-colored armchairs and a sofa forming a loose circle in the center. Ruby would have passed it by without second thought if she didn't spot a familiar face inside.

"Miss Peach…?" What was she doing here? Pressing against the wall she paused before peering over the bottom of the frame; it was the same woman from Ambrose, she was certain of it. She looked tired, which made sense given how late it was, but tired in a different way too. Like, emotionally tired. The same way her dad had looked when they were given the news Summer Rose had…

Ruby bit her lip and placed her hands against the windows. They gave when she gently pressed, wincing when they creaked open. Peach didn't look up, engrossed in something in her lap, so she eased them open and, after a moment's hesitation, pulled herself in.

When the floor creaked under her weight the woman finally looked up and Ruby got a better look at the haggard woman. Bags under her eyes, skin paler than before, and frayed strands of hair jutting out randomly. Peach blinked slowly and remained silent as Ruby crept forward, finger to her lips. The healer's clothes were rumpled and there was a stain of red on her right breast. Optimism said wine. There wasn't a glass in sight.

"Miss Peach?" Ruby repeated hesitantly, stopping behind the sofa. She could flee to the window if she needed to, she could use magic again. "Um… H-Hi…?"

She hoped she wouldn't have to. For an agonizing few seconds they stared at each other, then Peach finally seemed to acknowledge her, light flaring in her eyes. Setting aside her book she rounded the sofa with surprising speed and Ruby turned to flee, tensing when arms wrapped around her.

"I'm so sorry!" She was sobbing. Lowering her arms Ruby turned back and stared at the woman as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I didn't know, I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"Uh…"

She typically boasted the social graces of a duck. Having a woman throw herself at you and begin bawling took what little tendencies she had then and threw them out the window headfirst. Aware of her hands hanging limply at her sides Ruby lifted them to comfort Peach, thought better of it, then moved them towards the woman's back only to let them drop again.

"M-Miss Peach…?" she whispered. Her shoulder was becoming damp and she was growing concerned the woman's crying might bring someone in. "It's o-okay! I'm not here to hurt you! I promise!"

Through choked sobs the short woman laughed, finally prying her face from Ruby and shaking her head. "S-Silly girl, that's not why I'm… Oh gods… You're out of your room!" Her eyes went wide and hands cupped Ruby's cheeks. "Why? Don't you realize how dangerous that is?"

"No one saw me! I'm sure of it!" Ruby eased the hands off, awkward at the intimate touch. "What's wrong? What are you sorry for?" Her question was answered as soon as she'd asked and her lips wavered. "For all of this? It's okay, right? You're all just trying to help Yang.

"Yang…?" The woman's face fell and her eyes scrunched up. Ruby, taking one look at the door to the study, waved her hands frantically.

"Please, don't cry! Whatever's happening isn't your fault!" She had no idea if that was true. "Please, just tell me where she is. I want to see her."

"Yang… Oh dearie, I didn't know, you have to understand. I was told we were helping her, curing her. After what happened I was certain I could do it, certain we could make your sister better." Peach's trembling hand went to her lips and she closed her eyes, slowly shaking her head. "I should have known. As soon as he became involved, I should have known!"

Trepidation mounting, Ruby looked at the window again, shaking back and forth on creaking hinges in the wind. She closed them and took Peach by the shoulder, easing the woman onto the couch. Something had gone wrong then. Terribly wrong. She didn't doubt the woman before her or her kindness, they'd seen it on full display in Ambrose. Her mind inevitably went to the darkest possibilities. She didn't want to know and yet her lips worked out the question she dreaded to ask.

"What are they doing to her…?" she asked, sitting beside Peach.

Again, the woman was on the verge of breaking down. It took a few deep breaths and a lot of reassuring smiles to get Peach to settle down enough to speak.

"I was supposed to heal her. Remove the Grimm, you see," Peach reiterated. "But they've had different ideas. They want to study her, to study what that… Monster did to her. They want to see if it can be replicated." Her eyes squeezed closed and Ruby rubbed the woman's back uncertainly. "I told them it was too dangerous, that we could harm her. Or worse…"

Dread crept into Ruby's voice as she struggled to keep it to a whisper. "Yang…? Is she… D-Did they…?"

"She's alive, dearie, although I can't say she's doing well. They're trying to break her, make her obedient. She's… I don't know. Some of them want her gone, others want to use her. I'm just here to make sure she doesn't… She doesn't…"

Peach didn't need to finish, Ruby understood. What she _didn't_ understand was why. After branding Yang as a monster now they wanted to turn her into a tool? And who was 'they'? Trepidation gave way to indignant anger, hands clenching hard in her lap until her nails threatened to pierce the flesh of her palms.

Either Ozpin and the Church had orchestrated all of this, which seeing the bawling woman before her now seemed unlikely, or someone else was abusing their authority. The first case seemed unlikely but then again Ozpin had sent Weiss and Blake on a de facto suicide mission. The latter made Ozpin out to be incompetent and incapable of policing his own people.

Ruby wasn't sure which she liked better.

Mouth dry she licked her lips, cleared her throat, and inched closer to Peach. The lone source of light in the room, a small candle, flickered, painting the room in an eerie glow. Shadows seemed to dance with the flame and every miniscule shift made the sofa creak, the leather seat crinkling beneath them. Even the faint rustle of her nightgown sounded piercing in the dead stillness of night.

"Miss Peach… Where are they keeping Yang?" Ruby pressed, gently.

"She's… Here." The woman shook her head and wiped her eyes. "Not _here,_ not in the manor, but o-on the grounds. They're holding her in a cell."

All while they kept her in a cozy room and told her Yang was just fine. Ruby's jaw ached from clenching so hard and she was grateful for the low lighting. It did a wonderful job of masking her plain fury.

"Show me…" she whispered, pleading but demanding. "Show me where they're keeping her. Please."

Peach stared at her for a moment, red rimmed eyes unblinking. Then she nodded, wiping her face again and exhaling heavily. "It's dangerous."

"I don't care. I have to see my sister. I'm going to save her," she said resolutely.

"They have Wardens."

"I just have to be fast enough to get away. Easy." Ruby smiled. "If I can just touch Yang then I can make her fast too. She and I can escape together." She paused for a moment then placed a hand on Peach's shoulder. The woman jumped at the touch. "You can come with us too," she added gently. "You don't want to be here, right? We'll all leave then."

"I can't."

"You can! My magic will work."

She hoped it would. Touching one person she knew she could propel herself and them at high speeds. Two? She'd never tried two but in theory it would be the same process, just more. More magic, more concentration, more everything. Easy. Probably.

Maybe it was their ability before that convinced Peach to stand, or maybe it was Ruby's own thinly veiled desperation. Either way the woman got to her feet and nodded, hands wringing nervously at her blouse as she moved towards the door, pausing to take the candle and book.

"Stay close. If we're stopped, I'll tell them you were feeling ill. Sneaking out for medicine isn't as bad as… This." The woman smiled weakly.

Ruby nodded, smiling back as they moved towards the door. Even if someone saw them, she'd use her magic and whisk them to safety. No one could match her speed; she was confident of that. No one else here _had_ speed as far as she'd seen. All she would have to do is flit away and they'd be as good as gone. Except fleeing was meaningless if she didn't have Yang with her.

Peach eased the door open and poked her head out, then turned back and nodded. Clear, she seemed to say, stepping into the dark hall and taking another deep breath to compose herself. Following the woman's example, she smiled, then wiped it away, contorting her face and putting a hand on her stomach.

Sick. Act sick. Just like when she and Yang used to trick dad.

Ruby's left foot went forward. Her right foot stayed firmly planted to the floor. Giving her leg a tug she frowned, looked down, then went pale as a ghost.

A black tendril worked its way up her limb, cloaking it in darkness. Pulling harder against the binding she yelped, grabbing the door and trying to find leverage. A pool expanded beneath her, another tendril lashing out, grabbing her other leg. Her skin crawled, chilled at the contact, and she began to hyperventilate.

"Ruby!"

Peach grabbed her outstretched hand and pulled as the candle fell, going out. Even in the absence of light everything somehow became darker still as shadows engulfed her. Like a heavy cloak it hung down her back, wrapped around her arms and pulled back, wrenching her grip free. Ruby's eyes widened and a scream went unheard as a hand clasped over her mouth, body falling backwards. She watched Peach's horrified face disappear as something covered her eyes.

She was weightless again. Falling as though she'd leapt from her window instead of climbing down.

Then she was nothing.

* * *

 **Nothing like a little pagan blood ritual in the morning. There was actually a real-life counterpart to what I did... Somewhat, and I've since lost my notes and forget what its called. All that research, wasted!**

 **Ah well!**


	44. Chapter 44: Dawn

**Just want to issue a fair warning going into this chapter. While I toned it down a fair bit from its initial inception the first part involves some stuff that people may or may not like reading. May be a non-issue, but I want to give folks a fair notice before going into this chapter.**

 **Also since I neglected to mention it earlier I wanted to thank everyone for continuing to read along with my little story. We recently broke 20k views, and while I hardly do this for the metrics that still feels like a milestone that's worth acknowledging. So... Thank you! I hope I continue to put out a story that people enjoy.**

 **Anyway, let's get into it!**

* * *

Upon waking Ruby realized two things: her head ached, and she couldn't see a thing. After a silly moment of wondering if she'd gone blind, she realized a fold had been placed over her eyes. Thin enough that she could just make out a candle nearby but heavy enough to obscure all else. Without a clue as to where she was she turned her head and tried to reach up to remove the blindfold.

Her hands were bound.

 _Oh crap…_ She tugged at her wrists. Rope dug into her skin, not harshly, but enough to know the knots were firm and unyielding. She tried the same with her legs and felt the chair she was in rock when her knees lifted, pursing her lips and trying to push her legs apart, maybe break the rope.

"R-Ruby…?"

"Yang!"

Her head whipped to her right and she still couldn't see her sister, but she'd heard her, she knew she had.

"Ruby… What are you… Doing here?"

She sounded tired. Weak. The few words that Yang uttered were sluggish, dragged through knee high mud after being made to march for miles. Any vigor finding her sister she felt was dwarfed by the bubbling panic that began to fester inside of her.

"Yang! Where are you? Why am I bound? What's going on?" She pulled again at her restraints again, rocked the chair to try and break free. When it nearly tipped over she squeaked. When the bindings held firm she growled, as if she could intimidate the rope to unravel for her.

Her sister coughed, or maybe laughed, the sound raspy and pitiful. Someone shifted on a table and she heard wood creak, the telltale stretch of leather straps being pulled taut then going limp again. Chain rattled and Ruby could picture the manacles that must be around her sister to hold her down. Secured to a bed like a prisoner.

"Why…?" she whispered plaintively.

Yang hadn't done anything wrong! They'd protected the kingdom; they'd kept out of trouble. Bitter tears seeped into the blindfold and Ruby grit her teeth, pulling on her restraints until her wrists ached, skin rubbed raw from rope.

To her left hinges squeaked and a door opened. Silhouettes against flickering flames moved into the room, one far smaller than the others. Narrowing her eyes to try and pick out any distinguishing features she leaned away when one of the figures moved towards her, pulling her head back on instinct. A hand gripped her head and she tilted it to bite at the offending limb only to squint against the surprisingly bright light when the fold was removed.

It was the bearded man from her room and behind him twin girls, neither of whom she recognized. They all wore the same white cloaks.

"What's going on? Why are we here?" she pleaded, searching for sympathy in the faces of the few and finding none. They exchanged looks, one of the girls even smiled at her, but they kept their silence. "Someone tell me what's going on!"

Someone else entered the room then, a lanky man with perhaps the most condescending smile Ruby had ever seen. Yang had said before some people had a face you just wanted to punch and she'd always thought that was ridiculous; how could you just want to punch someone you didn't know?

Right now she really wanted to punch this man.

"How delightful, she's awake," the mustached man said. "Junior, keep her still, won't you? We don't have much time."

"Time for what?" Ruby pulled against the large hand on her shoulder, eyes going wide as the man sauntered over to Yang.

He took his time placing the bag down beside Yang's head. His back was to her and she couldn't make out his face, but she watched his shoulders square, one hand raise in a fist before lowering slowly, fingers flexing.

The resounding crack of a palm against flesh made Ruby cry out where her sister didn't.

"Don't touch her!"

"Her? This thing before you is a beast, child, not a girl. An abomination." Yang spat out blood and the man chuckled before striking her again. "And a horribly rude one at that. Do you know how bothersome it is to get blood out of clothing?"

Yang's face she could see, and her sister sneered, swollen, split lip pulling back. "You hit… Like a girl…"

"Witty as ever. One would think you'd learn to mind your mouth." The man made a point of wiping his hand clean, then dropped the cloth on Yang's chest as he went to his bag. "That meddlesome woman won't bother us here, so I believe it's time we did a little experiment, don't you?"

Woman? Peach! Ruby pulled against her captor again and looked around in a desperate bid to figure out where they were. It was a small room, underground, with a small barred window revealing moonlight outside, the pale blades of grass just poking into view. Tools hung from a nearby wall, a mud-encrusted shovel, a dulled pair of shears. There was a rake with a few teeth missing and a saw, rusted over and probably useless now. Her first thought was a shed, except what shed had barred windows and a door with a bar to seal it shut?

"Ruby… It's… It's gonna be okay…"

"Oh, I'm not so sure about that. You might not want to count your blessings so soon."

"If you touch her…"

"You'll tear me limb from limb, yes, we've been through this tired exchange several times." The man drew a knife, blade curved, a sickly elegance in the jade colored grip, its quillon an asymmetrical serpent. "Now, hold still and be a dear and show us what you can do, you wretch."

Yang's face kept a sneer even as her eyes went wide and panicked. Ruby pulled against her restraints again, stomping her feet and trying to drag her chair closer.

"Stop! Please, don't hurt her!" she pleaded. Yang turned her head and her expression softened, sparing a smile even though she was in a far worse state.

Her face then twisted, and she let out a howl of pain as the knife dug into her flesh.

Only a cruel blessing of the man standing between them kept Ruby from seeing what was being done, although her sister's reactions - legs kicking, head tossing, face going red as a cry shook her, made it perfectly clear. The man finished his work and he set the knife aside, blade soaked partway with a deep crimson blood.

"Let's see the beast at work…"

For that he stepped back, proud of his assault on Yang. His mustache quivered and his eyebrows raised watching black smoke leak from the bloody gash on Yang's abdomen, pouring out in such volume that it obscured the blood leaking from it.

"Fascinating…" He leaned down and Ruby blanched as he ran a finger through the wound, drawing another pained cry from Yang. "And repugnant," the man scowled, wiping Yang's blood on her own tattered shirt. "A crime against nature. This is no healing magic; it's a parasite seeking to preserve its host."

Yang's trembling lips hurled hushed insults and she cried out again, lifting herself off the table as her wound was pressed on both sides. Flesh visibly mended but it took time, stitching itself together, flesh binding to flesh. Black scales along her hip glistened, turned a deep red from blood, and it began to pool on the table beneath her. Her sister let out another cry and she collapsed back on the table with a shudder, face glistening with sweat.

"She claims she can cure you, that she can remove this… Thing," his face twisted with contempt. "Do you know what happened to the girl she treated in Ambrose?"

"Stop it! Stop hurting her!" Ruby kicked against the floor and tried to knock her chair over. She tried to use magic, felt her body vibrate and tense, but she remained put. "Leave her alone!"

"She died. The parasite was removed but it killed the woman. No doubt your sister will suffer the same fate here. A tragedy," he sighed, then sneered. "Although I hardly think erasing a blight on the Church is anything but a miracle. She's fortunate that Ozpin deigned her worth preserving at all."

Unable to go anywhere from her spot Ruby sank into her chair, fighting back tears. Yang stared up at the ceiling, face tight, twitching occasionally as black mist continued to rise from her wound; even if it sealed, she doubted the pain went away. Muscle fibers mending, potential organs being repaired, if that much was even possible. Healing or not there would be a lot of pain with what had been done.

And the man just didn't care. He regarded Yang as a curiosity, taking to the knife again before shaking his head and setting it aside. Ruby had dared hoped there was a glimmer of decency in the man until his hand made Yang's head snap violently again, palm turning red.

"Disgusting."

Junior shifted behind her and she felt his hand loosen on her shoulder. "Sir? If she finds out about this -"

"You have your orders to subdue Miss Peach if she tries to interfere. She is here to keep our 'guest' alive, nothing more." Like the world's most deranged songbird the man strutted towards her, smiling, hands clasped behind his back. "You wanted to see your sister, didn't you? Well," he smiled. "Here you are. You can thank us whenever you'd like."

Thank him? Through angry tears she glowered at the man, kicking her legs out to no avail.

"Hm. I'm feeling generous. Let her stay a while, Junior. Move her closer even. Give them one last evening together." The man returned to the table and began to gather his bags. "Perhaps just this once I'll show a monster mercy."

"You're the monster!" Ruby yelled shrilly. "You're hurting Yang! You… You bastard!"

She could barely hear her sister call her name. Ruby glowered at the man, resented everything about him. His self-assured air, the cool, almost detached look in his eyes, the smug resting face he wore, like someone who knew they were smarter than you, stronger, and would remain so no matter how much you kicked and screamed.

She'd never hated someone so much. She loathed him with such intensity that she thought she might be ill.

"Tomorrow we'll attempt the operation. No promises for how it turns out," he hummed as he went to the door. "Miltia? Melanie? With me. Junior, move the girl closer and stand guard. Half an hour, not a second longer."

Ruby turned to face Junior, pleading with him to do something, anything. Why did they take orders from such an awful man? They were Magi, weren't they? They could fight!

"Understood, Watts. Your will be done."

"It is not my will; it is the will of the gods." Watts paused at the doorway and adopted a thoughtful look, intensely fascinated in a button on his doublet. "It is forever the Church's duty to snuff out Grimm and all manner of beasts who threaten the kingdoms. This is no different. No beast shall be spared just because it masquerades as a young woman."

"She isn't a monster! She's my sister!"

"Once, perhaps, but you've seen what she does. That girl is no longer one of us. The gods have abandoned her. Merlot's unholy experiments have tarnished her." Watts smiled. "Consider what we're doing a blessing. If the operation succeeds, then she'll be among the gods' blessed few. Should it fail," he shrugged. "Well, then she'll be released from her torment. Either way I think she should count herself fortunate."

"Don't look at me like that, child. I am only doing my duty to protect Vale and her people. It is the job of every Hunter, yourself included." He sneered at her, mustache bristling. "Perhaps tomorrow will serve as a reminder that you serve the Church, not yourself."

Ruby could understand Raven at that moment. The burning desire to do harm to another, to do to them what they had done to someone you loved and cared for. Bile rose in her throat and she swallowed it back, forcing herself to watch as Watts ascended, leaving with the twins and her alone with Junior and Yang.

They had done something to her mother too hadn't they? She'd been loath to believe the Church capable of something like that before. Watts had singlehandedly convinced her otherwise.

The chair lifted off the floor and Ruby protested being moved as her bindings pulled against her wrists. Then she was set beside Yang, gagging at the residual smell of rotted flesh, of soured eggs, fecal matter, and other noxious scents mixing together.

Miasma. She remembered the smell vividly from before, it was difficult to forget, after all.

"Half an hour." Junior regarded her with cloudy eyes and a flat expression, turning and leaving the room without another word. No pity, no sympathy.

How could everyone be so cruel? So uncaring?

Yang coughed, wheezed, and Ruby did her best to lean forwards. Unable to comfort her sister she did the next best thing and nuzzled her head against Yang's hand, hair crumpling against the bandages around it.

"H-Hey, Rubes…"

"Yang…" her voice broke and she nestled her head against her sister, sobbing as fingers worked their way through her hair. "I'm sorry! I… I can't…"

"Hey… It's okay, Ruby. It's alright…"

"No it's not! Look at you!" Hair fraying at the edges, skin somehow paler despite it only having been a few days, and that was to say nothing of the blood coating Yang's abdomen or how she was shackled to the table like an asylum escapee. "We have to go! Let's go and -"

"I look like shit, don't I?" Yang interrupted. She tried to look at herself but couldn't lift her head high enough. Chuckling, she turned her head instead and smiled at Ruby. "Relax, Rubes… We'll get out of this."

How? Yang was bound, her magic cut off, and when Ruby _wasn't_ bound her magic was cut off too!

Except it hadn't been, not inside the house. Were only select areas blocking it? "Yang, can you use your magic?" Her shoulders fell when her sister shook her head.

"Too weak. Heh… Bastards have been starving me, and that Peach lady keeps giving me medicine, makes me woozy."

"What about changing?"

"Same problem. It's… Heh… Looks like if I'm useless then so is it." Seeing Ruby's face fall she stroked her sister's hair as best she could. "Hey," Yang cooed. "We'll get out of this. Weiss is still out there with Blake, right? We just gotta… Hang tight for now."

"But tomorrow…"

"They're going to have to try a lot harder than that to kill me, sis. Besides," she winked. "I got an idea."

Ruby perked up immediately, dragging her chair closer so Yang could whisper, not that she spoke much higher than that to begin with. She turned her head and leaned as close as she could, straining her ears.

"Talk to Peach… Make something up. Get an elixir from her, tell her it's… I dunno, for your stomach or something." She smiled sadly. "Wouldn't be a stretch, looking at ya right now."

"O-Okay, but what for?" She couldn't fathom how an elixir for a sick stomach would help them.

"Me. Ginseng root, white oak bark…" Yang furrowed her brow and blinked as sweat dribbled into her eyes. "Uh… Some kinda mint, and I think there's some sorta meat too. Boil it up and bring it with you tomorrow."

"And this will help you?"

"Either it'll help, or it'll make me shit my pants," Yang laughed weakly. "Can you do that, Ruby? It's gonna be risky."

As if everything about what they were doing, where they were, wasn't already dangerous. What was one more risk? Ruby gave the best smile she could muster, nodded, and tried to free even just one hand to grip Yang's with. Unable to wriggle free she leaned down and laid her head against Yang's palm, letting her eyes close.

"I love you, Yang."

"Love ya too, Ruby. We're gonna make it out of here, I promise. Just be strong, okay? Your big sis has got this."

Or Weiss would, or someone would. Maybe Ozpin would realize what was happening and have it stopped, or barring that, Raven would appear. Heck, at this point she'd accept help from Grimm if they made a big enough scene.

Her smile came easier that time and Ruby nodded.

It wasn't their first brush with disaster, and it wouldn't be their last, she'd make sure of it.

All she had to do was get a drink.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Something was off. Maybe it was the unusual stillness of the air, how the wind itself seemed too shy to make itself known, or how despite a cloudless evening where the moon, high above, cast the city in a pale glow and yet almost no one was out and about. It was as if Vale knew that something was amiss, bubbling beneath the surface.

Yet for all this supposed knowledge Weiss found herself unable to grasp it. She couldn't understand why her friends weren't in their quarters despite the lateness of the hour. Nor could she fathom why, if not in their rooms, they weren't at Monty's Corner enjoying a late meal, or at the training grounds, or perusing the markets for some late-night supplies. She encountered a handful of people among the closed shops and vacant stalls, a few guards half-asleep at their posts, leaning on halberds for support, and the occasional worker heading home after a late evening.

A lone beggar sat beneath a dirty, ratty blanket propped between two barrels in a narrow alleyway. He regarded Weiss with a half-filled smile, green eyes peering through matted, unkempt greying strands of hair.

"Lien for the needy, miss?"

Weiss had a need too. A need to find her friends, to have someone with her tomorrow that she could irrevocably rely on. She left the man with a few coins, muttering well wishes that she doubted he could even hear.

Goodwitch was trustworthy enough, she supposed, but she was of the Church. Whether she believed them to be running afoul of the people or not was irrelevant; the seeds of doubt had been planted and took root. Qrow was the same way and the fact that he was the uncle of two of her friends didn't absolve him of suspicion.

Did she even have to justify why she felt wary of Raven?

Beneath a low burning lamppost, she stopped, wincing as her fingers kneaded at tension behind her eyes. Since leaving she'd been hounded by an incessant throb. Stress induced, she surmised, brought on by worrying after her friends and her apprehension about tomorrow.

The city wasn't on edge, she was. It was late and people were turning in for the evening or shuttered inside of taverns, losing themselves and drowning their gripes in ale and draughts.

Weiss searched until she heard a distant bell toll once. There would only be a few hours more until they were to gather and prepare for their journey. Roman had found information, their resources were being gathered, an attack prepared. Still nursing her headache, she returned to the Cathedral, pausing briefly along one of the bridges spanning a canal to watch the moon's reflection dance on the water's surface.

Tomorrow would work out, it had to. Ozpin would have contingencies in place, measures to ensure that they would succeed even if they were outnumbered. No way would he send Goodwitch and Qrow into a potentially fatal situation.

In almost a fugue she reached her quarters, trudging to her bed and collapsing in it, staring at the dark wall beside her pillow until sleep claimed her at last.

It wouldn't be until much later that Weiss would learn her friends had been sent out on missions the day before the raid.

/+/+/+/+/+/

The sun had scarcely risen and already Weiss was paying for her mistakes. Her late night wanderings rewarded her with a restless mind and an equally fitful night's sleep. The few hours she had gotten were spent with troubling dreams, plagued with 'what if' scenarios where everything went wrong.

Gathered with the others of her party in Ozpin's tower it was all she could do to keep her head up, eyelids weighing her down to grant her some much needed sleep. An inexplicable chill prevented her from resting even now however. A block of ice in the pit of her stomach melted, filling her veins with ice water.

Now that the day was here, she dreaded it even more.

Ozpin and Goodwitch were the only two present who seemed remotely awake. Qrow, with less reservations than herself sat in one chair, head bobbing, rubbing his face regularly to chase away fatigue. If she were honest, he looked dreadful. Hair a mess, clothing crumpled, bags under his eyes. It was natural considering both of his nieces were missing. She wanted to extend a word of condolence but couldn't think of anything to tell the man. Did he understand that her smile was meant to be one of comfort? Or did he take it as pity?

Roman, Raven, and Neo were not with them. They would meet later; Ozpin had assured them. To no one's surprise none of them wanted to be anywhere inside of the city.

"And so, everything is in place." Ozpin shuffled papers on his desk, pausing to drink from his mug. He flicked the corner of a paper, rolling his tongue in his mouth. "I will not lie to you; this is an incredibly risky operation. If we employ more forces, then discretion isn't possible. You have been chosen because you are believed to be among the more capable of our members."

He smiled at Weiss and she couldn't help the heat that rose to her cheeks or the pride that swelled in her breast. "And, admittedly, some of you may be along to ensure that our other companions behave themselves."

"Hng." Qrow's head lifted with a start and he blinked as Goodwitch scoffed at him.

"Qrow? You're certain you're up for this?"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it, Oz." Said the man rubbing his face as if to try and smooth out his stubble with friction alone. "No way in hells am I missing out. Besides, who else is going to keep my sister in check?"

"I can think of one other person who might be interested," Ozpin mused.

Goodwitch sniffed, posture rigid as ever. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean, sir."

That they were cooperating - Hunters and criminals alike, seemed more outlandish than any magic. Yet Weiss supposed it shouldn't be that novel considering what she herself had been through, and she could hardly have been the first. 'The enemy of my enemy.' A cushy philosophy, albeit one that felt as concrete as a bridge made of woven reeds.

"Your associates are waiting outside of the city walls. Roman, Lord Bisset," the Archbishop chuckled, shaking his head as he sat back. "Whoever he deems himself to be has assured me that he's discovered the location of Miss Rose and Miss Xiao Long. As the matter dictates, we will unfortunately not be able to provide support, nor can we use carriages to deliver you, lest we draw attention to ourselves."

"So, I come to you with this: you will travel in pairs and congregate at the manor, then prepare and initiate the plan from there. It is not uncommon for Hunters to be seen moving together and it is perhaps our best chance of traveling without cause for concern. As such, we have arranged for our groups."

Qrow groaned aloud before Ozpin elaborated and Weiss could already guess who he was stuck with. They might be siblings, but it was evident there was little love lost between the two Branwens. Weiss wondered if it had always been that way. If Qrow and Raven hadn't been closer at one point in time.

Come to think of it the fact they were even siblings at all was odd, although no odder than Yang and Ruby, she supposed. One a Muran, plain as day, and the other Dimuran, patches of black scales, a propensity for heat and violence, and a terrible reputation for an equally explosive temperament.

"Yes, Qrow, you will be traveling with your sister. Please keep an eye on her and should anything happen you are given free reign to act as you see fit."

"Understood," the raggedy man mumbled with a nod.

Family, Weiss knew, wasn't just about looking alike. It was who you considered family that mattered most.

More a shame then that she was without her own right now.

"Roman and Neo will be traveling together and are expected to have intimate knowledge of the manor grounds. They will provide a layout upon your arrival and, at least initially, I ask that you three defer to their judgements about how best to proceed."

"With all due respect, Ozpin, that sounds like a terrible idea," Goodwitch said. She shook her head and Weiss felt compelled to agree. "Relying on them more than we already are sways the power dynamic. I loathe to give them the idea that they have any kind of say in matters here."

"We do rely on them, however, and they are fully aware of where they stand in this situation. Please, Glynda, allow them to exercise their knowledge, and once the fighting inevitably begins, I trust that you and Qrow will know how to handle things best."

Qrow snorted. "Sure. She'll just yell at 'em until they drop dead."

"Or they'll be knocked out by your odorous stench," Goodwitch retorted. "Honestly, when did you last bathe?"

"Dunno, what year is it?"

"I must stress," Ozpin interrupted, "That you all cooperate with one another in this. Our most modest estimates put the enemy at equal numbers but there is no telling whether there are more who have defected and are cooperating. Qrow, you're to identify the greatest threats and disable them as swiftly as possible. How you do that, naturally, is up to you." So much for delegating the fighting to them. "Beyond that I'm certain you'll handle this well."

Handle fighting their own he meant. There had to be some reservations among them about what they were doing. Yes, those responsible had violated the laws that governed them but they were still kindred spirits, men and women fighting to keep Remnant safer. There was a good chance that some of them would even be friends.

If that knowledge bothered either Magi then it was hidden well, Qrow behind a lethargic mask of indifference, Goodwitch behind her stony, unapproachable stare, lips in their permanent downward turn.

"Glynda and Qrow are both in possession of a Waystone. Should the situation become too dangerous to continue then I ask that you flee, if given the chance." Qrow's feet slammed into the floor and Ozpin held up a hand before the man could begin to protest. "If they're still alive then there's something they want from the girls. They won't kill them after all this trouble," Ozpin said. "Relocate, yes, but their lives would still be secure. We can mount another offensive and take them by force if need be."

"Oz, you're asking me to abandon the girls! I'd sooner let one of those bastards kill me than do that."

"I am asking you to consider your value beyond this mission. Make no mistake: I seek their return as well. But to say that Vale would be sorry for your loss is an understatement. All of you," again he looked to Weiss as he spoke. "Are valuable for what you can offer. And please do not take this as my suggesting you are merely assets: there is a lot of good you can do beyond this mission. The world is safer for your presence alone, whether you know it or not."

"I'm not leaving them," Qrow reiterated.

Despite the giddiness welling inside of her Weiss nodded along. "I can't either, sir. They're my friends, and if I can't save them then who can I save?"

"Idealism is a dangerous thing, Miss Schnee," Goodwitch warned.

"Yet caring for one's friends so deeply as to risk oneself is admirable. I'm not asking that you flee immediately, only if the battle proves to be unwinnable for you. While there will be six of you in all I cannot say with certainty that I trust half of our forces." That was a sentiment Weiss was sure they could all agree on. "And so, I'm asking you to simply be mindful of how events unfold."

"Now, I'm certain that you all are tired of listening to an old man ramble. Our allies are beyond the gates and ready to mobilize once you arrive, and the plan is laid bare; reach the manor, ascertain the enemy's whereabouts, locate Miss Xiao Long and Miss Rose, and retrieve them by any means necessary." Ozpin rose from his desk, the early morning sun blocked by his tall, green-clad frame. Weiss found herself oddly transfixed as she looked upon the Archbishop with a sort of reverence. It was like the heavens themselves were in favor of their crusade and Ozpin, the architect of it, was being heralded as the hero he was.

Pride that Weiss had forgotten for a time swelled within her. Her fingertips went to the mark on her neck and she smiled, her middle finger tracing one of the lines. She was a Hunter, a member of the Church and a sworn protector of not just Vale but Remnant as a whole.

Secrets aside there was satisfaction in knowing what she meant, both to the organization and to the world.

What she meant to her friends, and what they meant to her. She'd gladly risk herself on this mission if it meant seeing Ruby and Yang safe. She'd trust in Ozpin's plan for it, even if she herself hadn't been made aware of some of the more intimate details.

The wearisome headache that had plagued her the night before was gone now.

"I wish you all the best of luck, and safe travels. Remember that you are among our greatest, and that I hope and expect you to do your utmost in securing our family from these defectors." Ozpin placed a hand on his chest and the three of them, as if compelled, mirrored the gesture. Another wave of elation rose in Weiss and she couldn't help but smile. "Edos guide you, and may you find success. For Remnant."

"For Remnant," their voices rose in unison.

For family.

/+/+/+/+/+/

"Family, huh?"

"His words, not mine."

Raven laughed, the sound bitter and clipping. Her swords clinked together, and she rested her hand on her hip, appraising Qrow with a mocking smile. "Dear brother, I am flattered that you consider me family."

"I consider you family in the loosest sense of the world, Rae."

"My heart is touched, truly."

"If you two are quite finished bickering," Goodwitch interjected. Weiss shuffled awkwardly from the sidelines, nervously thumbing the handguard of her rapier. Roman and Neo had been just as silent as she was, albeit the latter didn't have much choice. "Could we please proceed with the meeting? I would like to leave sometime this week if possible."

"Finally, a voice of reason," Roman sighed.

Both twins tore their gazes from one another and stared down the well-dressed impersonator. "Shut up."

"My, you two can agree on something," Goodwitch mused. "Unfortunately for us all however this next step demands that Roman speaks, and so I'd defer to him." She narrowed her eyes at the Branwens and tapped a finger on her bicep, arms crossed. "That is, of course, assuming you two can remain silent long enough?"

"Sure. I still think this whole thing's going to go up in smoke though," Raven muttered.

"With you around that's all but guaranteed," Qrow said.

Well at least now she was convinced they were siblings. They certainly bickered like siblings.

"Roman, if you'd please?" Goodwitch urged. "Before I find myself with two corpses…"

"Ah, right! Ladies and gentlemen, and uh… Weiss." Roman chuckled, rubbed the back of his neck, and turned to Neo. She looked at the tall man without a clue and he made a few hand gestures which she returned quickly, too quickly for Weiss to follow. "Fine, be that way. Since _someone_ forgot to bring along our written findings," Neo pointed at Roman. "I'll have to recount everything from memory, so bear with me."

"We're fucked."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence, Raven! Anyways, the location in question is none other than Lady Lavender's estate, which lies roughly ten miles southeast of the city. Under normal circumstances it's heavily guarded, albeit by the usual schmuck in chain and sword, but there are plenty of Magi crawling around." He sighed. "Particularly the sort that could kill me with a flick of a wrist."

"They're Wardens, yes?"

"Unless someone else makes a habit of wandering about in showy white cloaks then yes, they're Wardens. Honestly, I thought I had a knack for flair, but you people don't know the meaning of the word discretion do you?"

"We're supposed to be able to be identified by people who might need us," Goodwitch said, leveling her expression even as her voice became clipped. "Just as the marks serve to indicate who and what we are."

"Fine, but white? It's garish!" Said the man sporting a snow-white coat. "Plus, how easily they would stain -"

"If you women are done talking fashion," Raven quipped. "Then I'd like to get to it."

Weiss pursed her lips and stifled a bout of giggles. Qrow was much less reserved and snorted before chuckling loudly. She wasn't far off; Goodwitch and Roman squabble like two women fussing over the newest fashion in the markets. Although she'd seen more than her fair share of men just as picky.

"As I was saying, there are clearly Wardens out and about. The best guess we have is five -"

"Your best guess?" Qrow balked.

"But there could be more," he continued apace. "If you ask me this is a fool's errand, we should just try to negotiate with these people for their return. Everyone has their price, after all." Roman smiled at Weiss. "And I happen to be rather excellent at figuring out what that price is."

"Have you seen who is in charge of this operation? Notice anyone important coming or going?" Goodwitched asked. "We need names if you have them. Having some semblance of an idea who we might encounter would allow us to better plan."

"Lady, if I had names, I'd give you them, but I don't know these people from a hole in the wall. There's some big guy that stalks around the yard, dragging his knuckles like a Beringel, and a couple of girls. Beyond them I haven't got a clue who they are." Roman frowned, twisting his cane in hand. "Although… I did notice one woman there that I definitely recognized, one of yours." He snorted. "You people really have an awful time keeping your own under control, don't you?"

"This woman has a name?"

"Naturally. Thumbelina Peach, one of your organization's most renowned healers, and should I say, perhaps one of the worst actresses I've ever seen. The lady walks around trying to pretend everything is fine but even from a distance I could tell she looked ready to snap."

A shiver ran down Weiss' spine like a spider's thread, her breath hitching in her throat. Proctor Peach was there? She'd been such a kindly woman in Ambrose. A bit strange, certainly chipper given the dire situation they had been in, but she'd seemed a decent sort. She almost didn't want to believe the same woman was involved in this. Goodwitch didn't appear to either, face twisted in a complicated mask, brow furrowed, and lips drawn into a thin line.

"It would explain why she's been absent. She mentioned traveling to see some family after all she'd endured." The stern woman shook her head. "But to think she's involved in this…"

Weiss struggled still to accept that. As a belltower inside the city struck six she shivered again, and not from being in the shade of the walls, nor from the pointed look Raven was giving her, silently asking what the issue was. Humorous, in a sad way, that the bandit alone was the one to notice her discomfort.

"Well, at least that's one less person we gotta worry about fighting," Qrow mused as he scratched his chin. "Healer's aren't exactly the fighting type."

"Quite. She'll be easily subdued, and questioning her could provide some invaluable insight into what happened. Until then however, Roman, could you describe the layout of the manor? Whatever you can provide."

"With pleasure. Neo? Fetch me a stick, would you?" The small girl - woman, regarded Roman with something akin to righteous indignation. She made another hand gesture, one Weiss didn't know, then a cruder one, one she most certainly did, before marching off. Since she couldn't reach into the tree nearby she scoured the ground for fallen limbs, returning soon after with a twig, one small enough that Roman would either have to sit or bend over to use.

Realizing this the dapper man scowled, crouched down, and began to draw in the dirt.

He could lie, he could cheat, he could steal. One thing Roman could not do, however, was draw. The box that represented the manor itself was lopsided, the subsequent boxes around it, Weiss assumed, were other smaller buildings on the property. No floor plans. "We couldn't exactly get inside the manor," the faux nobleman explained.

Fair, although that put them at a grievous disadvantage. Weiss asked if he at least knew where Ruby and Yang were being held. The answer was vague; Ruby had been seen in the windows of the manor, second floor, first floor, or in other words, they had no idea. Yang hadn't been seen anywhere inside of the manor.

"But Wardens come and go from this building all the time." Roman pointed to a small rectangular structure behind the manor labelled 'shed?' "Usually in shifts of a few hours, typically one but sometimes a pair. Unless you all can think of something else that they'd be going inside for then I doubt we need to search the other buildings."

"This is the best you could do?" Raven scoffed.

"Hey, you try slinking around a heavily fortified house! Without Neo's magic I would have been killed a dozen times over! Hells, they almost caught me even _with_ her magic!"

"Sounds like you just suck at your job."

"Have I done something to deserve all of this today? Honestly," Roman sighed. "With how much you're asking of me I'd imagine I'd be due a little more respect."

"You impersonated a nobleman, violated numerous laws, collaborated with a wanted criminal." Weiss hesitated to point out that they were now doing the very same thing. Goodwitch, however, shot her a preemptive glare that kept her mouth shut. "This is your reparations, if you're lucky. Now, is there anything else?"

"Yes, actually. There's a brick wall circling most of the property, and typically guards stationed everywhere they can put them. However…" He drew a circle along the northernmost wall. Or maybe it was south? "There's a large oak tree that grows along the wall and its branches extend over the wall. Even better? We could feasibly use those branches to get inside the building. Enter from the second floor and canvas from there."

"Which, by the way, I have a plan for. Neo can disguise the two of us as members of the staff and leave ahead of you all. We'll see if we can't find anything, and in the meantime, you just sit tight and wait."

It seemed like a sound enough plan although more than just Goodwitch looked dubious. "And we're supposed to trust that you two won't run off?" she asked.

"You're not exactly known to stand your ground, Torchwick," Raven sneered.

"And where would I go? Half of you know where my estate is, one of you knows me well enough to track me, and I'd have the entire Church on my ass! Believe me: I'm more afraid of what you lot will do to me than them."

Qrow smiled and snorted. "Yeah? Good to know."

"At any rate, that's the layout and, by my estimates, where we'll find the lizard girl." Both Branwens glowered at him and Roman chuckled uneasily, holding up one hand and easing back. "Uh… Yang, that's where we'll find Yang."

The knowledge that Ruby and Yang may be separated made an already difficult task borderline impossible. They would have to coordinate their efforts somehow between two different areas and figure out a way to get both sisters out safely. _What I wouldn't give for someone with telepathy right now…_

A horse whinnied nearby, and everyone went silent. Emerging from within the walls with a full coach, a disgruntled couple inside bickering while a beleaguered coachman sulked at the front, picking at his coat.

The people weren't what troubled Weiss, oblivious as they were. Both horses were looking at them, or through them. Neo let out a huff beside her and raised her hand to cast a spell, another illusion. Her foot dragged across the grass and both horses cried out, rearing up and kicking their legs. Roman dragged her back and the coachman, along with his passengers, all began to look around, eyes finally turning towards the right wall.

The pale grass beneath the wall's shadow was bare, save for a lone stick laying some ways from the tree. Nothing that would spook the horses could be seen, nor could the guards that came out to inspect the commotion notice anything amiss.

"Bah, stupid animals," the coachman snapped. Reassuring the men in uniform all was well he gathered up the reins and got the horses moving, something they were only too willing to do. As the vehicle rolled away the two guards looked around again, shrugged, and went back to the gatehouse.

They kept silent a moment longer, just in case. Weiss inhaled as quietly as she could upon realizing she'd stopped breathing, rubbing her forehead and closing her eyes.

Nothing they were doing was illegal technically, although it would raise questions. No, they were hiding because they needed every bit of secrecy they could get. The less the enemy knew the better and when the enemy may well be in the walls with them, perhaps even nearby, they couldn't afford not to be cautious.

When no one else came out the group released a collective sigh, Neo most of all. Weiss watched as the air around them shimmered and the field concealing them shrank; an incredibly useful class of magic, illusions, if somewhat poorly suited for combat. It made her curious just how Neo was expected to fight people of possibly Qrow's caliber.

"I'm hardly an expert on illusion stuff." Speak of the devil. Qrow glanced around, scratched his stubble, then appraised Neo with a curious smile. "But do animals see through your spells, squirt?"

Neo puffed her cheeks up indignantly, stomped her foot, and stuck out her tongue. "They probably heard us," Roman answered in her stead. "She can mask sight but nothing else. Guard dogs will be a problem if the manor has any, by the way, although she and I never noticed any. Still, it might not hurt to wash up before we go breaking in."

Limited then, illusions, but still useful. Their job would be infinitely easier so long as Neo could maintain her and Roman's disguises.

There was more to discuss. How they would exfiltrate; they had the Waystones but those were intended as emergency use only. There was also the matter of who would seek out which girl. Weiss couldn't say she had a preference - she was hardly about to choose, although she felt a slight inclination towards Ruby. She suspected Qrow did too, which left Raven and potentially Goodwitch to seek out Yang with Roman and Neo as wild cards.

Goodwitch and Raven. Because that wasn't a disaster waiting to happen.

Golden rays spilled across the morning sky, turning the dim heavens a fiery orange. Another bell tolled inside the town, just past seven. It would take roughly two hours to travel to the manor by foot, depending on speed, and by then most of the manor's staff would be awake.

A clandestine mission was out of the question for two reasons: they didn't have a Faunus among them, and time was of the essence. The longer they waited the more danger the sisters were in. Gods willing the people in the manor wouldn't expect a daytime raid. Only an idiot would attack in broad daylight, after all.

Weiss smiled nervously. Well, six idiots.

Roman and Neo departed first, although not until they were some ways from the wall. The air seemed to crystallize then crack as the spell was dispersed and Neo relaxed, wiping her brow and waving to the group. Roman bowed, wished them well, and promised to see them soon.

Qrow and Raven went next. Before they were out of earshot, before they had even taken half a dozen steps even, they began to argue. Something about Qrow smelling of liquor, and Raven smelling of "a donkey's wet ass mixed with rotting skunkweed." Weiss hadn't noticed a pungent odor about the bandit, but she suspected neither had Qrow. Raven's face matched her eyes and she swat at her brother, shouting a string of expletives that could make a seasoned sailor blush.

Then it was just the two of them. Wanting to say something inspirational, something to spark a fire inside her superior, Weiss' lips worked over soundless words, racking her brain for something, anything that might come across as poignant.

"Let's… Let's do this…?"

Goodwitch didn't have to facepalm; Weiss was way ahead of her. Spotting the woman marching down the road through her fingers she jogged ahead to catch up then slowed to keep pace, drawing up her white hood when Goodwitch did the same.

"We'll stop every hour to drink and have a light snack, nothing more. And since we have the liberty of traveling the main road perhaps we'll acquire a means of transportation to hasten our journey."

Weiss' eyebrows raised in surprise. "I thought Ozpin told us not to use any vehicles?"

"He spoke of the entire group traveling by carriage." _I'm not so sure he made that distinction, ma'am._ "And to be frank I will be damned if I must endure sore feet while being made to work with such insufferable deviants."

"Um… I'm not so sure -"

"Miss Schnee, perhaps when you're a bit older you'll appreciate how unappealing walking great distances can be." She wanted to point out that the woman was neither that old nor the distance too long. She also wanted to live to see tomorrow and so she said nothing.

Instead she opted for the diplomatic approach. "I understand."

"Good, then you will cover the expenses accrued by our transport then. You do have Lien on you, do you not?"

"Well yes, but -"

"See to it that you pay whoever picks us up for their discretion."

She lifted her coin purse and shook it, lamenting at its already anemic state. It would probably be the last of her money for a while unless she was somehow paid for this effort of theirs. She doubted it. Cradling her money with all the tenderness of a lovestruck mother she closed her eyes and sighed wistfully. It was a small price to pay for her friends' sake.

"Yes ma'am."

"Excellent, then pick up the pace. The sooner we find transport the better."

* * *

 **And another chapter in the books! Next few ought to be a lot of fun, I think. Hell to write but fun for y'all to read.**

 **I have two iterations of them, and while they ultimately tell the same events they're done drastically differently. I'll have to play with them a bit more and see which I like better.**

 **Until then, stay awesome and have a wonderful week!**


	45. Chapter 45: A Hop, Skip, and a Jump

**Know what's fun? Watching the world implode over something no more serious than the common cold. I'm also somewhat confused as to why toilet paper is being purchased in droves. If anything is going to protect me from the 2020 "plague" its poo paper.**

 **But you're not here for hot takes on this year's latest crisis, you're interested in story! Well, here you are, brave citizen. Enjoy!**

* * *

Well, they had found transport. After an hour of trekking on foot Goodwitch flagged down a lone, single oxen cart meandering its way along, driver hunched over in resigned boredom. At first, he regarded them with a leery smile until her superior revealed her mark and lechery became hesitance. On an unspoken cue Weiss produced her bag of Lien - not much, she knew, but to a man who worked for pieces a day it must have seemed like quite a lot.

Gods knew she didn't need the money for anything.

Oh wait, she did.

Given the option of either walking further or taking the cart she handed over her coins. The driver, unabashed, ripped open the drawstring, dumped the Lien into his palm, then tossed back the bag and pocketed the modest sum.

"Only enough room for one up front," he remarked, eyeing the two women uncertainly. Weiss sighed, knowing full well where this was heading and clambered into the back. Stuffed between a barrel that leaked and a crate overfilled, the lid cracking and flexing upwards, she drew up her hood, then her knees, and leaned against the wall of the cart.

It flexed behind her and she yelped, flailing and scooting away from the faulty barrier.

"Cart's a bit worse for wear," their driver laughed. "Might not want to do that."

Goodwitch settled beside the man and Weiss nodded. She found a reasonable spot in the middle of the cart, crossed her legs, and tried not to pout.

The ox snorted in protest and leather cracked against its tough hide. Slowly, with wheels creaking, axle squeaking, they were on the move again.

It didn't take long for the driver to ask who they were, where they were going, and to both Weiss' amusement and horror, if they were related. With more tact than she'd have managed Goodwitch answered each question with brevity: Hunters, official business, and no. Maybe the revelation of what they were made the man less keen on transporting them. He looked to the pocket on his raggedy tunic, jingling Weiss' coins, chewing on his cracked lips and itching his brow beneath a wide brim straw hat.

"There will be more Lien in it for you if you agree to help."

Coin opened all doors, or in this case it convinced a reluctant man to act as their steward.

On they went. Roman and Neo had long since disappeared, far enough ahead that Weiss could no longer see them. The Branwen siblings were gone too, having cut through fields themselves, and Weiss was grateful for that much; Qrow and Raven looked just as poised to attack one another as they did the enemy. That was not a feud she wanted to be caught in the middle of.

It didn't take long for Weiss to question their decision of taking a ride. A cart led by an ox twice as wide as the broadest man was, unsurprisingly, not discreet. Even if their mode of transport had been more inconspicuous, they were hardly the only ones on the road either.

They passed a caravan of travelers and a handful of men and women in haphazard armor; leather pauldrons, bits of chainmail, plate that bore more rust than its original color, and hoes, pitchforks, spades and axes turned to weapons. It might have been cause for alarm if the entire procession didn't look so despondent. One or two people lifted their heads and caught Weiss staring after them but most trudged on, eyes lost in a straightforward stare or transfixed on the ground.

The further they got from the city the more people they encountered. A merchant with a small contingent of guards, farmers traveling in a convoy heading from the city, a handful of Hunters in tow as protection. The occasional watchtower which sprouted up like a stony weed revealed beleaguered guards either caught in conversation with a weary traveler, giving directions to hopelessly lost ones, or fast asleep in chairs.

"Grimm's got everyone on edge," their driver explained. "Since the outbreak folks're nervous, and nerves make Grimm. You lot must got a lotta work right now." Goodwitch offered a noncommittal hum. Weiss picked at the lace on her boot. "Not seen many, though. Was afraid to travel for a while sure but things've calmed down since then. Dunno why folks are still on edge."

"Caution is never a bad thing," Goodwitch said. "Particularly in matters pertaining to the Grimm."

"Aye, aye, but if you ignore 'em and pretend they don't exist then they don't come looking for you." They passed by another lone carriage, a man and woman behind the reins, bickering loudly at first, then lowering their voices as the trio drew near. "Lotsa these folks make their own problems. It's why I travel alone; ain't enough problems to make Grimm look at me twice."

Even if negativity attracted Grimm, which it didn't, that wasn't how this worked at all. Grimm didn't need to eat, they rarely got into territorial disputes, and they had, if theory held true, infinite lifespans, barring an early demise at the hands of a Hunter. _If he's managed thus far then maybe there's some merit to it though?_

"You should still be careful," Weiss cautioned. "Grimm don't need much reason to attack someone."

"But what do I gotta worry about? There's guards every mile and Hunters roamin' everywhere, aren't there?" The driver grinned at Goodwitch, showing gaps between yellow teeth. "Safe as can be, unless you're telling me there's a reason to be afraid, missy?"

Weiss elected not to answer.

"That is an admirable approach." Weiss raised an eyebrow at Goodwitch's praise. "It takes a brave man to face danger, especially alone. Conquer your fear," she said, smiling. "And the Grimm will do you no harm."

"Heh, that's right!" The man glowed, beaming even, sitting just a bit taller. Either being commended by a Hunter meant something special or the man was easily goaded. "Beasts don't bother me none if I don't pay them any mind."

"Precisely. More would do well to follow your example, good sir."

/+/+/+/+/+/

Throughout the day they traveled, sun bearing down on them, stopping occasionally to allow the ox to feed or to stretch their sore limbs. With Vale but a distant speck on the horizon now the number of travelers had begun to thin and only the occasional soul passed them by. Ten miles from the city and guard towers rarely appeared anymore. There was little worth protecting so far from the city, after all. No farms existed this far away, at least none that serviced the capital, and any villages or settlements kept to themselves.

Weiss hadn't considered the lingering unease that Merlot's attacks had caused. While they encountered no Grimm along the main road, they saw evidence that other people may have. More armed escorts, a few select Magi - Weiss recognized them not by their marks, since they weren't Hunters, but how people congregated around them, taking to their group's lone chance of survival like moths to flame. Protecting oneself while traveling wasn't an unusual thing, not when bandits, Grimm, and regular wildlife could all pose a threat.

Yet people all seemed to expect Grimm. Their collective unease should have a pack bearing down on them any moment and yet they traveled with somber resolution, bodies tensed, packed together like a school of fish for safety. It all seemed counterintuitive given what people knew of Grimm, but they still did it.

 _Not much else you can do when faced with an enemy like the Grimm. No one is immune to panic. Not them, not us._ Weiss' nose wrinkled when the barrel beside her rocked and wine splashed out, narrowly missing her pure white cloak and instead staining the already spotted cart floor. It reeked of overripe grapes. _Still… Where_ are _the Grimm?_

Whether by negativity or magic Weiss would have expected to encounter Grimm by now, and yet they hadn't. As morning gave way to the afternoon and the afternoon wore on, the sun passing its zenith, they never saw so much as a single Beowolf. Their driver, accommodating as he had been, finally stopped the carriage when they came to a fork in the road.

"You ladies heading to Collard?"

Weiss lifted her head and drew her hood back enough to read the signpost. Collard she didn't know, nor had she ever heard of it. That laid to the west. She knew of Galloway, a sizable port city with all manner of products coming to and from the kingdom through its gates. Having never been there herself she couldn't say much of what it was like, although she knew Blake had something of a history with the place. Other towns she didn't recognize were listed too; Bromfield, Ian's Moor, Winston. Each some miles away and none of them their destination.

Goodwitch slid from the carriage and smoothed her clothing, and for the first time today Weiss took in what the woman wore. An ash-gray quilted jacket with a high collar, and metal arm guards on her forearms. Her boots hit the dirt and Weiss noticed the metal greaves strapped to her shins, lightweight and layered, and the tassets around the woman's waist, layered as her greaves were, with dark tanned hide rimmed with black cloth.

By comparison Weiss felt naked as she climbed out of the back of the cart. She had her jerkin, a largely cloth piece with leather sewn in to cover vital points - her chest and back chief among them, with the sides spilling past her waist and reaching mid-thigh. She had no armguards, no greaves, and beyond her trousers which were quilted, and much too heavy for the weather, she was left unprotected.

They hadn't exactly stressed wearing armor to her. In hindsight she didn't need to be told; they were going into battle and it should have been obvious. Yet they also hadn't afforded her time to be fitted, find any in the Church's armory, or even purchase something from Roderick.

Goodwitch had gotten plenty well dressed for the occasion while she was left to make do.

If their silence wasn't answer enough then both departing the carriage was. With a halfhearted well wish the driver left them there at the fork, cart rumbling down the road. He never got that extra Lien.

She had just begun to work out the tightness in her back when Goodwitch began to walk away. Their path: Galloway, or thereabouts. They were heading in the general direction and Weiss raised an eyebrow at that.

"Does Lady Lavender live in Galloway?"

"No, she does not."

"Near it then?" Weiss licked her lips nervously when Goodwitch didn't answer, taking more interest in adjusting one of her armguards than Weiss' query. "Ma'am, you… You do know where we're going, don't you?"

"No. I had that man bring us miles from the capital and hoped to find the estate by chance." Goodwitch gave her a cross look. "Any more inane questions, Miss Schnee?"

She cringed back, then nodded, perhaps against her sensibilities. "Why are you upset with me? Is this still about Raven?"

"Who said I'm upset?"

"You're usually not so…" Sarcastic? Rude? Pointed? Or, as Raven had aptly called the woman, _Goodbitch._ "Confrontational," Weiss said diplomatically. Goodwitch studied her before sighing, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Forgive me, and no, this is not about that, as bothersome as involving that wretched woman is. I'm simply concerned, that's all." Weiss silently pressed for more. She didn't need to as Goodwitch continued unprompted. "You saw the citizens we passed. Many of those people seemed to be fleeing something, don't you think? And yet we've encountered no Grimm whatsoever. The kingdom is safe again, or at least as safe as it typically is."

"And yet our people are afraid. They're flocking to the capital, to larger settlements, I assume, because they think Grimm will appear in droves. Merlot's experiments were atrocious and a violation of not just the Church's beliefs but of nature itself. As bad as they were, however, I believe that the lingering effects are worse."

"You mean… People are afraid?"

"You saw them, did you not? Besides our plucky escort who I'm convinced is more foolhardy than fearless everyone we passed seemed terrified, or at least expecting the worst. Merlot has stolen the people's confidence, their peace of mind." Her face drew into a scowl, hands clenching at her sides. "That lunatic has irreparably damaged the kingdom even with his passing and the Church is floundering to restore people's hope."

Was the damage that bad? Weiss hadn't noticed much of an influx within the city. Then again, she typically visited a handful of locales, kept to herself or with friends. The residential ward could be overflowing with refugees for all she knew. That was to say nothing too of the Church's dealings. She didn't know how many Hunters were dispatched, where they were sent, or even what reports were being delivered.

People were fleeing for fear of Grimm. That made sense except for the fact that fear itself should be prompting even more Grimm to attack the travelers. It wasn't, but the people must still expect it at any moment. Some of the savvier types had to recognize that there was a discrepancy. It felt contradictory.

Were some of the citizens realizing the truth or were they chalking it up to good fortune? Certainly not the hard work of the Church if Goodwitch's lamentations were anything to go by.

"But that is neither here nor there. We have at least another hour of traveling before we reach the estate." Thunder cracked in the distance and Weiss grimaced, watching the dark grey clouds roll over the countryside, far, but not so far that she felt safe from their path. "We will not be seeking shelter, we're to head directly to our goal," she added. "I expect you to keep up, Weiss."

The familiarity of hearing her name made Weiss smile, misgivings instantly forgotten, and she nodded. "Understood, ma'am. And for what it's worth I think plenty of people still trust the Church."

"I can only hope so. It took decades to secure that trust. To think it could be damaged by the misdeeds of a single vagrant…"

"I still trust you," Weiss clarified, and she meant it. Maybe not as much as she had once, and perhaps not as much as her station might ask of her as a Warden, but she did.

Morally grey as the Church might be there was no doubt that Remnant was safer for its existence. The alternative was Grimm running rampant and people living in a perpetual state of terror. She'd take ambiguity over chaos.

"Thank you, Weiss." Goodwitch smiled at her, an earnest smile that almost felt out of place on the stern woman's face, but one Weiss couldn't help but reciprocate. "It's good to know we still have you."

/+/+/+/+/+/

The rain came down sideways, whipping them like a thousand small lashes, pelting them with droplets that soaked through their cloaks and chilled them until their veins themselves ran cold. No tightening or hunching provided comfort and as the ground became wetter, feet sinking into sodden earth, they trudged on. The storm had come quicker than anticipated and more fiercely than either of them had given it credit for. It wouldn't last - Weiss could already see blue skies, but they were in the thick of it now.

They spoke no words. Nothing would be heard over the downpour anyways. Goodwitch made a gesture and nodded meaningfully. At first Weiss didn't get it, then the woman made a wiping motion and she understood.

Or she thought she did. Weiss conjured a wind rune and blasted the immediate area around them. It provided a moment's reprieve from the rain, shed water from their cloaks…

And coated them from the waist down in mud.

"I was telling you to wipe your face!" Goodwitch shouted.

While her superior grimaced and went about trying to cleanse herself Weiss reached up, plucking a leaf from her forehead and staring at it. Oh. Oops.

The rest of the sluggish journey was spent in much the same manner. Slow going, hostage to the element, exposed for Mother Nature to exact some wicked revenge on the pair. Trees bent sideways under gusts of wind and Weiss fared little better. A gale buffeted her, and she braced to remain upright, cloak billowing, whipping and pushing the hood sealed around her face. When the gusts subsided, they continued, two solitary figures marching through a grayscale, empty road in the middle of nowhere.

By the time they reached another signpost the rain had let up for the most part and only a drizzle heckled them now. Thoroughly drenched as they were it made little difference. Weiss glared at the retreating clouds as they washed out to sea, then grabbed her jerkin and wrung out what she could.

Galloway, according to the sign, was only two miles due south of where they stood. The thought of seeking shelter in a warm tavern, kicking up their feet and enjoying a hearty meal was tantalizing. Goodwitch took one look at the sign and walked past it, deviating from the main road in favor of marching across the marshland that ran alongside it.

"It's a more direct route," Goodwitch explained when Weiss lingered on the road. "The main road will take too long. Hurry up. I don't wish to be outside any longer than you do."

The woman was certainly handling it better. Recalling memories of dry feet to soothe herself she stepped from muddy earth into waterlogged, boggy mush that she felt certain would swallow her whole. Walking in Goodwitch's footsteps she followed, covering her mouth with her hand as the pungent scent of rotting wood filled the air. Mosquitoes began to converge, and she swat at them, huffed, then drew her cloak tighter in an effort to be rid of them.

Utterly miserable. That's how Weiss felt as they carved a path through the marsh, using the occasional log or dry strip of land as a chance to rest. Her legs ached despite having ridden in a carriage for so long, or maybe because of it. While the sun had come back out it did so with hesitation, peering through clouds like a chaste youth spying on their crush before hiding itself again. It was agonizing work.

Pale trees sprouted from the ground and their roots jutted out of the earth, tripping Weiss more than once. Cypress and willow dotted the marshland and their branches hung low under the weight of themselves, leaves dipping tentatively into the murky water. A frog croaked nearby, Weiss saw it, then cringed when something lashed out from the water and swallowed it whole.

More mosquitos. More mud. More painstaking drudgery. What would the problems be of raising a land bridge with a spell or two? Grimm, probably. Possible some irreversible damage to the area too.

Weiss was more than willing to entertain both consequences.

She wouldn't have to. The water which at times became shin deep was growing shallower, the mud that made her feet suction into the earth growing less absorbent. Where cypress and willow grew there were white birch and sycamores grew in their stead, the former like white toothpicks, the later sprawling giants whose limbs fanned out, twisting and snarling as they grew higher and higher.

By the time they reached solid ground again the sky had turned a soothing orange. Scornful orange. A peaceful, warm color that seemed to mock her misery and make light of just how much she'd had to endure; wet clothes weren't the end of the world, but Weiss felt as though it was.

When they stopped for a brief reprieve she sat on an exposed root and removed her boots, grimacing as they squelched, caked in mud and moss. Her feet were pale and pruned, socks soaked through. Goodwitch stood by while she went about wringing them out, returning them to her feet reluctantly. Wet feet were better than blistered, she supposed. One discomfort for another. Wringing out her clothing as much as she could she accepted a waterskin from Goodwitch and nursed it, throat soothed instantly. With a satisfied sigh she handed it back and took dried prunes from her own pack, handing a few over and nursing on a handful as they continued.

What had been level ground began to rise, a slow incline at first, then sharper. Littered with leaves and damp from the recent downpour it was a precarious ascent, harried further by the presence of Grimm. Finally, they had seen some prowling among the trees, black shapes cutting a jarring silhouette against the stark white bark.

They kept their distance, however, prowling without somehow seeing them. If the beasts saw fit to leave them alone then Weiss wouldn't try to fight. Neither would Goodwitch, although both kept an eye out for any who might change their minds.

Knowing that Grimm prowled the forest they were in induced a sense of claustrophobia. Around every tree could be a fell beast waiting to attack, or one could be skulking behind them, biding its time to strike. Even the trees might hold some creatures in store. Weiss pictured an Arachne with its web stretched between canopies, presiding over the forest below like a hellish monarch. She could imagine the same twisted creature Merlot had, a Wendigo, stalking them, its slender, gangly limbs reaching through the trees, slender fingers stretching out…

"Weiss?"

Weiss jumped and gasped, hands clutching her chest as her heart threatened to burst from it. Goodwitch raised an eyebrow, oblivious, clearly, to her paranoia. Embarrassed, Weiss lowered her head, took a deep breath, and nodded once.

"We're nearly there. I was asking if you need another break." They both looked up the hill, up to where the ground rose suddenly into a sheer rock face.

Her legs, arms, back… Everything said yes. Weiss shook her head and wet bangs flicked free from her forehead. "No, ma'am, I'm ready to continue."

And continue they did. Rocks awash with lichen and crawling with all manner of insects greeted them. Nowhere could Weiss make out handholds not drenched in water, small streams trickling down every foreseeable avenue. Even with the proper equipment she'd be hesitant to attempt such a climb.

Nor would they have to. A brief jaunt led to their discovering a pathway carved into stone. It was steep, narrow, and likely still the death of them, but less so than climbing a sheer face would be.

Could they go around, perhaps? Goodwitch began the perilous walk, then stopped, gesturing Weiss ahead of her instead.

"You're nimbler than I am. And it will be easier to catch you should you fall, than you I."

Sound reasoning even if it effectively made her a canary in a mineshaft.

Narrow as it was, with no clear or defined route beyond a thin trail of dirt and crushed stone, Weiss took her time with the venture. She used whatever she could find for support: jutting rocks provided leverage, exposed roots or divots a foothold. It snaked its way up the rocks, the path did, more than once forcing Weiss to crouch beneath an overhanging rock, or shimmy along a thin strip. When necessary she made use of her runes and created a larger step or cleared a path, eyes inevitably drawing down to the forest below where Grimm roamed.

None came their way. Not so much as a howl or single set of red eyes. Nothing.

The climb wasn't so bad so long as she didn't look down, or imagine her bones breaking as she'd strike rock, or the sudden, jarring halt at the end followed by sheer nothingness.

If magic wasn't going to attract Grimm, then her growing trepidation just might.

It never did. By some cruel joke the path widened the closer they got to the top of the rocks. Narrow still but wide enough that they could comfortably walk single file without the need for shuffling. Seeing blades of grass swaying and peeking over the edge above, nearly within reach, gave an extra pep to her fatigued step.

"Finally…" Weiss groaned, using her still damp cloak to wipe sweat from her brow. They had made it to… Well, she wasn't entirely sure where. Was the manor atop a cliff? That seemed horribly cruel if so.

The manor wasn't, or anything for that matter. Weiss' hands grazed along slick blades of grass and she hauled herself up, offering a hand to Goodwitch, receiving an incredulous look, then withdrawing it a moment later. Yeah, she probably wasn't going to be much help there.

Hearing the grass shuffling wasn't enough to cause concern, not with a gentle breeze blowing. Grass didn't draw weapons from a sheathe however, and when she realized a blade was being removed Weiss whirled around, yelping and going pale.

A red blade stared her down, the tip inches from the bridge of her nose. Her eyes crossed, then slowly drifted up, smiling awkwardly at a glowering Raven.

"Those fucking cloaks…" The bandit shook her head and sheathed her sword. "You're lucky I didn't just cut you down then and there, Schnee."

"She means it's nice to see you," Qrow called from nearby. Weiss craned her neck and saw the lanky man sat by a fire, just as soaked through as they were, shirtless. His clothing hung up nearby along with a white jacket, cap, and a small blouse. "Rae, quit trying to kill the help."

"The help, dear brother, showed up wearing the uniform of the enemy. What do you expect me to do? Rush to them with open arms?"

"I would greatly appreciate you not touching me." Goodwitch climbed to join them and dusted off her hands. Weiss blinked, realized she was still sprawled in the grass, and jumped to her feet. "Qrow, where are Roman and Neo?"

"Off gettin' more firewood. Figured we ought to stock up before tonight, in case it rains again." He sniffled and rubbed his hands together as he leaned towards the fire.

"And shelter?"

"We've set something up. Nothing special," Raven said, stepping back and gesturing to a lopsided tent, although tent was a generous word. The 'shelter' was more of a lean-to with a cloth draped between a few fallen branches and twine holding it in place. Not elevated, not covered enough to keep out wind, and just barely enough to keep them dry. "Hope you Church types can survive roughing it."

"It will suffice." Goodwitch took stock of their camp, the small fire Qrow balled up besides, their shelter, and the pile of bags and belongings beneath a lone spruce tree. "It will have to do," she amended with a sigh. "Qrow, get dressed, go check the manor for signs of activity. Once Roman and Neo return, I intend to have them scour the area for a means of getting close without being seen."

"Hey, you're not in charge here, blondie. Get off your damn horse and quit ordering us around," Raven snapped.

"Qrow and Miss Schnee are my subordinates." Ozpin's subordinates. Qrow wasn't an instructor, thank gods, but even Weiss knew they held the same 'rank' as it were. "And Roman and Neo are both just as culpable as you in the crimes they've committed. Seeing as I'm therefore both the senior member of the Church _and_ a proper citizen, I believe I am in fact in charge."

"Huh, when you put it like that…" Raven rolled her tongue, smirked, and stuck up her finger. "Fuck yourself, how about that?"

It was interesting, Weiss mused, how a single pulsing vein in someone's forehead could foretell the inevitable explosion that was soon to follow. The two women stared at each other, one seething in silence, the other smiling, dangling herself as a worm over the water's surface to bait a reaction.

Qrow rose to his feet and groaned, loudly, drawing everyone's attention.

"Well, I think that's my cue to go snoop around! You two try not murdering each other while I'm gone."

"Mr. Branwen, I would appreciate you -"

"Helping me get this stick out of my ass," Raven finished, grinning when Goodwitch's cheeks darkened. "What, not what you were going to say?"

Qrow pulled his head out of his shirt and ruffled his hair, shaking it out as best he could. "Weiss, maybe you ought to play mediator, eh? Get them to play nice."

"Wh-what?! Why me! She's your sister, you do something!"

"You got them both here, didn't you? That takes some magic that I don't have, kiddo." Qrow smiled, gave a playful salute, and slouched as he wandered towards the edge of camp. "Just try to make sure everything's in one piece when I get back. We'll take shifts or whatever," he laughed and retrieved his sword from the pile of belongings, slinging it over his shoulder. Weiss watched him saunter along, reaching what she was certain was the edge of a cliff, before gently descending, gradually disappearing.

Curious, Weiss jogged over to where Qrow had gone and watched him stroll down a grassy hillside, a gentle slope free of jutting rocks, precarious perches, and where one wrong step would mean certain doom. Her eyes followed the hill past Qrow, towards the bottom where it clearly leveled out with the marshes below, dropping off to her left where the cliff began.

"There's a hill…" she mumbled, gawking. A safe route, and there she'd been throwing herself at a dubious path.

Raven laughed, snorting and shaking her head. "Oh, right, that. You idiots actually climbed up, didn't you."

"We… We found a path of our own…" Weiss said defensively.

"Through a fucking cliff! To think I almost killed you for being stupid!" Weiss' cheeks darkened as Goodwitch's eyes did, folding her arms tight as Raven howled with laughter.

"Miss Schnee, you're certain I can't kill her?"

Exasperated, Weiss shook her head in reply, even though she really, _really_ was tempted to say yes.

Well, they'd arrived at camp and the only thing to suffer any injury was her pride.

/+/+/+/+/+/

They gathered around a campfire that evening to talk, sitting around the flickering flames, doused in a drizzling mist that was just annoying enough to cling to exposed skin and chill without really making them wet. Weiss watched the flames dance as they spoke, envious of how malleable they were, how free.

Now was hardly the time for an existential crisis and yet she felt herself questioning things again. Was siding with the Church right? Siding with the likes of Raven and Roman? There was a schism inside the Church, that much was plain now, and what right did she have to be part of that?

Ah, right. She was a Hunter - a Warden now. She was a 'dog of the Church' as Raven so lovingly phrased it. Every. Single. Time. A weapon to be pointed at the enemy.

Another headache came on as she lamented current events, so she turned her thoughts elsewhere, finally homing in on the conversation around her. A late-night raid was still impossible for them. The Lavender estate had Faunus among their numbers, their group didn't, and without torchlight they were just as likely to bump into a wall or a guard as they were to break in safely. Skulking into the property in the dead of night was out then; they could do it early morning however just as the sun was rising. That would be the ideal time to strike.

Different ideas were floated around. Roman and Neo could show up under their guises and ask to meet with the Lady, cause a scene that would create an opening. That was Goodwitch's suggestion and one that Roman paled at, deemed too risky, and insisted they tried something else. The pseud-nobleman himself suggested they use Neo's magic and file in as a group, right through the front door. Reminiscent of a trick some Mistralian rebels used years ago when trying to overthrow a tyrannical regional ruler.

The rebels had all died in the attempt yet there might be some merit to the plan. Conceal themselves, be brought into the heart of the estate, then attack. It would be instantaneous, cause chaos, and if they were fortunate, make it impossible for them to coordinate any kind of escape.

"It would put the girls at risk," Qrow argued. "We can't put them in danger like that."

"Anything we do is going to put them in danger the moment we're found out, brother. This is the best way for us to get inside. Move swiftly, decisively," Raven grinned. "And brutally, if need be."

"Our objective is not to slaughter those inside. We are to retrieve the children and make our escape." Goodwitch's gaze hardened on Raven. "Do not think this is an excuse to satiate your bloodlust, you heathen. You will be kept in line, make no mistake."

"They took my daughter; their lives are forfeit for that alone." _Still feels too little too late, Raven._ "Hells, I should have killed you when I had the chance for the part you've played."

"Hey, hey, we're on the same side here," Qrow interjected, placing himself between Raven and Goodwitch. Both women had risen to their feet and stared through the lanky man at one another. Weiss held her breath while Neo bounced excitedly beside her, silent face twisted into a morbid smile.

It didn't come to blows and tensions settled, albeit temporarily. The two women made it feel as though they were sat on a volcano that might erupt at any point. 'If' was not the question but 'when'. Weiss only hoped they could finish what they'd come here to do before they decided to fight.

"If you ladies are finished, I have another proposal. Or do you feel confident enough that you don't to hear it?"

Goodwitch tore her eyes from Raven and narrowed them at Roman. "Speak."

"Planned on it. It's simple: I pull some strings and get us a wagon or something from Galloway. We can pass it off as me sending a shipment to the good lady's estate, saying that I'm sending her… I don't know, some dresses for her to try on. Wouldn't be the first time." Neo punched his arm and Roman winced. "What? She looks good in them!"

"Anyways, getting a cart would be easy. Neo makes us invisible and so long as no one opens their mouths we're golden. We get inside, probably brought to the warehouse, but that's fine. Any point between the gate and then we can break the spell and attack."

"Hm. For a coward you seem awfully keen on this plan," Raven quipped. "I thought you were opposed to being bait?"

"One, not a coward. I just fight my battles differently than you lot. And two," Roman grinned and gestured to them at large. "I won't be bait; you'll all be there with me. In the inevitable chaos that ensues I can even sneak away and try to locate the girls. It shouldn't be too difficult. They'll know what we're there for and send people to guard them. I'd only have to find where they're heading and alert you all to it."

It was risky for more reason than one. They'd be throwing themselves into the belly of the beast for starters. If they didn't capitalize on the momentary shock of their arrival, there was a good chance they might be overwhelmed. And what was preventing them from harming Ruby or Yang, or holding them hostage? Nothing. Once they were inside everything would already be compromised, they'd have little to lose. They needed the sisters alive, the enemy didn't. There was also the small matter of having to locate the sisters in the panic that would break out.

Weiss lifted her head and stared at Roman thoughtfully. "Is there a way we can find out where they're being held beforehand?" Cut out the need during the fighting, make it easier on them.

"We tried. There are half a dozen buildings on the estate including the manor. People were coming and going from each one, Wardens too. It could be any of the structures really. Although… Maybe there is one way we could find out?"

"Removing some of the uncertainty would go a long way to our success," Goodwitch said. "Go on. What do you have in mind?"

Were they going to try and sneak in beforehand? Attempt to kidnap someone and get an answer from them? Weiss thought of half a dozen possibilities until she caught Roman grinning at her. It was the kind of smile she'd seen on Nora's face just before they became involved in some ridiculous scheme, typically involving pranks or a liberal breaking of rules. Nothing serious, never law breaking, but enough that could get them a reprimand.

"Well… There is another way we could get inside…" Roman's smile widened.

Already she didn't like what was coming.

"How are your acting skills, Schnee?"

* * *

 **Next chapter is going to be fun. Maybe even satirical, once I've finalized Weiss' dialogue. I think you folks will enjoy it.**

 **As always thanks to those who read and have a lovely, lovely day/week, until whenever the next chapter releases.**


	46. Chapter 46: House on the Ocean

***finger guns***

 **That's right, everyone, still here. Life got a wee bit hectic with the whole pandemic shtick, still is, but I've been sitting on chapters long enough and want to start getting them out again.**

 **Just as a casual reminder since it HAS been almost a month, our intrepid Ice Queen found the Branwens, Roman and Neo, and is now on her way to perform some "master plan" Roman came up with. Which I'm sure is fine.**

* * *

A cream yellow dress. High heels. Gloves that extended to the elbow, then just past, held in place by bands sewn into the paper-thin fabric. The way that the dress hugged her hips, wire frame moulding to her body, adjusted by a haughty seamstress called upon by "Lord Bisset" at unseemly hours to work for incredible pay.

Or at least Weiss assumed the Lien was good because why else would a woman wake to dress her before even the roosters had begun to stir? In the stillness of an early morning, with dew still clinging to grass and leaves, the sun not yet peering over the horizon, Weiss had been marched down into Galloway. Dragged, really, as once she'd learned what was to happen, she'd protested, first verbally, then by attempting to make herself dead weight.

Roman lifted her over his shoulder and that was that.

There she was sat in a stool being prepared like some doll. Her hair had been pulled back tight and fashioned into a bun. A single bang was allowed to hang free as a show of whimsy. _Funny, I thought whimsy was wearing what you wanted, when you wanted._ The lone strand swung into her vision and Weiss blew at it with a huff. _This feels more like a small concession._ The dress had to be reduced since she was shorter than the original design allowed for. The gloves were too long, trimmed as to not reach up her arms. She got it. She was short for a woman her age. She could realize that without the damned seamstress grumbling about it every few minutes.

"I swear you used to be taller."

Ah, there it was on cue. Concealing frustrations behind a terse smile Weiss laughed, keeping it low to hide the biting edge. "It has been a while, hasn't it?"

"I suppose so but you should have grown by now." The seamstress, Eleanor, stepped back and appraised her. "The dress is still too long but it will have to do. Be sure to pull up the skirt when you walk." Frumbled hair bobbed as the woman leaned down and pulled at the collar of the garment, a low neckline already. Propriety made Weiss pull it back up. "How can you expect to attract a man's eyes when you're all covered up?" Eleanor reprimanded, tugging it down again.

"I'm not here to meet a man."

"You never know who your aunt could have visiting. Approach every meeting with the mindset that your future husband could be among the crowd. The last thing you want is to come across as indifferent, or worse, unapproachable."

Yes, because that was the absolute worst thing in this world. Not Grimm, or violent extremists, but the idea that a man might be too afraid to speak to you.

"Your aunt will be delighted to see you I'm sure," Eleanor went on. The woman took a moment to adjust the frilly lining at Weiss' shoulders, cut off just above the bicep. Enough skin to tease but little enough to appear decent. "Wait right here and I'll get the tiara."

Weiss waited until she was left alone before slumping in the stool with a groan. This was humiliating. Glaring at the frumpy dress - the cream-colored article clearly pinned in places to make it fit, the itch of fabric against her bare skin, the flour within doing little to relieve the sensation. It was miserable. The gloves would make handling her rapier awkward, the heels, hells, she'd be lucky if she walked in them without twisting an ankle, never mind fight in them.

What looked back at her in the mirror wasn't a happy Caroline Rosiland, niece to Lisa Lavender, but a despondent one. The foreign girl with a button nose and freckled face wasn't her. Those green eyes didn't belong to her, nor the plump lips. Weiss reached up and traced the contours of her temporary face then lost her countenance in a scowl, kicking one heel against the floor as she slapped her hands against her lap.

Posing as a nobleman's daughter? Why her? Because as Roman suggested she was familiar with them? Sure, she was as familiar with nobility as she was with Grimm. She knew their habits, how to deal with them, and that she hated them, but beyond that she was clueless.

Neo could have pulled it off just as easily!

… Except Neo couldn't talk.

"Edos strike me down…" Weiss muttered. The almost childish face that mirrored her expressions was aggravating. Her hand went to the locket around her neck and she considered taking it off, then let the cool metal drop against her chest with a sigh. Taking it off would mean breaking Neo's enchantment. Breaking the enchantment, obviously, was bad. Explaining why some pale girl with snow white hair was in the place of Lady Lavender's niece wouldn't go over well with an already cross woman.

With a lack of sleep and her current situation Weiss was tempted to do it anyways just to spite everyone. Instead of actively seeking to free her friends she was here, sat in a stool surrounded by silks and cloths, imported and domestic, with earthen beiges and greens to one side, and bombastic teals, lime greens, bright reds and unappealing yellows. Dresses, skirts, shawls, lengths of cloth, piles of tools strewn across tables. Weiss was sure there was some kind of order to the shop and yet it all seemed so unruly. Maybe she just didn't care enough about clothing to appreciate what was around her. Scratch that, she definitely didn't care enough.

 _Can't I just wear my trousers and tunic? I've been traveling after all._ Either herself or Caroline had been traveling so some kind of riding gear wouldn't be so outlandish. But no, they insisted that she be dressed for the part. And Roman even picked the outfit himself so she couldn't run up the bill as punishment for her prison sentence.

Eleanor returned with a tiara wrapped in a cloth and a smile on her face. "This should complete it. I think you'll look ravishing, dear."

Consigned to be a dress up doll Weiss smiled again and held still save for the impatient tapping of her foot. The tiara was nice, she supposed. A silvery thing with a pattern of emeralds encrusted along the rim and a larger sapphire in the very center, gleaming in the early morning light.

"It contrasts wonderfully with your hair, don't you think?" Weiss had to keep herself from biting the woman's hand as it stroked sandy blonde hair. "How do you think you look?"

What did she think? _I think I look like a preened tart._ "I think I look lovely," she said.

"Wonderful! You'll have to thank Grigorio and Maede for that piece. Oh, but I'm sure your father already has, once his sister sings your praises." Like a mother about to send her daughter off to be wed Eleanor stood before her and appraised her once more, nodding and speaking silently to herself. Weiss put up with her groping and last-minute adjustments, twitching irritably when the neckline was adjusted yet again. "You're certain you don't want to have your face done up too? I know a wonderful place just down the road."

"I'm quite certain," Weiss answered curtly. She bit her lip then smiled up at the woman. "It's early, forgive me. I expected to be in bed still at this hour." The first kernel of truth since she'd arrived that morning.

"As did I, but duty calls, and beauty knows no rest." Weiss snorted but thankfully it went unnoticed. "Your aunt will be thrilled to see you, sweetheart. Give her my best, won't you? And tell her if she ever wants that dress of hers refitted all she has to do is ask!"

Was she calling her 'aunt' fat? It was a roundabout way of saying so but the connotation made Weiss smile and nod. Taking the cue that they were finished she stood from the stool, dress falling to her ankles, parting at her right to expose her leg. Because fashion. Or because whatever dolt designed this piece couldn't decide between chastity and salaciousness.

Weiss thanked that very same dolt for her help, promised to give Eleanor's regards to Lady Lavender, and walked, precariously, to the front door. The dress being too long provided a wonderful excuse as to why she walked like a bow-legged deer and the seamstress even helped her partway, taking her by the shoulder and leading.

"Your driver will be along shortly?" she asked as they stepped outside.

"He will be. Thank you again, ma'am."

Doing what Weiss wished she could, Eleanor returned inside, probably to go to bed, the soft jingle of a bell declaring her departure. There she was left, standing outside of a seamstress' shop in the waking hours of the morning. Only now was the sun finally climbing into the heavens, turning the ocean before her into a dazzling bed of gems that sparkled in their best imitation of a full night sky.

Appreciating it was difficult when the wire around her waist bit into her ass.

"Damnable thing…!" No amount of fussing with it helped and Weiss stomped her foot in protest, then yelped as she wobbled, grabbing onto a nearby lamppost to keep upright. "Can't I just storm into the place?" she grumbled, lifting one foot and nursing at her ankle. "No, I have to pretend to be some snotty little princess. Of all the ridiculous ideas…"

Yet it had merit, enough that it was their best plan, which made Weiss loathe it all the more vehemently. Looking around for a place to sit she spotted a bench nearby and teetered over to it, sinking into the cold, damp wood and cursing. A wet stain on her rear stood out and she did her best to brush it away, then folded her arms and cursed again when an ocean breeze rolled in and drew a chill, dotting her skin in goosebumps.

She had to wait a while for her driver to arrive and Weiss began to wonder if this wasn't some elaborate hoax, a prank made at her expense. Workers began to mill about and more than a few paused to ponder why some well-to-do girl was stood on the roadside at such an unsightly hour.

A few stared too, barely trying to hide where their eyes went. How Weiss wished she could blow them into the ocean. One rune would do it, one simple weave and a flick of her wrist. Caroline wasn't a Magi however and so she settled for a fowl glare that sent men running.

By the time her coach arrived she was shivering, teeth clattering and arms firmly crossed over her chest. The gloves did nothing to help stave off chills, the dress less so still. When the driver addressed her not with an apology but a smug smile she stormed up, rising hazardously on her toes, and slapped the man across the face.

"Oi! Whassat for?!"

"For putting me up to this!" Weiss snapped, scowling at the man.

Even faced with further punishment her 'driver' smiled again, laughed, and tipped his flat cap at Weiss. "I don't have the faintest idea what you're talking about."

"I'm sure you don't." She stepped back and allowed Roman to open the carriage's door, leveling a furious look at him when he tried to help her inside. Her anger wasn't helped by the fact he was wearing comfortable, dark brown jacket and trousers, or in other words clothing much more appropriate for the weather. She settled into the extravagant vehicle and sank into wonderfully soft cushions, secretly grateful for the relief of being hidden from the wind.

"You look great, by the way," Roman smiled and tipped his cap. "Although she does look a bit homely, doesn't she? More a servant's girl than a noblemans."

"You're the worst."

"Maybe she's the product of a fling?" Roman gasped, then laughed as the door was slammed in his face. "What? Strike a nerve, did I? You aren't her, Weiss."

For the next few hours she was though, and that aside she felt some indignation at how Roman spoke of the girl. With a rounded face that hadn't lost its baby fat still, Caroline Rosiland looked more like a child than a young woman of nineteen years. It was her face for the time being, frustrating as it was, and she wasn't going to let Roman insult her like that.

"At least I'm not some… Pauper masquerading as an aristocrat," she spat back. Roman laughed again and heat rose to her cheeks.

"See? You're already playing the part well! You'll do great, kid."

"Even if this works and everything goes smoothly there will be a reckoning, mark my words, Roman." Weiss winced as the dress again bit into her. She slid forward on the seat for comfort, taking the chance to remove her heels and nurse the soles of her feet.

"Whatever you say, Lady Rosalind. Now, shall we?"

"If we must," Weiss acquiesced, leaning back and making peace with the rigidity of her dress. The coach jolted slightly before the wheels began to churn and they started to move, trailing slowly along the waterfront.

From the window she could watch the ocean pass by, a few smaller vessels - fishermen out early, trawling boats, or merchant crafts preparing to depart, had just begun to set sail or lingered at the piers, preparing for a departure. She watched a small parade of Varuna run to and fro, webbed feet propelling stout, slick green and blue forms across the shore, disappearing beneath the surf to work on the vessels they manned. Still dreadfully early and yet the city was already coming to life and abuzz with activity. Before much longer the rest of Galloway would follow, and the roads would fill with workers, residents, and travelers all going about their business.

She hoped to go to the manor long before that happened. The less people who saw her, who might recognize her cover, the better.

A handful of families, mothers and fathers, were already out and about with children in tow.

How would life have been, she wondered, if she hadn't been bastardized? It wasn't often she thought of the 'what-if' scenarios anymore. She was content with who she'd become, happy to be a Hunter, a Warden now, all on her own merits. The closest she came to mingling with nobility nowadays was whenever Ironwood was present or if work necessitated it. Beyond that she kept away from them like the plague and they her, and that suited her just fine.

Still, she thought of it. To ride anywhere she wanted to go in a carriage, comfortably furnished with plush seats, heated by some unseen magic, with drivers constantly at her beck and call. To have whatever material goods she wanted, however costly, and be able to demand them in an instant.

There was more to nobility than just luxuries. Familial obligations, expectations, social gatherings. For all her reluctance to associate whatsoever with aristocrats Weiss understood their lives weren't all easy. Far, far easier than the common man's, yes, but they weren't all dawdling and self-indulgence.

More than the duties, the resplendence, or even the accolades, she wondered what having a family she could approach freely would be like. Ironwood was a wonderful substitute but that's all he was: a substitute. Ozpin had done a wonderful job in making her feel welcome but then that's all that was: a job. He extended the same courtesy to every Hunter within Vale's walls. Even if she did receive a smidgen of extra attention that could still be attributed to her job, not her. What would it be like then to have a family that loved and cared for you unflinchingly?

Winter and her spoke sparingly, cordially through letters, more like distant strangers than kin. She hadn't seen Whitley in years. Her mother, stricken with illness as she was, had been disposed of long before she'd even been removed from the household. Aside from 'she's alive' Weiss had little to go on there.

She was a Schnee but only in name, and now not even in that much. When they stopped to allow a procession of laborers pass, she peered out the window again and saw her reflection in a pane nearby. Round face, upturned nose, freckles dotting the bridge and her cheeks. She didn't know the girl staring back at her and yet she was just as much Caroline Rosalind as she was Weiss Schnee.

She was 'Weiss'. No familial ties beyond some close connections to friends and superiors. That realization, one which always lingered in the back of her mind, ignored, came to the fore with a painful announcement, a reminder that, in reality, she had no family.

The sobering thought made her sink into her seat further and busy herself fitfully with smoothing her dress in an effort to pull her mind elsewhere.

It didn't work. Passing by a fatigued mother pulling along her two daughters didn't help either. Tired as the woman looked, she still wore a smile, uncaring for how her dark green dress with a brown patch looked hideous compared to Weiss' own gown - not that the woman could see her. The children's shrill laughter filled the early morning air and their trousers became drenched as they splashed in a puddle, giggling when their mother pulled one out only for the other to charge back in.

She couldn't remember playing with her own mother, or either of her siblings, and certainly not her father.

And here she was about to go masquerade as the niece of some well-to-do lady. They would be genial yet measured, carrying themselves as all… Most nobles did with an air of reservation. At least Weiss assumed so; she'd always seen nobles in public and most conducted themselves with a lofty regard for themselves and their station.

Arrogance.

Yet she and Lady Lavender were family behind closed doors. Perhaps her temporary aunt would be thrilled to see her. Maybe they would embrace, share a tender moment, and chat. As much as she dreaded having to recite fabricated stories on the spot she couldn't deny a certain elation about it all. Being the sole focus of someone's attention, having someone, a parental figure, regard you with unflinching kindness and understanding. Ozpin and the others were like that to some extent but theirs was largely a business-oriented one. A healthy working relationship but ultimately just that.

Lady Lavender and her were _family._ However false that might be.

Despite the aching in her chest Weiss found a smile and she watched the mother and children stomp off, listening as their laughter and the mother's half-hearted reprimands vanished behind them.

The plan was still idiotic, reckless, and she felt woefully unprepared, but there was some eagerness now. She'd make the best of it, for however long she could, and enjoy herself.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Weiss had assumed she knew the extent of a noble's wealth. A home far too large for them or their family, servants to do everything shy of wiping their hind quarters, and in some cases probably even that. She expected opulence, the kind of overindulgent spending that having a surfeit of Lien would allow.

To find that Lady Lavender's estate was not only isolated on its own causeway, seperate from the rest of Galloway's streets, but had five whole buildings on its property?

She was beginning to understand why going in before their raid was necessary.

"You'll rather like her, I think," Roman said as their carriage meandered along. The road to the estate was well kept, more so than most main roads, free of ruts and divots that plagued many a path. Wide enough for two coaches with room to spare, large stones built up sloping walls on either side, the occasional spray of surf lapping up over them.

"No husband to speak of, made her fortune all on her own. A lot of us think she's into some real illicit business. Me? I suspect she's sleeping with the right people."

"Because a woman cannot succeed without opening her legs," Weiss remarked dryly.

"Hey now, I'm not saying that! I'm just saying -"

"That you believe women are whores?"

"That _some_ women, and some men," Roman clarified. "Are wont to offer more than just goods or Lien to earn favor. It's hardly a single sex issue, Weiss. You'd be surprised by what those on top are willing to do to gain an advantage."

No, she probably wouldn't be. Self-aggrandizing as they were she'd expect nobles to lie, cheat, steal, and whatever other loathsome behaviors she could think of to survive. Roman, faux-noble or not, was included in that.

"Just drive the carriage," Weiss ordered, exasperated already.

"As you wish, Miss Rosalind."

The Lavender estate loomed ahead of them, it's main attraction, the manor, aglow in the early rising sun, a peach-colored three-story building with a sloped roof, peaks over the topmost windows, and a twin set of balconies over the front entrance. A column of trimmed birch trees stretched from the front of the property, where a heavy iron gate cut off the estate from the rest of the world, to the front doors. To the right Weiss saw a smaller, less impressive structure made of brick and mortar, moss staining the tiled roof and turning pale slabs green. Beyond that she could see stables and even from afar she could hear the whinnying of horses, ears ringing at the distant sound of a blacksmith's early toils beginning.

The gates itself, twice as tall as their transport, presided over them as an impassable barrier, bars thick as Weiss' forearm. Two guards, one to either side of the gate, stood by at attention, staring dead ahead and hardly acknowledging their arrival. Their carriage slowed and stopped with a squeak and Roman, complaining about the discomfort of his seat, dropped from the bench and approached the guards.

"Excuse me, sirs? I've come to deliver Lady Lavender's niece!"

Weiss scooted across her seat and peered out of the window to watch the scene unfold. Watch Roman botch the whole effort, she suspected, cringing as both regarded Roman with little interest. The only one she could really see, a well-built, terse looking man with curved black horns jutting out from his temples, stared at Roman, bouncing a double-headed axe on his shoulder.

"Um…" Roman fidgeted, voice wavering. "I've come to deliver Lady Lavend -"

"I heard you."

"Oh! Well great, fantastic! If you good sirs could open the gate, then I'd like to deliver her and be on my way."

"Are you giving us orders, coachman?" the other guard asked, sounding just as dubious as the first looked. "Just who do you think you are?"

 _Don't tell them who you are, you buffoon. For the love of all that is holy…_ "Oh, r-right, pardon me, sirs! I'm just tired from the journey is all, you see. As is Lady Rosalind…" _Good save, clown._

"Being tired makes your mouth run, does it?" the horned man asked, stifling a yawn. He leaned back against the gate itself and shifted the axe from one shoulder to the other, the weight of the thing settling against his pauldron with a heavy thud. "We aren't expecting Lady Rosalind."

"Ah, b-but she's here! It's unannounced, yes, but she's come all this way to see her aunt, good sirs. Surely you wouldn't turn her away."

Weiss almost drew back into the carriage when the guards looked her way. Instead she managed a slight smile, one which wilted as soon as the axe-wielding man approached the carriage. Gods he was large, easily rivaling the likes of Lord Commander Rainart. Even as her mind contemplated all the ways this could go awry - Lady Rosalind already being inside, or having just left, or potentially dead in some horrid accident, she found herself appreciating the man's armor. Deep blue like the ocean surrounding them it was less a typical chest plate and more of a layered, almost scale-like piece, appearing almost like chainmail, though clearly far sturdier. In the center of the man's chest a lavender colored, well, lavender sat, embossed against the darker metal.

 _Well, she certainly likes to make her property known._

It wasn't until Weiss noticed the guard squinting that she realized the sun's rays were in his face. Playing along, she leaned and blocked them, mustering another smile and bowing her head. _Act like a noble. Act like a noble. Posh, prissy, insufferable._

"I hope we're not to be delayed much longer?" she asked, voice quivering. She hoped the cold breeze rolling off the ocean would be enough excuse. "I would so like to see my aunt sometime today."

Stone-faced, the guard stared before nodding slowly. "Right. And is there any reason you hadn't sent us notice beforehand, my lady? Usually a letter would suffice, or even a messenger." He held a hand out to Weiss. "We've received neither, unless you have a missive from your father?"

This was the part that Roman was supposed to take care of. Or Goodwitch, or someone else, literally anyone other than her. What did she know about fabricating letters? She had no false stamps, no experience with forgery. Hells, she didn't even know the damned girl she was masquerading as!

"Ah, well, you see…" Roman shuffled forward and bowed his head. "We left when her father's antics became too much, good sir…"

"I'd hear it from the lady herself," the guard grumbled, never taking his eyes from Weiss. "Not you, porter. So, your father…?"

"Y-Yes. Father was being his usual self," Weiss bemoaned. She rolled her eyes and sighed, cupping her cheek as she leaned back in her seat. _An insufferable tart. Selfish. Think like a noblewoman!_ "I demanded to visit the city to buy new clothing and yet he refused me at every turn! Then he has the nerve to have company." Weiss huffed, slapping her palms against her thighs and staring at the guard. "Why should he be allowed to have fun while I'm to remain at home?!"

"It's unsafe to travel alone these days, my lady. Grimm are about, and I've heard that bandits are more active than ever."

"And? I have some of the fastest horses money can buy, not to mention my guards!" Weiss puffed herself up, catching a glimpse of her stolen face in the guard's armor. Gods, she certainly looked the part of a rotten brat. "Or did you honestly assume I was too stupid to bring protection?"

For once the guard appeared taken aback, blinking and shaking his head. "Ah… No, I didn't think -"

"Exactly, you didn't think, you dolt! I have traveled for a long while in this cramped, awful thing to visit my aunt and enjoy Galloway's markets. I am very, very tired of dallying, and I am at the end of my rope, sir. Now, either let me in to see my aunt, or keep me out here and deal with whatever punishment she doles out later." Weiss smiled and lifted her chin haughtily. "I'm sure she'll love to hear how you wanted to send me back into the city, especially with banditry on the rise."

Was it though? Like Grimm she hadn't encountered bandits of any sort, not on her way south nor on her way into Galloway itself. Then again two Hunters were hardly an easy mark, and their journey from camp to the city was brief enough to avoid any incident.

Weiss felt, well, like a royal brat. A spoiled princess, really. She could imagine how proud, in some twisted way, her friends would be for acting the part. For her own measure she was stunned she'd managed to portray, what she thought anyways, was an indignant aristocrat's daughter.

She was even more shocked to see the guard squirming in his greaves. His mouth opened and closed several times, squared jaw working to make a sound yet producing none. If he had any doubts who she was then she'd dispelled them. That said something about the girl's usual behavior. That, and how easily she could play the part. It was natural, she supposed, being around nobility as often as she was. Basically, just behave like the worst person imaginable and you were halfway there.

"Well?" Maybe she was having just a little fun with this. Weiss stomped her foot, masking a wince as her heels dug into her ankle. "If you'd like I could start screaming. I'm sure she'd love to hear that first thing in the morning."

"N-No, no, that won't be necessary, my lady. I was just being careful, that's all."

"Oh?" Weiss arched an eyebrow. "And why is that? Usually I'm not interrogated when I visit."

The other guard came around to address her, pointed ears poking out beneath a leather cap. "Your aunt has some work she's attending to, Lady Rosalind. She says it's important to the kingdom," the lankier guard explained. His sharp features softened into a bemused smile and he tilted his head. "I'd explain but I doubt you care much."

"Are you suggesting I'm incapable of understanding?" Weiss snapped. Okay, she was having fun.

"Not at all, but that you've never shown an interest in your aunt's work before." The Ydran man put a hand to his chest and bowed. She was surprised he could bow in the stiff looking armor, although more so by how flexible it was. "Forgive me, I meant no insult."

"Yes, well, your dawdling is plenty insulting enough. Are you to let me inside or shall I scale the walls, you oafs?"

Both men exchanged a look, one horrified, the other caught between concern and barely hidden amusement. Weiss decided she liked the second guard more. "No, my lady," they answered in unison, stepping back and banging their fists across their chest in salute. "We'll open the gate at once," the horned man added, turning and marching back to his post. He leaned into the bars and beckoned to someone unseen. "Open the gates! And send word that Lady Lavender's niece has just arrived!"

Satisfied, and just a little bit smug, Weiss settled back in her seat. That had been easy, surprisingly so. Perhaps she had a future in acting after all? Or at the very least a future in portraying rotten young women. The carriage rocked, announcing Roman's return, and she leaned forward, opening the small port between them and smirking.

"Well? Go on."

"Huh, turns out you do know what you're doing. Who'd have thought." Roman's grin suggested he expected her to do just fine. She wasn't sure if she was offended or pleased by that. Choosing the latter, she leaned into her cushioned seat, preening as she smoothed out her dress. "Are you sure you're this is your first time, kid? You're a natural."

"It's easy to pretend to be pampered," Weiss answered, smiling back at Roman. "After all, I've taken no small inspiration from those around me. Which, by the way, I should thank you."

"Hey! I like to think I'm better than most!"

Weiss' rebuke went unheard as the gates creaked, hinges groaning as they were swung open for them. Two more guards appeared wearing the same scaled garb as the first pair, stomping their boots and standing at attention. She couldn't live like this day in and day out, it would drive her mad, but Weiss couldn't deny the slight satisfaction she felt either. The smile she wore felt perfectly justified as Roman wheeled them inside, past the gates with lavender stalks engraved on the onyx bar that ran across the top of the doors. The coach wobbled as they climbed over a small bump then settled, wheels rolling across a level brick pathway.

"This way," one of the guards instructed. "We'll see your horse put up and your driver given accommodations."

"Oh, I won't be staying. I have a room back in the city already," Roman explained, lowering his voice, albeit not enough that Weiss couldn't hear. "I'd like to be away from her if at all possible."

"You'll be on the streets with another comment like that!" Weiss shouted behind her hand, unable to keep a smile from her face.

"P-Pardons, my lady!"

Pardons her foot. Catching the sympathetic look Roman was given she slid closer to the door and waited for a guard to open it. She could do it herself, really, and she certainly didn't need helping to navigate the single step to disembark the vehicle. Yet she acquiesced and gave her hand daintily to the mitted paw of a guard, her own dwarfed by his, holding up her dress as she stepped out. Another peered into the carriage for her luggage and found none.

"It's all back at the inn," Weiss explained, rolling her eyes not at the lack of belongings but the obvious blunder. "He'll return shortly with my things, won't you?"

"Ah, yes, of course! A thousand apologies, my lady. A thousand thousand apologies."

"I can't _wear_ apologies, you oaf. Get going and retrieve my bags already!"

She slammed the carriage shut to accentuate her impatience. Roman took the hint, nodded, and turned the vehicle around, snapping the reins and sending the horse into a trot.

"And bathe before you return!" she shouted after him, enjoying the thrill as he turned to shout back, then thought better of it. "I'll not have my things smell like you, you horse's arse!"

Okay, that one was for her. Did Lady Rosalind curse? A few guards around her chuckled and she took that as a yes. Waiting until the gates closed and Roman was well on her way, she scrunched up her dress, turned on her heel, and stared up at the nearest guard impatiently.

"Well? I'd like to see my aunt."

"Y-Yes, of course, my lady! Right this way."

From a distance the Lavender estate had seemed large. Up close it was positively ginormous, borderline comically so. Four stories, it turned out, rivaling the city's cathedral's first floor in scale alone, with wide arched windows spread across the first floor, leaving little mystery to what went on inside. Servants hurried about their morning tasks and not a single one looked outside to see what the commotion was. They walked along the lone pathway leading to two stained spruce doors, either side of them flanked by flower beds filled with yellow azaleas, red roses, towering blue delphiniums and, of course, lavender.

It filled the air with a lovely floral fragrance, the air thick with a sweet scent. The way the light reflected off petals made the greystone walkway burn with an array of colors, the same flowers catching in reflection on the lowest windows and turning them to stained glass. The flowerbeds wrapped around the front of the building, two feet from the walls to allow a raised walkway, and more flowers still, tiger lilies, orchids, white and pink wisteria, hung from intermittent baskets along the bottoms of the balcony.

Before they'd even reached the first step the twin doors opened soundlessly, and a lone butler stood in the entryway to greet them. A man in his winter years, with wisps of white clinging to a balding head, he bowed slightly, hands clasped before him.

"Lady Rosalind, forgive us. We were not made aware of your coming."

An awkward second passed before Weiss remembered he was referring to her. Clearing her throat, she nodded, taking the steps one at a time and fixing a scowl on her face.

"That is precisely the point of leaving unannounced! What good would it do me to declare to my father I'm leaving? He'd never let me!" She marched right past the butler who kept his head down and into the foyer. Hells, it was more like a ballroom, really. "Where is my aunt? I need to speak with her!"

"In a meeting, good lady." Hearing a man several times her age calling her 'good lady' didn't sit right. Weiss pursed her lips and nodded, playing discomfort as reluctant reticence.

"Very well. Then… Then I shall wait for her!"

"As you wish." The butler closed the doors and turned to her, wrinkled face betraying no emotion. He clapped twice and two women came running into the room, bowing respectfully before her. "I shall go and inform our lady of your arrival. In the meantime, please use these two as you see fit. Should you require anything - food, respite, drink, they will provide it for you."

"It is an honor, my lady," a young girl said, easily younger than Weiss herself.

"An honor, my lady," the other, an older girl, face flushed pink, added, panting as she bowed her head.

She sincerely doubted it was an honor. They were doing their jobs and attending to who they thought was a spoiled brat. More than the guards, and certainly more than Roman, she felt less inclined to demand things of the pair. Yet she had a facade to maintain and she suspected Lady Rosalind wasn't any kindlier to the help than the people meant to protect her.

"Then it will be your honor to fetch me a drink, I'm parched!" Weiss spat, adding a mental apology as the girls cringed. "And you," she added with a pointed stare at the younger girl. "I wish to… Walk the grounds! I've spent much too long in a carriage already. Show me around!"

"A-Ah… At once, my lady!"

"I'll fetch your drink," the elder said. "Jessamine will take you to the koi ponds. It is one of your aunt's favorite places to visit and quite serene."

She didn't doubt it. Weiss smiled, then forced it to change to a scowl. "I'll decide for myself how 'serene' it is. Get me my drink!"

This time she uttered a faint apology as the older serving girl rushed away, her flats slapping loud against the marbled floors. The remaining servant bowed her head in deference and stepped aside, gesturing for Weiss to take one of the corridors but not daring to lead. Was being this level of subservient necessary? She knew the answer before she even asked. Nobility expected this kind of treatment. To be waited on hand and foot, to have others kneel and grovel on a whim.

She pressed her lips into a thin line and headed down a hallway flooded with natural light, more of the high, arched windows splitting the wall every few feet.

She'd had fun initially but already she was beginning to loathe the girl she was pretending to be. Herself as well if she were honest, for how easily she adopted the persona, how naturally it came to her.

Yet any discomfort or misgivings she felt paled in comparison to what Yang and Ruby were enduring. She'd play this role for a month if it meant seeing them to safety. She would, she just wouldn't enjoy it. Glancing back at her young attendant she frowned when the girl squeaked and averted her gaze with haste, balling up her plain gown nervously.

Hopefully Lady Lavender wouldn't be long.

/+/+/+/+/+/

As it happened Lady Lavender wouldn't be long at all. Sipping at the tea delivered to her, she wasn't enjoying it, Weiss had taken to watching the koi swim in their enclosure. Curious fish, imported from Mistral, her mousy retainer had informed her. As if she or Caroline Rosalind cared where the fish originated from. She nodded along as the girl explained how they were purchased, how they were maintained. Weiss had been about to ask how the girl was so knowledgeable before she revealed herself as one of the caretakers.

"If so much as a scale is out of place she'll notice," she caught the girl mumbling as she fed the fish, hunched over the water, gown drawn up to avoid getting it dirty, revealing scuffed knees and pale, hairless legs. Weiss nodded absently as she watched a white and black fish dance around one another in a soundless ballad.

She just didn't care. She wasn't interested in the stained cedar pathways spanning the pond, nor the garden beds surrounding them, or how workers tended to the beds with almost a reverence. She cared, actually. She cared quite a bit how they all walked around like they were on thin ice, terrified to so much as look at her let alone speak. They hurried by her with heads down, uttering only polite necessities before disappearing on their way to their next task.

The servants' tentativeness made Lady Lavender's arrival all the more bombastic by comparison.

"Caroline? Oh goodness, it really _is_ you!"

Weiss had barely begun to stand when the woman bowled into her, lifting her off her feet in a surprisingly firm hug. She gawked, sputtered, kicked, and perhaps uttered a curse or two as she was set back down, face flush with indignation.

"My, you've grown! Or at least I think you have. It's been too long, my dear! Far too long!" A flawless smile, a warm hand on her cheek, free of calluses, nails immaculate. Despite being a woman approaching forty there wasn't a wrinkle in sight or a hair out of place, her medium length hair, for which Weiss was certain she was given her name, smooth and shining. "Let me get a good look at you, dear. Oh, you're a bit rounder in the face," she noted while pinching Weiss' cheeks. "Have you been eating well? Don't tell me my idiot brother is letting you overeat again."

Thankfully smacking the woman's hand away didn't come across as too out of character, nor did the fierce pout Weiss adopted. "I've been eating fine, thank you very much!" Even if her cover was the rounded one, she felt slighted. "And is that any way to greet your niece?"

"What? I said hello, didn't I? Oh…" The woman chuckled and stroked Weiss' hair. "Hello. There, better? Forgive me, I've just come from a very straining meeting and my mind isn't quite here yet. How _are_ you, Caroline? I hope the journey here wasn't too difficult?"

At risk of swatting at the woman's hand again Weiss opted to fold them behind her back and offer a terse smile, hoping it was enough to convey her point.

"Just fine, miss…" She paused and frowned. "Auntie."

"Auntie? My, that's a new one!" Harmonious laughter bubbled forth and Lady Lavender laughed alone, the servant too meek to join in and Weiss herself finding no humor in it. "Goodness, forgive me. I needed that after this morning. Come, come. Let's get you inside and have lunch together! You can tell me all about your journey and what you've been up to!"

"Er, but I -"

"You there, girl! Go and have the cooks prepare a meal for us!" She clapped her hands loudly and the young girl bowed, running off and disappearing into the home. Smiling, oblivious to Weiss' blatant look of disapproval, Lady Lavender stepped closer to the edge of the pond and peered into it.

"Beautiful fish, aren't they? I'm so fortunate that I was able to get them. You wouldn't imagine the compliments I get for this!" She laughed again, clasping her hands together and rocking on her heels. "Do you know what people say? Do you? They call me cultured; they say I have wonderful tastes. Me. They write me off as eccentric." _I'm beginning to think 'crazy' fits the bill, ma'am._ "And my tastes are eclectic, but then they complement me. I've started a trend, Caroline! Others are building ponds like my own."

"That's… Wonderful, Aunt Lisa."

"Oh please, Lisa is just fine." Both her hands were taken, and Lady Lavender beamed down at her, loose, flowing sleeves of her white gown billowing in the wind. "You've never been so formal with me! I assume my brother has been trying to drill manners into you?"

"Something like that."

"Well, there's little need for them in private, dear Caroline. I tire of putting on airs all day for company." Still clinging to one hand they turned, and Weiss was pulled away from the pond, hastening her pace to match the noblewoman's. "It is so wearisome pretending to like the company of every man and woman who visits."

"I can imagine," Weiss mumbled, hardly feeling the need to offer input.

"And goodness, what a week it has been!" The door leading back inside was opened, held, and closed by a servant, any marks on the floor promptly swept up by another. "First, I had Bernard, you remember him, don't you? He came to visit with a new proposition for me, something about selling his trinkets in Galloway. Then I had Heather come by and complain incessantly about her husband and children. I mean _incessantly_ ; I could speak to a servant and she'd carry on prattling as if nothing was the matter!"

Letting herself be strung along Weiss followed. They passed through a number of halls, each with windows to allow natural light inside, the sparse wall spaces decorated with colorful cloths, landscape paintings or portraits - usually of Lady Lavender herself, or some manner of flowering plant. Flowers seemed to be everywhere in the godsforsaken estate.

Their trip was a short one as they arrived at a small dining hall. Weiss used the term 'small' judiciously though. Any room that had a table large enough for twenty chairs, a chandelier, a fireplace, and was manned by no less than four servants even now was hardly small.

"And then Marigold had the nerve to suggest that I was behind on my payments. Marigold! That wench has a reputation you know. She's hardly reliable and often has to call in favors to repay debts."

Oh, and "her aunt" was still talking.

"And that's nothing compared to today." Lady Lavender sat at the head of the table and ushered Weiss to sit beside her. "Wine. Red, I don't care which," she instructed the nearest servant, eyes on Weiss as she waved dismissively. "And whatever Caroline wants. What would you like, dear?"

"Erm… Water is fine. I'm parched from my ride."

"Just water?" Lisa raised an eyebrow then scoffed, shaking her head. "Bring her a glass of wine as well. No niece of mine is going to miss sampling some of the finest… Oh, do you prefer white or red, dear? I can never seem to remember."

What she would prefer would be water, or even nothing at all. Weiss sighed, then gave the woman a patient smile. "White if I must."

"Sweet, full bodied? Do you prefer something with a bite, or something… Oh, of course! Bring her something sweet. She's young, young children like sweet, don't they?"

"Actually -"

"And have the cooks prepare some fish for us! I don't care which, just make it quick." Two servants bowed and left the room while the remaining two hovered nearby, ready, although Weiss suspected unwilling, to attend to their every whim. "Where was I? Oh yes, today! I have been dealing with the most unpleasant man, you see."

"You don't say," Weiss muttered, thumbing the spotless white tablecloth absently. Comfortable as the cushioned dining chair was she wanted desperately to be up and about, and preferably anywhere other than here.

"I don't understand how my brother does it, honestly. Dealing with our peers is one thing. I know how to play the game, you understand. Bat your eyelashes at the men, play nice with women. A favor for a favor, tit-for-tat." Lady Lavender sighed and rubbed at her forehead. "But these blasted Hunters? I can never figure out quite what they want!"

That caught her attention and Weiss perked up immediately. "Hunters?"

"Yes, dear. Those Magi the Church employs. The ones who fancy themselves 'Remnant's heroes' or some such." The words came out with such a disdain that Weiss nearly snapped back, having to instead clench her jaw until it ached to keep quiet. "They insist they cannot take gifts from us and sure enough this insufferable man has refused my every advance. They use my home for their business, my resources, and yet they refuse to inform me of what they're doing!" She smiled. "Although not all of them have been so tight-lipped. I've managed to learn a thing or two."

It was perhaps the hardest thing she'd done in her life to feign indifference. Weiss looked not at the woman beside her but the tablecloth, picking at it with a put-upon sigh. "I-Is that right?"

"They're practicing some kind of medical marvel from what I understand. Some young girl was horribly blighted during those attacks, you see. An awful case of miasma poisoning from what I understand. She's quarantined." The jabbering woman sighed and shook her head. "Her sister is here with us as well and yet the poor thing can't even see her. Contagious, you understand. Only he and the nurse are allowed to visit the girl."

He? Who was 'he'? And the nurse for that matter? She toiled for a way to ask for identities without giving herself away. Would someone like Caroline even know who any of the Hunters were? She doubted it.

Before Weiss had any chance to even attempt to ask the servants returned, one with two bottles of wine, the other with a tray of glasses and horderves. Crackers, fruit, and olives. Weiss wrinkled her nose as the bottles of wine were uncorked, eyeing her glass apprehensively. The lone benefit to their arrival? Lady Lavender seemed far more interested in enjoying her drink than speaking.

She needed to know more though. The rambling woman had confirmed that Ruby and Yang were there in all but name. She hadn't been given the full story, surprisingly, but they had enough confirmation to proceed with the plan.

"Well? Go on and try it, Caroline! Let me know what you think!"

The wine sloshed around in the half-full glass and Weiss watched Lady Lavender for a cue, sniffing at her drink and grimacing. Far too sweet and it had yet to even grace her taste buds. In lieu of pinching her nose she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and chased the entire glasses contents down in one gulp. The flavor and burn of alcohol left her sputtering and coughing.

"My, you must have had a trying trip after all!" the woman laughed while Weiss glared through tear-rimmed eyes. Lady Lavender followed suit and swallowed her drink in one go, smiling as she lifted her low empty glass and licked residue from her lips. "Now this? This is something I can enjoy."

It wasn't mutual. Much to her chagrin another glass was poured almost immediately, and Weiss stewed in silence. Maybe she could put off drinking more in favor of conversation. Gods, was more talking with this woman, or more accurately, being talked at preferable?

" _Her sister is here with us as well."_ Weiss' eyes widened and she leaned forward, going so far as to reach out and grab the woman's arm as she began to drink again. It was potentially compromising but she had to try, even if only to get a moment, a split second. "You mentioned her sister is here? She must be lonely, not being allowed to see Y… Her sibling."

"Oh, I imagine so, and the poor thing wants nothing to do with me either." She looked genuinely upset by that, leaning into her seat and swirling her glass around with a sigh. "She's a lovely little thing. Sweet, friendly, a little awkward, but with some proper preening I think she'd make a wonderful wife for someone."

She'd pretend this cretin wasn't planning to marry Ruby off to someone. "She must be terribly lonely," Weiss reiterated, shaking her head. "As was I on my journey, only having my imbecilic driver to keep me company." Weiss sighed and wiped the corners of her eyes, dry as they were. _Take a hint, woman!_

Getting Lady Lavender to put two and two together was like trying to light a fire with wet sticks. Weiss needed it to be her idea though. If Lady Lavender suggested they meet, then there wouldn't be any questions as to why her niece was visiting Ruby. They were close enough in age and while of vastly different social standings she could see the scatterbrained woman thinking the two of them could get along.

When the woman's eyes lit up Weiss hid a smile behind her glass, almost gagging as a bit of wine slid down her throat.

"I should introduce you two! Oh, I bet you'd get along splendidly!" Weiss set down her glass and nodded, encouraging the chatterbox to keep going. "In fact, why don't we go visit her after this? Oh, or better yet, go do it now! Dinner won't be for a short while, after all." Whether Weiss wanted to go now or not a servant was summoned to their side at once. "Take my niece to visit the girl upstairs." Her eyes widened again, and she looked at Weiss thoughtfully. "Or would you prefer she joins us for supper? She's a Hunter too from what I understand. She might have some interesting stories for us!"

She would if Weiss didn't know all those stories already. She shook her head, smiling carefully as she folded her hands in her lap. "I'd rather not. If she ends up being a total dolt then I'd hate to have her stuck here with us. This way I can leave if she's annoying."

"Aw, I think you'll like her. She's a lot like you used to be!" Well that was a terrifying image. "But maybe you'll change your mind once you meet her! Go on! I'll have someone fetch you when lunch is ready."

Exercising every ounce of restraint Weiss slowly got to her feet, policing her face and running a finger around the rim of her wine glass.

"I don't know…"

"Oh, do go meet her, sweetheart. I think it will do some good for both of you! At the very least she'll provide some entertainment before our meal."

Ruby Rose was not entertainment. Weiss let out another sigh, this one much more strained, and bowed her head to Lady Lavender. "Fine, if you insist. I'm telling you this is a waste of time though."

"Don't be ridiculous! I think you two will get along splendidly!" The woman sampled a wafer from the tray and nodded, taking another and beaming at Weiss. "I dare say this is the best idea I've had all day. Don't be too long now!"

Only when her back was to the woman did Weiss allow herself to grin, maintaining an air of reluctance and letting her shoulders droop as she was escorted towards the halls. She probably looked idiotic, but Lady Lavender was ten times the buffoon she was. It had been almost too easy.

"Right this way, my lady." She nodded and followed the servant, furrowing her brow as they moved further and further away from the dining room.

Her impromptu plan had worked, and a new avenue was open to them. Now…

What the hells was she supposed to say?

* * *

 **I toyed with the idea of Weiss being utterly clueless how to act, then I decided, "You know what? She knows exactly how nobles act. Like jerks!" Obviously it's a generalization, and a poor one at that, but it's working for her so far!**

 **And hey, now she gets to go see Ruby! Which I'm sure is fine and won't cause any complications!**


	47. Chapter 47: Paranoia

**Hope everyone is doing okay with all that is going on in the world! You'd think that being home so often would be more conducive to my writing but nope, drafts are sitting around for ages despite my "free time".**

 **Ah well! Life goes on and so does our story, so without further ado...**

* * *

How did people manage to sit in one place all day? Not everyone enjoyed going out and about. Heck, people like Ren could probably live in one room all day if they were made to. Blake too, provided she had a book to keep her occupied.

Ruby? She just didn't get it. While the servants insisted she was a guest she felt a lot more like a prisoner than an honorable visitor. It didn't help that the lanky man from the Church, Witch or something, was being the absolute worst a person could be. Maybe it was knowing how poorly Yang was being treated that made her sedentary lifestyle so miserable.

At least she got the potion to Yang. Ruby huffed, blowing bangs from her face as she stared up at the cream yellow canopy of her four-post bed. She'd taken to imagining shapes and images in the canvas as of late. She saw a mountain range, rolling fields, and for some reason a dog chasing a sheep.

A cloudy sky. A horse or two. A face, twisted like one of those weird drama masks, half-smiling, half-grimacing. Oh, and a duck!

She was bored. Tentatively hopeful now that Yang was getting her medicine but beyond bored.

Wallace or whatever had promised that she'd be brought down for Yang's treatment. No one had come to collect her yet so that meant Yang was still okay, right? Well, as okay as someone barricaded in a cell and deprived of their magic could be.

Ruby itched at the choker around her neck, grimaced, and tugged at the leather piece. It refused to stretch, and her nails dug into her own flesh, incapable of slipping beneath. Tight enough to remain fixed but not so much that it suffocated her. She couldn't get to her magic either now, not after her escape attempt a day earlier. Or was it two? Heck, she couldn't even tell now! Between the bedroom and bathroom, keeping track of time was a gargantuan task in itself.

"I hope that potion works…"

Yang hadn't specifically said what it would do beyond 'help her'. Or ruin her trousers. Apothecary wasn't something she'd studied much in training and she couldn't begin to guess what the potion was meant to do. Heal her? Make her magic extra explosive? Cure a hangover?

What if the potion didn't work though? What if Walter knew what it was going to do, stopped Peach before she could reach Yang, and took it away? What if Yang was punished for it? Then Yang would be in worse condition than she already was and Ruby might not be able to see her sister!

 _Yang's going to have to go through whatever horrible stuff William has in store alone! I can't let them do that!_ Nervous energy filled her and Ruby jumped out of bed, chewing her lower lip as she paced about the bedroom. _She knows I wouldn't leave her alone, right? But what if they don't let me leave?! How can I sneak out again? Maybe… Maybe I could get one of the servants to help! But then they'll be punished…_

This was why she'd made a habit of looking for shapes in cloth. Anything was better than letting her mind, and her anxiety, run wild. She chewed on her lip until she broke the skin, licked droplets of blood away, and took to gnawing on her knuckle instead.

She… She would figure something out. Maybe she could trick them into removing the choker somehow? One burst of speed was all she'd need to get away from them. She knew where Yang was being held, vaguely, and could reach her long before any of the Hunters could. As for what she'd actually do once there? Grab the nearest object and start swinging, probably.

Hardly a fool proof plan but it was all she had.

On another pass by her bed a knock at the door made her jump, gasping and clutching her hands to her chest. Was it Wyatt? Did he somehow know her traitorous thoughts and had come to punish her? Well fine, she'd take whatever he had to dole out so long as it kept him from hurting Yang.

That didn't mean Ruby was going down without a fight though. Her eyes darted around the bedroom in search of something to use for defense. What would work against a Hunter? Not much. Nothing she could get inside this room actually. She settled for a candlestick atop the dresser, clutching the bronze piece in both hands and shuffling towards the door, toes dragging along plush carpeting. Another knock and Ruby held her breath, reaching for the doorknob then jumping back when the knob jostled.

"Miss Rose?"

Oh, she knew that voice! Not the bad guy! "Come in, Wallace!" she called with a smile. "Uh… I mean… Yes?"

The door swung open and the tired man sighed, then fixed a perplexed stare on Ruby noticing what she held. "Miss Rose, pray tell why you're clutching a candlestick like you're brandishing a blade?"

"Huh? Oh, heh, this? I was just, uh…" _I totally wasn't planning on hitting you with it if that's what you're thinking!_ Ruby twisted the stick and smiled. "I was… Playing! Pretending to be a knight! Hehe, I have to do something to entertain myself here!"

Nonplussed, the butler entered the room and extended a hand, taking the candlestick and replacing it. "Quite. Terribly sorry to spoil your fun then but you have a visitor."

Both of them turned to the door and neither saw anyone there. Was… Was the person invisible? Maybe they had invisibility magic. Or jeez, was Wallace taking pity on her and pretending there was someone there? Ruby felt a heat of indignation creep to her cheeks. She hadn't had imaginary friends since she was five! She could appreciate his trying to cheer her up -

"Miss Rosalind? Are you coming?"

But she wasn't a little girl anymore! Oh, there _was_ someone there. A short, plump girl with a cute-ish freckled face. Kind of… What was a word Weiss would use? The girl was clearly of noble birth. Dress too clean, face free of blemishes, and obviously well-fed. A few words came to mind and none of them were exactly nice.

"Miss Rose, please allow me to introduce Lady Caroline Rosalind. She is Lady Lavender's niece and will be staying with us for a short while."

Aha, so she was nobility! Score. Although now Ruby wasn't sure why someone like that was here visiting her, and judging by the uncertain, almost regretful look on the girl's face neither was she. While Caroline shuffled in place and refused to look at her Ruby did her best to maintain a polite smile. It didn't take long for her to begin fidgeting awkwardly, however.

"She has requested to meet you," Wallace explained. At least someone in the room had the sense to speak. "She has been appraised of you and your sister's status and I believe wishes to express her condolences." The aged man bowed slightly at the waist and Ruby swore she heard something creak, like an unoiled door hinge. "But of course, I would never assume to speak for the young lady herself. If you'd be so kind, Miss Rosalind…?"

The girl fumbled with one of her sleeves before gasping, eyes wide as she looked up, like she'd been roused from a stupor. "Oh, me, sorry. My mind is elsewhere right now."

"With all due respect, my lady, you did request to come here."

"Yes, and we are here, aren't we? I'll get to speaking to her when I'm well and ready, thank you!"

"By your leave." Ruby wondered how the man could keep a neutral face while he bowed to the freckled girl, not bothering to look her way once as he left the room. "I will be outside for you. Simply knock when you are finished, and I'll return you to your aunt."

"Thank you, Wallace. That will be all," Caroline said, more softly than before. Polite, even.

Ruby would have had to share some words with the girl otherwise! Nowhere near as articulate as Weiss' verbal dismantlings were.

More hesitant, probably, and definitely less-than convincing.

Oh jeez, now Caroline was staring at her. She needed to say something! Ruby's mouth flapped a few times and her hands grasped at her nightgown, bunching up the lavender garment while shuffling her feet. Why did she look amused? Had she just come here to watch her squirm? Because… Because she was absolutely doing that, but that was rude!

Why wasn't she saying anything?

 _Come on brain, save me here!_ Ruby's eyes worked over Caroline once and sought something, anything to talk about. Gloves! "It m-must be cold outside, huh…?"

"I… Beg your pardon?"

"The gloves! You're wearing gloves so… So, I figured it's cold!"

"But… it's July?"

"Uh-huh," Ruby agreed, smiling like a complete buffoon.

The other girl stared at her again for an agonizingly long eternity. Or maybe it was all of five seconds. Ruby's mouth twitched and she shifted her weight between her feet. Say something! Anything!

Well, laughter was kind of like saying something, wasn't it? It was a sound at least, sounds were good! Except for coughing, wheezing, crying - unless it was happy crying. Most sounds were good. _Some._ Why was she still laughing? There was a peculiar likeness to the sound that made Ruby pause for thought. It was lower than what she was used to, strained just a bit, like their laugh was underused, but the… What was the word for it? Cadence! It was similar to Weiss'. Or maybe that was just her projecting.

"F-Forgive me," Caroline stammered, wiping her eyes and taking a deep breath. "That was just funny."

"Oh, um, thank you?" There was a smile again, a weird one. The kind Yang used to give when she was getting ready to spring a surprise on you. The 'I know more than you do' sort of smile. "Uh… So, you… You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, I did." The freckled face twisted into a complicated mask, lips pursed, and small button nose wrinkled while her hands wrung together. "I… I heard about your sister, Ru… Miss Rose. I wanted to say how sorry I was."

"Uh, y-yeah, thanks. She'll be okay though!"

Another puzzling look, a not-quite smile that hardly hid anger behind it. "So I've heard. It must be scary, being here."

Ruby shook her head perhaps too quickly at that. "Not at all! I have a comfy bed, and I get good food, and the servants here are nice!" Servants, not Hunters. "I… I like it here!"

"Do you?" Caroline walked past her, appraising the room as she went. Running her hand along the dresser, opening the closet, examining the two dozen or so gowns, robes, dresses, and undergarments hung within. Her face twisted into a sneer that was wiped away instantly, but Ruby caught a glimpse of it.

"My… Aunt," she said with practiced measure. "Enjoys the finer things, I suppose." She nodded as though reaffirming that obvious fact with herself. "I'm glad that you're being treated well though."

"Uh… Yeah, thanks?"

"And your sister?"

There was a tricky topic. Ruby tried to look as upset by the conversation as she could in hopes Caroline wasn't going to press. When her face fell and her smile waned it wasn't difficult to look as despondent as she felt.

"She's, um…"

Alive, although there was no telling how long that might last. If Winston had his way then Yang would be worm food already. She still didn't know why he was so fixated on hating her. Why, when Ozpin himself apparently wanted Yang cured, did Wilson insist on Yang being killed? Or did Ozpin really feel the same way? The thought of her boss wanting Yang dead was… Distressing, to say the least.

Ruby gasped when Caroline drew closer, her eyes widening as arms wrapped around her. Unsure how to react she left hers rigid against her sides, stiff. The shorter girl hugged her for only a moment and while it felt nice to get some kind of physical comfort it was also weird. Like, really weird.

Who hugged complete strangers? Well, Nora did, albeit that sometimes involved suplexing them shortly afterwards. A noblewoman hugging a Hunter though? The peculiar pained smile Caroline wore as she stepped back only made the gesture even more befuddling.

"I, uh…"

"Sorry, I…" At least both of them seemed to be completely out of sorts now. "I have a sister as well, older, like yours." Ruby couldn't quite smile back and instead nodded. "I haven't seen her in a very long time and… I can't imagine losing her."

"Oh, well, um, that's okay! Sisters are important! Especially older sisters! They teach us things, and they keep us safe, and they're only our best friends growing up!" Ruby's eyes prickled and she felt her voice catch. She cleared her throat and rubbed at her face. "Yang's… I didn't see her for years, she was… Away. And now she's finally back and then she got…"

"Sick?"

Ruby nodded, sniffling. "Y-Yeah, that. They, um… They said she might not make it. I can't, I _won't_ lose her. Not again. But what can I do?!"

Weiss always made out all nobles to be self-serving, entitled people who never showed an ounce of sympathy for anyone else. Lady Lavender was an exception. Then again, the woman was so air-headed that Ruby wasn't sure she was capable of animosity. That would require being able to concentrate on something for longer than five seconds.

 _Ouch. Weiss really is rubbing off on me…_

Caroline seemed genuinely upset by her plight. She didn't know the girl whatsoever, and she didn't know her either, but Ruby felt an innate connection. Maybe it was because they both had older sisters? No amount of Lien would change the bond that sisters shared, right?

She wasn't sure what she was hoping Caroline might say. Maybe some words that would save Yang. Maybe she would offer to help somehow. Nobles had money and money talked. Maybe Warner would give up on his weird vendetta against Yang and let them leave for the right amount? It was bribery and bribery was explicitly against the Church's rules but then so was torture. At least Ruby was pretty sure it was.

"You can pray, I suppose."

Oh. Ruby's whole being deflated in an instant. She smiled, eyes welling up as she collapsed back onto the bed. "Yeah… I'll… Pray…" she whispered meekly.

"The gods are wont to ignore us, I'll admit." That was an understatement. Ruby looked up as a hand settled on her shoulder, sniffling, wiping away tears while Caroline smiled at her. "But try it. Sometimes they do answer our prayers."

"S-Sure, I'll… I'll give it a shot."

"Please do. And… Ruby? Be strong. You'll both make it out of this just fine."

"I, uh…" Ruby wiped at her eyes and cleared her throat. By the time she looked up again Caroline was already moving for the door. "Wait!" she called, jumping back to her feet. "Do I… Um… Have we met before? You remind me of someone!"

The girl didn't turn, nor did she respond right away. Caroline's shoulders squared and she shook her head, muttering something Ruby couldn't quite make out. She acted like Weiss in some ways, yet not in others. Except Weiss would never, ever tell her to pray. She'd sooner expect her BFF to suggest she beg for a stranger's kindness than pray.

"We haven't, actually. I just heard your story and was touched, that's all."

"Okay, well, I have a friend! She's really awesome, and smart, and uh… Well, I think you'd like her!" Ruby smiled hesitantly and inched closer. She didn't realize how desperate she was to chat with someone, anyone else until Caroline was on her way out. "Maybe when Yang and I leave, I could introduce you two? I think you'd get along!"

"Does this friend of yours have a name, Miss Rose?"

"Well yeah, everyone has a name, duh!" Ruby laughed at the absurd question. Oh wait, she was asking for the name, right. "Her name is Weiss! She's awesome!"

Caroline turned back to her with another unplaceable smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes, small, halfhearted dimples at the corners. "Weiss? As in… Weiss Schnee!"

"You know her?!"

"I do." The freckled girl sighed, glanced back at the door and tapped her foot. "Weiss Schnee, correct?"

"Ah, she doesn't like being called that usually. Just Weiss!"

"I do know of her." Caroline shook her head. "And… And I'd like absolutely nothing to do with her. She's a bastard, after all."

Ruby's jaw dropped and she stared after Caroline as she left, feeling as though the whole floor had been pulled out from beneath her. How could she say that? Caroline had never met Weiss before, she couldn't say that! Tears returned, partly angry, mostly stress, somewhat fueled by betrayal. She marched to the door and banged her fist against it, hoping the other girl was close enough to hear her.

"Weiss is incredible! If that's how you're going to be then… I don't want anything to do with you!" she shouted, laying her head against the door and gritting her teeth. "Apologize right now!"

Caroline didn't. Hells, she wasn't sure the girl had even heard her shout. Ruby remained by the door, left alone with her labored breathing, sniffling and trying to keep herself from crying again. People didn't _know_ Weiss, they just assumed what she was like. Well, she'd not let someone drag her friend through the mud like that. It didn't matter that Weiss wasn't here to hear Ruby defend her. No one was going to talk poorly about her friend like that!

Yet what could she do about it besides scream and shout? Pray? Ruby stepped back from the door and wiped her nose on her gown's sleeve. That wasn't going to solve anything. They didn't have time to wait around for some divine intervention. Yang had her medicine and it would help, she hoped, but she was reluctant to put everything on that one plan. They needed something else.

Like hells she knew what that was though. Frustrated, Ruby huffed and clawed at her choker again, trying to pry it from her throat. She'd get it off somehow and bust Yang out of her cell.

She wouldn't wait on some gods to save them. Herself and Yang were all they needed.

/+/+/+/+/+/

 _Damn it. DAMN IT!_

Weiss had been so close to coming out and revealing herself. Hells, she may as well have with her vague admissions. Did Lady Rosalind have a sister? Someone had to have been monitoring Ruby. No way would they leave a Hunter like her unsupervised. The choker blocked magic, right? She'd never seen her friend wear such a thing so that had to be it. They knew Ruby was a threat and looked to keep her wings clipped.

Now, Weiss had only just gotten to the estate and may have already blown her cover.

She hadn't been the one to tell Ruby to do something as futile as pray. That was Caroline, her cover. A fake. Yet for the moment she _was_ Caroline. And so what if she could have blown her cover? Ruby needed her right now. Yang needed her. To hell with discretion! She should march back to the room and reveal herself to Ruby then and there. Between the two of them they could… They could…

Get themselves killed.

Following Wallace in a daze she stared at the carpets as they walked, hands clenching and relaxing, grinding her teeth in indecision. How many Wardens were here? More than two, certainly, and more than she and Ruby could handle alone. Then there was the staff, innocent, and that was to say nothing of the risk it could pose to Galloway if a battle broke out. Nothing was keeping Grimm from appearing and potentially spilling into the city itself.

"Lady Rosalind?"

Could they even save Ruby and Yang without risking Grimm? Did the estate have wards in place? Did Galloway? What if she was already compromised and someone was on their way to collect her? She had no way of contacting the others, no way of relaying where Yang was being held; she still had no idea where they were keeping Yang.

Maybe she should speak to Lady Lavender about it, and request to see Yang herself. She could free Yang and between the two of them reach Ruby easily enough. If the three of them worked together then maybe…

 _Gods, if we only had Blake! She could help us escape easily!_ Weiss stopped in her tracks, gritting her teeth and squeezing her eyes shut. Her head throbbed and she hissed, rubbing at her temples to ease the tension. _Why did Ozpin send her away for a rescue mission? Does he know? He has to know. Why else would he separate us?_

"Lady Rosalind?!"

Breath leaving in a startled gasp she stepped back, staring at the concerned face of the estate's butler. Wallace, showing the first real emotion she'd seen, removed a cloth from his pocket and offered it to her.

"You're rather pale, young lady. Are you unwell?" he asked. "You didn't catch something from that child, did you?"

That wasn't how illness worked at all. It took time to transmit, incubated, then and only then would symptoms appear. They'd been told as much when learning about miasma poisoning during training, and again when instructed on Spellcast Sickness. Was she ill? Perhaps, but not in the traditional, physical sense.

Weiss accepted the cloth and wiped her face, breaths coming in sharp, strained gasps. Her headache had begun to subside, and she managed a faint smile, offering the cloth back. "I'm fine, just… Lightheaded. Maybe I'm more exhausted from the journey than I thought…"

"Understandable. It must have been a strenuous journey, after all." Wallace, offering his hand, nodded when Weiss shook her head. "In that case why don't I show you to your quarters? My Lady will understand if you need your rest."

Resting was a waste of time. It was also an excuse for her to spend some time alone to think. Figure out just how in the hell she was going to make any of this work. Nodding, she waited for Wallace to take the lead again and follow suit. Down another indecipherable corridor, spartan in its decor, with plush red carpeting, a scattering of paintings, and little else. There was a solution to this, she was certain of it. She just needed to find Yang's location and from there work on an escape plan. Perhaps avoid combat altogether if she could.

 _This would be so much easier if we had Blake's talents…_

Weiss paused as they neared a window and chanced a look outside. Servants scurried across the grounds with shovels, rakes, and other gardening utensils in hand. Tending to an overfilled garden bed, one of the many dotting the estate's grounds.

Then came the Wardens, the real reason Weiss became fixated. Three of them, one large, dwarfing the other two. A man with short black hair and neatly trimmed beard, the others two young women, twins. She had never seen any of them before. They continued past the servants, past a shed, and even as Weiss pressed herself against the glass to try and track their movements, they soon disappeared behind the estate itself.

"My Lady, are you coming?"

"Yes, on my way."

It could be nothing. A simple tour of the grounds, although she doubted that. They had to be going somewhere. Lingering for a moment longer Weiss pried herself from the window, sending one last glance outward. She swore she saw another white cloak lingering outside but she couldn't be certain.

/+/+/+/+/+/

An uneventful journey to an unremarkable township, that had been the last few days of Blake's life. Travel by horseback, stop every evening rather than ride through, then continue at daybreak. For a mission deemed urgent they traveled without haste, seeing fit to dine whenever the need arose, or even when it didn't. With her experiences as a Hunter limited as they were - her only real mission had been her unorthodox task with Weiss, she couldn't say whether this was normal or not. It felt piddling if not outright negligent to take so long but none of her companions made a fuss and so neither did she.

Vale's landscapes bled together in an indecipherable cluster of valleys and hills, fields and groves. The occasional Grimm they encountered were less than an inconvenience, batted away with weapons alone, magic saved for extreme circumstances.

More than once she wondered what the reason was for their leisurely pace. A lack of caring, the cynic in her mused. Perhaps a lack of information? Caution then, although traveling with four other Hunters made caution seem frivolous. What was going to pose a threat to them, trained as they were? One evening after stopping for respite she'd approached their 'leader' who was merely the eldest member of their troupe and given seniority for that reason alone. A man whose olive skin sported a dozen scars, one of which stretched from his collarbone, hidden just beneath his tunic, to his left temple. She knew nothing of the man save for his name and his weapon; Vincent, a senior Hunter, and a man who fancied a curved war scythe not unlike Ruby's, albeit straighter. Her eyes drifted over the weapon, scuffed steel kissed a light red by the flames, before settling on Vincent's expectant stare.

"Are we close?"

"Close is relative, Blake. We're closer than we were when at the capital, but no closer than if we were right outside the town's borders."

Exasperated, her ears folded, and her eyes narrowed. "Is that a yes or a no?"

Vincent waved her off, leaning forward to prod the fire with a stick. "Relative," he repeated, eyes flickering with the fire, sparkling like polished emeralds. "You should eat. Won't be time for breakfast tomorrow."

"And why is that?"

"Travel."

She waited for more, crossed her arms, and loomed over the hunched man. No amount of patience was going to deliver more information and Blake stepped off after a long while, shaking her head and returning to her own spot among the group. Away from the group, really. Past the twins, Ned and Cyril, stocky men who each wielded matching battleaxes, and well past Hera. Their eyes met and Hera sneered at her, mouthing 'animal' among other unpleasantries. Blake rolled her eyes and sought some semblance of peace away from the fires, albeit not before stealing herself a strip of smoked beef.

The last few days had been much the same. Ask questions, receive only the vaguest of answers. Tip-toe around Hera who spat upon the ground which she walked, avoid Ned and Cyril who, well more restrained, made little secret of their displeasure.

Vincent wasn't much better but at least he'd speak to her. Blake was certain that was more out of necessity than want, however, and wouldn't press the man for conversation. Once this mission was over with she'd never have to see them again and that would be that. No reason to endear herself to anyone.

Her dinner scant and her sleeping accommodations more so - she had no sleeping roll unlike the rest, fatigue finally claimed her and she drifted off to a listless slumber. No sooner had her eyes closed was she roused, squinting against the sun's early glare. Satiating her thirst with water from a nearby stream she remounted, drew up her scarf, and set off with the others. Mixed with the calls of birds and the chirping of crickets, frogs, and insects harrying rider and horse both, the hooves clapped against the caked earth like blows of thunder. So loud were the blows that Blake fancied them to be war drums, their rhythmic beating signaling the impending battle to come. The analogy was apt all things considered.

Alabaster wasn't difficult to find, in no small part thanks to the road signs, but also due to her familiarity with it. Brief as her visit had been it had only been a month or so since she'd last been there. Indistinct as Vale's countryside could be she recognized enough landmarks to lead the way. A rock formation vaguely resembling a chapel rose from the center of a field, the highest point jagged, dark stone turned pale green with moss and vines sprouting along its edges.

A massive wych elm whose trunk split into three separate trees, branching out to form an impressively expansive canopy whose furthest limbs bent beneath their own weight, forming a leafy dome. As the sun rose further into the sky and the brisk air warmed, they reached a long abandoned watchtower whose walls were split by vines, the top third leaning precariously to the right.

For as much of Vale that was protected even more was left to rot. One functional guard post had been encountered in the last day and that had been just outside of a larger settlement. The rest was left to chance, or as a more pious individual might claim, Blake thought bitterly, to the will of the gods.

With how people suffered outside the cities she wasn't sure the gods gave two damns about them.

They continued to ride, five figures mere dots against the sweeping hills and rolling fields, horses pushed to their upper limits. They were making haste now unlike before, she realized, instructed to move faster as the morning waned and the afternoon took hold, sun bearing directly down and heating their backs.

A single stop to let the horses feed and drink from a nearby pond was all they were given. Blake took the time to check her daggers for imperfections. Running a gloved hand along the edge she felt the bite of steel, held the blade closer for inspection and, upon finding no issues, sheathed them across her chest. She wandered away from camp briefly to relieve herself and returned to find the group waiting for her, Vincent at the helm now, his pale blonde hair tied back in a warrior's tail glaringly bright in the sunlight.

"We're not far now. We're going to continue down the main road. I want you to go ahead, Blake, see if you can find anything."

Her foot lingered in the stirrup, hands on her saddle, raising an eyebrow at the elder Hunter. "Alone?"

"You're best suited for the task," Vincent said.

"And these mongrels are your own," Hera added with a sneer. She pulled on reins and her horse rounded on Blake, gesturing to her own head. "You'll hear them better, after all, and your expertise is being a cowardly sneak, isn't it?"

"Your magic is better suited to hiding and you're far less cumbersome than any of us in our armors," the scarred Hunter reiterated, shooting a warning look at Hera. "Besides, you may recognize some of those there. If we can learn what we're up against it will make this all the easier."

In other words, they wanted to try and gather information. Information, Blake noted as she climbed into her saddle, that they should have already. "Understood, sir."

Vincent didn't smile, she wasn't sure the man knew how, but he offered a nod of assent. Perhaps even gratitude, although Blake wasn't expecting anything of the sort. Not from these people. He waited until Blake spurred her horse forward before turning his own, making a gesture for the others to gather around him.

"We'll wait by the bridge leading into town!" he shouted after her. "One hour! That's all I'll give you!"

A timeline? Fine, it shouldn't take her that long to reach Alabaster, let alone sneak into the town. Reluctant as she felt her horse was even more disinclined to continue, whinnying and kicking as she pulled on its reins. A firm kick to its side and it trotted along, then galloped at her insistence. Wind slapped her and she leaned forward as her hair whipped up wildly. Breathable as it was her cloth and leather garb meant the wind cooled her heated skin, evaporating sweat droplets and leaving her pleasantly chilled as she raced ahead.

Trees sprang up more frequently, and more tellingly, boundless forests reduced to little more than a collection of stumps appeared along the roadside. Alabaster was nearby, its mills likely filled to the brim with logs and lumber, workers caked in sawdust and sweat. Or it would be if the town wasn't under siege, according to their reports.

Peculiar then how easily she was able to approach the settlement. At the bridge Vincent had mentioned she stopped to let the horse catch its breath, straining her ears for any indication of fighting. Beneath her a river flowed, splashing against the walls of the structure and lapping at the banks, spat out somewhere upstream from the churning wheel of the mill. Coercing the horse to be silent by rubbing its neck she closed her eyes and listened, swiveling her ears to pick up the most minute of sounds. The croak of a frog, rustling leaves in the wind, and the occasional snort of her steed. The creak of her leather riding chaps whenever she shifted, the frequent bird call or faint beating of wings.

For a town under siege it was remarkably quiet.

Before her feet hit the ground, she had a dagger in hand. Ahead of them the gates of Alabaster stood, sealed and sporting no signs of forced entry. Her eyes scanned the ramparts for signs of life, and upon finding none, she eased her horse forward.

"Wait here," she commanded gently as she guided the steed off the road, down into a low spot where it could freely graze. Obscured somewhat from view, she hoped, as a hasty escape on foot was much more difficult than one on horseback, she left her horse there and climbed back up the slope.

As she drew closer to the walls, she kept her ears on a swivel, eyes flickering between the growth to either side of the road and the walkways above.

No movements. No creaking boards, no rustling of chain or even hushed whispers. Had Alabaster already been taken? There were no signs of fighting and she doubted the residents would have given over their homes without a fight. They weren't combatants from what she recalled but they were plenty bigoted, enough that they'd offer some resistance.

Yet as Blake stood beside the wall and placed a hand upon a broad log, she pressed her ear to it and listened. Nothing. No sounds of anyone milling about inside. Had they evacuated then? Pursing her lips she stepped back and twirled the dagger in her hand, deliberating.

"Fuck…" They needed information and there was clearly something wrong here. They had one job, check on Alabaster and drive out any invaders, persons or otherwise. Yet if there were none…

Her hand pressed flat against the logs again and Blake closed her eyes. Letting her magic flow freely she felt through the shadows, invisible tendrils snaking their way along darkened surfaces. In her mind's eye she could almost picture their path, these snakes weaving their way through uncharted territory. The intermittent barriers were spots were sunlight were strongest, she knew, and where her magic would struggle to manifest. She diverted around them and followed the shadows until she found a place where they were darkest; the overhang of a roof. Her magic flowed more strongly, and she took a deep breath, stepping forward and disappearing into the wall itself.

Accustomed to the sudden loss of senses she rode the spell without so much as a gasp, waiting patiently for everything to return to her. Like someone standing too swiftly she felt a fleeting surge of vertigo, taking another deep breath as she let it pass, lungs filling with fresh air. From nothingness she heard boards creak as her feet set down atop the wall, hair falling against her back. Letting the shadows conceal her she eased her eyes open, squinting briefly against the light before taking stock of her immediate surroundings, two amber orbs alone peering through the darkness.

No one. No signs of fighting, no disturbances. No homes were damaged, no marks on any of the roads. How could that be? Blake eased off her spell and crouched, creeping to the ledge and checking everywhere she could from her perch. A nearby well seemed untouched; two empty pails left beside it. A wagon with crates sat outside of a shop without a beast to pull it along, the containers notably untouched.

The main road split into several smaller ones and fanned out like branches diverting from a trunk. More homes, undisturbed, more shops left standing, no signs of ransacking or pillaging. If the White Fang had in fact attacked Alabaster, then there would be some signs of occupation. People lounging about, buildings defaced as a petty show of defiance, or hells, bodies in the streets.

Gruesome as the latter was Blake would almost have taken that as a sign that the organization had indeed been through the town.

Yet there was nothing.

No one.

Only her and the empty shell of a town.

Did she go back and report this? Blake lowered herself to one knee, pressing her tongue to the inside of her cheek as she drummed her fingers on her thigh. They needed to know, surely. Yet something didn't sit right about any of this. The White Fang had been reported as converging on Alabaster, no doubt seeing recompense for their botched extortion; she had taken part in that personally and had assumed that was why she'd been assigned to this.

How idiotic. Peering over the outer wall she watched the road for movement and found none. As to be expected, she had a large lead over the others. She could take her horse and run but that would mean taking the road and riding right into them again. Not an option.

Flee into the woods? There could be more Hunters waiting for her within, anticipating that. Swinging her legs over the edge she heaved and vaulted down, rolling on impact and making an immediate jaunt towards one of the shops. She tested its handle, found it unlocked, and not before checking the sides of the building did she step into it. Various assortments of handcrafted goods were left on display, save for a shelf that had been stripped of its contents.

Cutting across the room she went behind the counter and crouched down, running a hand along the shelves inside. When she found a lockbox within, she pried it open with her dagger and grimaced, then sneered, tossing the container aside. It clattered to the ground and laid open; its lack of contents laid bare. No Lien or belongings of personal value.

 _They were evacuated. Someone told them to leave ahead of… What?_ Not the White Fang attack. Gods, she'd been such a damned idiot! Blake stormed back out of the shop and into the street, checking the adjacent roads for any signs of life. _Why use a town though? What for?_

Why send her to an apparently empty town? She knew the answer before she'd even finished asking herself.

Guilt. They had to have known, or at least suspected, she'd feel guilty for what could have befallen the residents here. They'd used that to make her come back, foolishly, in the company of four veteran Hunters.

A small part of her wanted to write it off as paranoia, as a panicked, hysterical reach, a conclusion come to and borne of a history of betrayal and worry.

Hells, she wanted that to be the case but as she roamed the nearby streets and found other homes and shops in similar states, abandoned but otherwise untouched, it didn't seem likely. If they'd had enough time to evacuate the residents, enough warning, they'd have other Hunters closer to the town intercept the White Fang.

Cursing, Blake hurried to the gates to bar them closed. She didn't need to reach them to see the heavy bar used to barricade them was missing. Getting inside would be easy and there would be little to keep the four Hunters from searching for her.

Take to the woods, or hide?

 _Those bastards._ She stalked to the storehouse, the same one where she'd met Yang, and began to tear through containers.

Food, no. Tools, no. Ah, clothing! Blake pulled a collection of shirts and garments out, then snatched a lamp from the walls, carrying her collection back to the gatehouse.

The clothes were laid out in a trail, oil dumped here and there for fuel, then sat by a wall, peering around the corner, while her hands worked at removing the glass casing on the lamp. With the wick free and exposed she drew her second dagger and held the blades over the wick, ready to create sparks.

She'd rather be paranoid than caught unawares. Rather look like a fool than wander into a trap. As if she hadn't already.

Afraid to breathe, to make so much as a sound, she pursed her lips and leaned against the wall, hands steady.

Now she just had to wait. One hour, unless that had been just lip service. She supposed she'd find out soon enough.

* * *

 **So, full disclosure here: I'm well aware that Blake kind of went from 0 to 100 here and her reaction may seem, well, a bit much. She has reason to be paranoid though and this only cements those reasons.**

 **And also yes, her sections are kind of coming out of nowhere, and for those who find it jarring I apologize. Hers isn't the focal point though so I didn't want to commit to telling the multiple stories when I didn't have to. They'll converge anyways.**

 **As always, thank you for reading, stay safe, and wash yo goshdang hands!**


	48. Chapter 48: Resolve

**If this whole pandemic thing could end last week that would be greeeeeat...**

 **Can't decide if it's a blessing or curse if I'm still working during all of this. Let's call it both. A blurse. Cessing?**

 **Cessing just sounds wrong.**

 **Sleepy ramblings aside, enjoy!**

* * *

Thirty minutes.

In the half-hour between her arrival and her borderline hysterical reaction to finding an empty town Blake hadn't seen hide nor hair of anyone else. If the residents of Alabaster remained within its walls then none emerged, neither to greet nor confront her. If Vincent and his crew were nearby they made no efforts to signal as much.

They had given her an hour, yes, but an hour it would not take to reach the town. As she continued to remain squat in a dark alleyway, obfuscated by shadow, calves aching from maintaining her position, she considered each explanation. None were good, every option gave cause for concern. Her ears swiveled at the call of a songbird and she strained her senses further, expecting it to be a signal of sorts. Then a small bird flitted from an adjacent rooftop and disappeared behind another, followed shortly thereafter by a second. No signals, no conspiracy, just two birds.

Forty-five minutes.

The ache in her calves had prompted her to stand. The growing anxiousness compelled her to search the town in full. Hesitation kept her stationed where she was, eyes trained firmly on the gate, two orbs of amber nigh unblinking.

Should she attempt a signal of her own? If she ignited the cloth, let the doors go up in flames, then certainly the Hunters would have to respond. If not to enact whatever they had in mind then to save Alabaster, surely. Blake considered the idea, eyes passing between the flint in her hand and the trail of oil-drenched cloth between her and the entrance. Even if it did nothing, she couldn't deny a small perverse pleasure in burning down the town of bigots and fools. They had been pushed to the brink by the White Fang and she could appreciate that, but they hadn't always been under the organization's thumb. Indeed, they had been targeted precisely because of that reason.

 _Gods…_ Blake laughed, a raspy, low sound that she strained to keep imperceptible. _I've been spending too much time around Yang if I fancy playing with fire._

One hour.

The allotted time had passed, assuming she'd kept track accurately. Still no signs of another person within the town. There was the gentle creak of wooden structures, the give of the wall she leaned against, worn planks flexing even beneath her meager weight. The calls of birds aplenty, their vaguely distinctive, melodic songs clashing with the coiled, tense muscles within.

Blake gave it a bit longer. Five more minutes, then ten, just to see if the Hunters were running late. No one came to the gates. No one called for her. Just as notably however no trap was sprung. No spells or explosives were unleashed. She'd half expected a reenactment of Holbrook's gates, walls and guardhouses blown wide by carts filled with Dust.

Nothing. Not even so much as a single shout.

Had she truly just been paranoid? Something could have easily delayed the Hunters. Surely, they wouldn't have waited so long and given her the chance to question their motives.

As a tumult of conflicting thoughts sloshed about her mind, she allowed herself to step free of the alcove, discarded the flint, and took stock of the immediate area again.

Shuttered, yet not sealed. Desolate, yet clearly not ravaged by battle. The town _had_ been abandoned but it had been with the intention of being returned to. Something was amiss, that much was obvious, and as Blake drew her twin daggers and began to wander down the central road, she felt determined to learn why that was.

The immediate homes and shops provided no useful information just as they had before. Empty, free from signs of struggle. No traces of blood, no scuff marks to suggest a forcible removal. The roads bore cart tracks but that meant little when travelers likely came and went frequently.

In the town's square she was given options. To her immediate right the land rose into gentle hills, homes, shacks, and small storehouses lining the dirt and cobble road. Straight ahead she assumed it was more the same, although in the distance, barely obscured by trees, she could make out a manor; the pale white stone of the house trimmed with darker spruce was much too elegant, too large to be anything but a noble's home. It too appeared abandoned.

Instead of taking either route Blake chose left and followed the road down, past a pen of clucking chickens - they hadn't taken all their animals, further evidence they'd return, and around a carpenter's shop, the tables still blanketed with wood shavings, twisting clouds of dust swirling in the afternoon sun.

Another shop with leather hides hung out back. A third with a freshly slaughtered hog by a spitroast, its corpse besieged by a cloud of flies, its red, still bloodied meat far past the point of being edible now. Blake held back her grimace and continued down the road, passing by a small gathering space, wooden benches arranged in rows before a low stage, with wreaths hanging on posts along the edges. She paid it little more than a passing glance on her way to the bottom of the hill where the ground leveled out and the sound of water rushing could be heard.

Her ears perked up when she caught the telltale squeaking of a wheel churning. The mill! Alabaster was home to foresters and carpenters aplenty - the shop she'd passed had to be but one of many. More importantly however was knowing that there was an alternative means of entering and leaving the town. After all they couldn't possibly carry each fallen tree through so many streets, up and down hills.

As was the case with the rest of the town the mill appeared abandoned. No one moved about its yard where shaven trunks laid, bark and limbs piled apart, brush clumped together near a pair of twin furnaces. Using the stacks as cover she moved point to point, taking time to scout her surroundings before moving along.

Freshly sawn logs filled the air with the scent of sap, the death throes of trees seized by man to suit their needs. Her feet trudged through piles of sawdust and she drew her scarf closer to spare herself inhaling the specks and grumbled as they clung to her trousers and boots, caking them in pale flakes. From the outer lumberyard she moved on to a shack just before the main building and peered inside. A small desk and chair, a shelf of ledgers, lockboxes, and assorted small tools. With nothing of note she moved on, pausing at the entrance to the mill itself, a wide twin-doored entryway not unlike the town's gates, albeit half the size. She shook her head and circled around the building instead, following a pitted road around the building. All the while the wheel churned, squeaking and grating, gears shuddering as teeth ground against each other.

Finding the river used to power the whole operation was easy. Finding the bridge, she sought, a wide, length structure of stone and mortar, just so. Carts lined the interior bank, ready for use yet neglected. Blake reached the bridge, paused, then went to the edges and peered underneath. No one in hiding, no signs of traps. Satisfied, she crossed the bridge with haste and traipsed along the other side, following the road further until the town's walls came into view again.

Blake stopped short, stationary in the middle of the road. Fear spiked, a heat of uncertainty melting ice in her chest and filling her veins with an unpleasant chill. Jaw taut, she stepped back and her head whipped around, eyes darting to and fro in desperate search. Stacks of planks, stumpa of long severed trees. Carts, crates, and barrels.

The gates were wide open.

That couldn't be a mistake. They wouldn't have sealed one set only to leave the others wide open. If there had been any doubt this was a trap then it fled in that instant. Backing away then from the open doors, eyes trained on the road that disappeared into the forest just beyond Alabaster's walls, she prepared magic to flee, just in case.

"Blake!"

Instead of fleeing she froze, fingers tightening around her daggers. "Blake!" The cold fear was pushed aside as fluttering confusion took hold. Dubious, she turned, and her heart leaped, jaw going slack at the sight of Ilia racing through stacks of wood. Before she could respond in any way her friend crashed into her and she took a step back, arms raised in surprise as Ilia's wrapped firmly around her.

"Thank gods I made it in time!"

"Ilia, what are -"

"You have to run!" her friend urged. "Questions later, you have to leave this place. Now!" Fine. Between her initial misgivings and now Ilia's insistence she nodded and let her friend step back, eyes going to the open gates. "Not there," Ilia warned.

Blake frowned and looked to her friend. "Why…?"

"They expect you to come out there!"

They. The Hunters then, right? But why would Ilia know of that? The Church never dealt with the White Fang. Hells, she'd sooner believe Yang had cooperated with Merlot than that. A guilty sense of unease took root and Blake stepped back, narrowing her eyes on Ilia.

"You _are_ Ilia, right?"

"Blake, of course I am! Who else would I be?"

"Illusion magic exists," Blake replied. "Prove it."

Baffled, and just a bit hurt, Ilia drew a hunting knife and ran its edge across her palm. Not only did a spell not break as it should have but she bled, openly and freely. Satisfied, although still baffled, Blake nodded and offered her scarf as temporary bandaging. Ilia declined and wiped her palm across her dirtied trousers. "Come on, we need to go."

Blake took after her as she ran and they raced back along the bridge, climbing the hills away from the lumber yard, back past the shops and homes. When they reached the plaza again Ilia started towards the main gates, paused, then shook her head and moved towards the upper residence again. "This way!"

Two steps. They made it all of two steps before one of the homes suddenly erupted, showering them in wood and dirt. Ilia narrowly avoided the sudden blast and Blake grabbed the back of her friend's shirt to drag her away further, seeking refuge behind the well in the center as debris rained down. Another building went up and electricity crackled, pieces of furniture and wall hitting the ground in charred, smoldering heaps. Her ears rang and Blake clamped her hands over them, lowering herself further and squeezing her eyes shut. Another explosion, another building gone in an instant.

The explosions subsided and their ragged, panicked breathing filled the eerily silent plaza now. Gone were the songs of birds, and shattered was the last vestiges of escaping peacefully. An uneasy look shared between friends, an unspoken vow, and both drew their weapons, Ilia's whip-like sword unfurling and going rigid.

"We're escaping," Blake reassured. "Not fighting. There's four of them."

Ilia nodded and rose, peering over the well. She fell back and shook her head, eyes wide, face ashen. "N-No…"

"Ilia?!"

"Blake… R-Run…"

Slowly, swallowing the lump in her throat, Blake rose to face whatever had frightened her friend. The ice returned in an instant and her breath hitched, stepping back. A lone man in the road strode through the clouds of smoke, red blade glistening, dropping blood along the road.

"Hunters really are pitiful without their magic, aren't they?"

"Blake!" Ilia had risen to her feet and pulled on her arm. Without thinking she reached for her magic to draw them away. Shadow rose, flickered at her feet, then faded. She tried again, and again, drawing up energy that refused to answer her summons.

"They're always so high and mighty, lording their power over others. They think because they can cast spells that they're better than us. And if they're not Faunus?" Adam passed through the smoke and sneered. "Their arrogance makes me sick. Don't you agree, my love?"

Something was thrown their way and Blake felt bile rise in her throat as she stepped back. Rolling to their feet and coming to a stop she stared down at the shocked expression plastered on Vincent's face. Eyes wide, mouth agape, frozen in a mask of pure shock. Her knees shook. Her daggers almost slipped from her fingers, reflex alone keeping them in hand.

"But no more Hunters to get in our way! Only you, me," Adam's gaze drifted to Ilia and he scowled. "And a traitor who will soon join the rest. Tell me something, Ilia. Was it worth it?"

"Run," Ilia urged in a raspy whisper, grabbing Blake's arm and pulling. They scarcely turned when another building erupted in a plume of smoke, glass and stone raining down on the road. Her back hit the wall and Blake searched for an unbarred street, free of ruin. The main gate!

"I have waited _so long_ to see you again, Blake. Enough playing Hunter, it's time you came home where you belong."

Where she belonged. _Where I belong._ Where were the others? Adam couldn't be alone, could he? Her magic was still out of reach, unattainable. But she and Ilia surely… Right? Her friend's frightened expression softened and she nodded, raising her sword in defiance. Though her arms shook, Blake hefted her daggers and readied for an attack, letting her mind relax and releasing her fitful grasping of magic to focus on the fight.

"I don't belong to you," she whispered.

"What was that?"

"I said I don't belong to you!" Blake shouted back. Ruby had saved her life. Weiss and Yang had become friends. She had come to enjoy their company, and Ilia would too, she was sure. She didn't belong to anyone but herself. "I don't belong to you," she repeated, steeling her body, her nerves ceasing to tremble. "And neither does Ilia. We're leaving."

Adam appeared earnestly disappointed by that. He shook his head, lowered his sword, and started to advance on them. "These Hunters have your mind in a haze, my love. You've been duped. Clearly you forget who your true family is."

"I know exactly who my family is. Tukson Belladonna. Ruby Rose. Weiss Schnee. Yang Xiao Long." She listed them off each in turn and felt a fire growing. Reasons to fight beyond just saving herself. Blake stood a bit taller, smiling bitterly at her tormentor. "And Ilia Amitola. Not you."

"You've chosen them over the White Fang? Over me?!" Adam's speed without magic was terrifying and Blake raised her daggers in the nick of time as his sword clashed, pressed back by his assault. "Look what they've done to you, Blake!"

Ilia's lunge forced Adam back and she stepped closer; weapon held ready. "She's done what we've all been afraid to do, Adam. You're not the leader the White Fang needs, not anymore. And we're leaving," she shouted, giving Blake a fleeting smile. "Together."

"Together…?" Adam laughed, leveling his sword at them. "Together?!" he repeated in a snarl. "This was your idea wasn't it?! Fine, I'll kill you first and deal with her later!"

He redoubled his attack. Blake blocked the blade with her daggers and pushed it down. Ilia rolled over her back and kicked his shoulder, driving Adam back. A thrust just missed his chest. Rapid swipes of a dagger clashed against a crimson blade, throwing sparks. Adam stepped back and screamed.

"Blake…"

"Stay close. We can win."

Adam bolted towards them. Metal crashed against metal. Smoke rose into the sky and Blake's arms trembled under Adam's barrage of blows.

/+/+/+/+/+/

 _Raven says there's important stuff in that journal. Didn't tell me where of course. Why be direct when you can be a cryptic tart?_ Weiss ran her hand over the cover of Merlot's spells, turned over the leatherbound book, and scoured its cover for anything out of the ordinary. _Says it could help your friends,_ Roman's voice added. _Good luck, kid._

Four hours had passed since Roman arrived with her "belongings". Three had been spent with 'her' aunt catching up on matters Weiss herself knew nothing about. Luckily, Lady Lavender seemed more than willing to eat up whatever farcical answers she had to offer. Doubtless they would crumble under scrutiny, yet the woman seemed content to accept whatever she was given. Weiss sighed, checking the door again, then rising from her desk and going to it, jostling the handle to make certain it was locked.

Finally, alone she settled in at the desk and opened the book. The first pages had ramblings and scrawlings, notes to himself and little of value. Having already familiarized herself with the first ten or so she skipped ahead and began to skim through the pages' contents.

Spells aplenty. Combinations of runes, some Weiss knew, others she couldn't begin to guess at. While the runic system was hardly inexhaustible it was extensive, and she'd barely scraped the surface in her own spellcraft. She recognized the elements, she knew most of the ones used in summoning, a handful for extra effects. "Bolstering spells" as Merlot referred to them as, not unlike augmentation magic used by Remnant's more surly brawler sorts. Enhanced speed, strength, endurance. Useful, yes, but not so much for their current situation.

 _Merlot used this to cast spells, hadn't he?_ Weiss was certain that was the case. In their initial encounter he'd flung spells on a whim despite being like her. He hadn't needed to prepare runes to do so despite that being a binding principle of their class of magic. _Does the book let him do that? Is there a trick to it? Storing runes?_

If there was such a system, she'd never learned it. Sparse as her specialty was, she could hardly consult other rune users on the matter either. Most were Wardens dedicated to maintaining protective barriers, others were doubtless sent afar on missions that required their versatility.

Simply put, it was something that she'd never had a chance to be exposed to before. It made sense however. Traps existed. Runes could be placed, the magic within them stored, to be triggered by motion, or pressure. Surely the same theory could be used to create a spellbook of sorts?

Yet Weiss couldn't draw from the book. Runes inked onto pages reacted not to her will nor her gestures. Her own runes refused to resonate with the book, the pale blue glow of an ice rune fading with a frustrated huff. If that was the purpose of the book then it eluded her. Surely Goodwitch and the others didn't expect her to master a new medium while working to free Ruby and Yang? That was expecting far too much.

So, she moved on. More pages of runes, combinations she didn't recognize, notes on the efficacy of spells, the fatigue they'd incur, variations of said spells. If the man hadn't been such a bastard she'd praise his knowledge. Hells, she was even now.

Twenty pages of spells. Thirty pages. Two-hundred and eight combinations of runes existed to her knowledge. More than two-thirds of those had to be within this book alone! Yet the spells themselves couldn't be the purpose of it being brought to her, right? Surely not. Weiss almost salivated at the cornucopia of knowledge before her but focused on the task at hand, passing over spells and digging further into the contents. Candlelight danced beside her, the small flame flickering, a faint heat radiating from the glass casing. Leaning forward in her chair and resting her head in her hands she stared at passage after passage, tapping her foot against the floor as impatience mounted. She rose from the desk, paced the room, then returned only to find that whatever answer was meant to be provided remained as elusive as ever. Frustrated, she pushed the book away and slumped in her chair, taking to staring at the ceiling instead of confounding pages.

Twenty or so pages remained, doubtless filled with more and more spells. Was a specific one meant to help in their efforts? What could she possibly hope to uncover that would help her defeat half a dozen Wardens? Never mind not knowing a combination of runes, needing to perform them in the heat of battle, but the power itself would be lacking. Her spells lacked the punch of Yang's magic. She had control, yes, but not overwhelming force.

 _Raw strength isn't always the answer,_ she chided herself, groaning as she ran her hands down her face. _But it certainly would be helpful here._

So, raw strength notwithstanding, what did the journal have to offer? Weiss stared at the spread-open text and narrowed her eyes at the pages. A hidden message? Something between the lines perhaps? If Merlot had ever suspected his capture, then he'd likely had created a cipher of some sort. Something to keep his more intimate secrets concealed.

Weiss knew nothing of ciphers or code. The only man she even considered who may, Oobleck, was several hundred miles north and doubtless occupied with some other trivial tasks. If that was indeed what she was dealing with then she was on her own.

"Gods damn it…" Her hand passed over another page, scrutinizing the runes printed on it - one known as a 'waymark', often used in short-ranged teleportation, or 'blinking' as it was often called. More intricate than any elemental rune, shaped like a rough wagon's wheel whose spokes jutted out past the wheel itself, sharp edges running perpendicular from the ends of the spokes. In theory a simple design but one she was unaccustomed to making and thoroughly useless to her.

As her fingers toyed with the edges of the page a knock gave her pause. A serving girl's voice rang out a second after and with resignation she closed the book, dog-earing the page to revisit later. Finding a drawer in the desk she moved aside documents and stuffed the book to the bottom. Satisfied, she rose from the desk and moved to the door, opening it with an easily put upon mask of annoyance. "What is it? I'm busy."

"Apologies, my lady. The missus wants to see you," the girl replied, bowed at the waste and eyes averted. "She says it's urgent."

"I'm sure…" Weiss grumbled. No doubt some more inane prattling or nonsensical stories about 'their' fellow nobility. "I suppose it can't be helped, can it? Lead the way."

She would much rather stay and continue to search the journal. In truth she would prefer being hogtied to the back of a cart and dragged than endure another mind-numbing conversation with Lady Lavender. Her reluctance must have been plain to see as the young girl offered a small smile of condolence before taking her down the halls.

Perhaps the information Raven insisted she find wasn't a rune? There were shorthand notes, ramblings mostly, and at a glance Weiss hadn't found anything pertinent. Lifting her dress, she followed the serving girl down a twisting flight of stairs, her godsdamned heeled boots clacking against the polished marble steps. An offhand mention of an erring cell of Wardens perhaps? Their goals could have aligned with Merlot's and the pair may have been hesitant allies before the man's death. Would he have recorded information on them? If he had then Weiss doubted it was anywhere within the confines of that text; she'd been provided a spellbook and nothing more. Ozpin had the man's primary journal now. Research notes, logs, recordings of data. Not that Weiss was sure she'd have any use of that either.

From the stairwell they entered one of the few gloomy rooms, devoid of windows or doors. A vestibule just off the main foyer, the space was no less decadently furnished than the rest, with plush chairs against the wall, landscape paintings hung between each, and tables with bouquets of freshly pruned flowers distributed among them. The walls themselves were a ghastly cream color with gold trim, a combination Weiss felt was abhorrish but clearly the lady of the estate did not. Footfalls deafened by an orange carpet they proceeded through the room apace, pausing and stepping aside as the far door opened.

Weiss' jaw fell and she quickly composed herself before anyone noticed, hands folding at her waist as she tried to stare straight ahead.

"I told you a million times I am not to be disturbed while in the study!"

"My apologies, sir, but the lady insisted I make certain all of our guests are -"

"I am working here you imbecile," Watts snapped. The butler, Wallace, bowed his head in apology and remained silent. "And now you insist that she has something more pressing than my work? Absurd. Ridiculous."

Why was he here? Weiss lifted her eyes and followed Watts as her hands wrung together, nerves bubbling to the surface. Watts' presence here meant one of two things; the Church knew full well what was happening, or he was operating right under Ozpin's nose. Neither sat well with her. Looking every part as skittish as the serving girl beside her she wanted to disappear when Watts finally noticed them. At first he appraised them with something akin to disdain, like he'd come across a rodent scampering around in his chambers. The butler whispered something to him and for a moment he appeared surprised, then bemused, approaching them and extending a hand.

"Ah, so you are the infamous niece I have heard so much about." Her hand in his own he leaned down and kissed the knuckle, sending an unpleasant shudder down her spine. "Charmed. And terribly sorry you had to see that. I tend to be quite passionate about my work."

"I…" Weiss swallowed and shook her head. "It's fine, good sir. Father is the same way, keener to work than play whatever games my aunt has in mind."

"Your father is a wise man then. But alas, I am a guest, after a sense, and I am beholden to this woman's farcical whims." If she were the actual Caroline, she might have felt indignant by Watts' assessment. True as it was however Weiss nodded along, albeit hesitantly. "While I might be inclined to speak further, I'm afraid I do need to be on my way. If you'll excuse me…"

"Actually sir, the young lady has been summoned as well. I dare say this is an opportunistic meeting." Wallace smiled apologetically at her. "If I may, perhaps we should venture there together? Evelyn, you're free to return to your duties, I'll handle matters from here."

The young girl nodded and bowed to Weiss, then Watts, kicking up her gown and making a slow stroll from them. Only once the doors leaving the room shut did she hear the girl's pace pick up, no doubt racing off and glad to be free from them.

"I suppose it can't be helped. Very well." Watts smiled at her and offered an arm. Repulsed, but not knowing any way out, Weiss slipped hers through it and fell in line beside the lanky man. "Perhaps you'll act as a buffer between me and your aunt."

"Using me as a shield?" Weiss arched a brow in mild amusement. "I thought Hunters were supposed to be brave."

"We are, although I myself am not a Hunter, dear lady. I wouldn't think of myself as something so pedestrian."

What then? Weiss' eyes searched the skin just above Watts' collar. She could see the markings, but most were obscured by his linen shirt, the dark blue material harsh against his otherwise paler complexion. What little she could see resembled more a Warden's mark than a Hunter's, yet clearly different. No ring containing runes, no familiar base symbol, the crossed hatchets that symbolized them as a Valean Hunter. Weiss strained to make out more and her face flushed as Watts noticed her staring.

"Something amiss, young lady?"

"I… You're… Quite… Handsome…?"

 _Smooth. Great cover, Weiss…_

Edos had enough mercy to keep Watts from laughing at the sudden, painfully awkward compliment. Wallace ahead of them coughed into his fist and seemed to fuss with his collar but otherwise remained silent. For his own part the senior Hunter merely stared before chuckling.

"Thank you, I suppose, although I'm afraid I have little need for such compliments. I feel I've become somewhat inundated with empty praise from you nobles over the years."

"Is that arrogance I hear?" Weiss asked, relieved to have an out for her blunder. This time Watts laughed and smiled her way.

"I think I like you, Lady Rosalind. You have a sharper mind than most at any rate. Consider me impressed." His mustache twitched and he let out a sigh. "Though I suppose given your aunt it's not a particularly high bar now is it?"

"Not everyone can be so astute as a seasoned member of the Church."

"And not every young woman has so sharp a tongue as to rebuke a man twice her age," Watts mused. "But here we are. Forgive me but I care little for these games we play. I am not a man who dallies, and your aunt, unfortunately, seems to be fond of doing nothing but."

Again, not wrong. Feeling she should say at least something in Lady Lavender's defense she pursed her lips. "Well, she's allowed a carefree life because of efforts like yours, sir. I'd be grateful, I think, knowing people can live easily because of me."

"Stop. That sounds far too much like the ingratiating drivel so many of your kind are so wont to give us." Watts shook his head and released his grip on her arm, stopping in his tracks. Weiss realized Wallace had stopped as well and stood at a twin set of doors, eyes set squarely on Watts. She saw the slightest downward turn of the butler's lips but a lifetime of servitude kept whatever comments he doubtless had from coming out. "Let us dispense with this gaiety of your aunt's and be on our way, hm?"

On that she could agree. Weiss nodded and the butler knocked before throwing the doors open for them. Just within the parlor Lady Lavender paced back and forth, youthful countenance twisted into a mask of worry. When she realized she had visitors she stopped and advanced on them.

"Caroline, do you realize what you did?!" she barked. Taken aback by the outburst Weiss merely stared. "Answer me, young lady!"

"I… Um…"

"Of course you don't! Why would you? You haven't learned a thing, have you?" The frazzled woman shook her head and began pacing again. "You're just like my brother! You think you can say whatever you want to people and get away with it, don't you? Well you can't! Even we have consequences!"

"Clearly those involve being squawked at by a loon…" Watts muttered beside her.

"Why were you so rude to my guest?" Lady Lavender went on, rounding on Weiss again. Hands raised as though to grab her before dropping to her sides with a huff. "Well? Explain!"

It took Weiss a second to register what was being asked of her. When she realized she smiled. Clearly the wrong response as her aunt stomped her foot. The petulant display was humorous, and Weiss felt an unbidden laugh come loose, shoulders shaking as she fought to contain it. Nerves mostly, knowing now she'd offended Ruby enough to warrant the lady of the estate to chew her out for it.

"I'm waiting!"

"I didn't say anything untoward to her, auntie," Weiss drawled. "I merely let her know I had no desire to be friends with her. After all, we're above Hunters, aren't we?"

"We… Caroline, what's gotten into you?" Weiss kept herself from brushing off Lavender's hands and continued to smile. "Hunters are invaluable! They keep us safe; they kill Grimm. Why, without them we'd be a lawless wasteland!"

"Nice to finally get some recognition," Watts muttered sarcastically.

"That doesn't mean you're completely innocent either!" To both hers and Watts' surprise he was turned on instead, a finger pushed in his face. "That young girl has been inconsolable since you've arrived! Now, I'm sure she's grief stricken over her sister's illness, and yet clearly you've been doing nothing to keep her spirits up!"

"Good lady, may I remind you that we shouldn't discuss these matters -"

"And that's another thing! What's with the blasted secrecy, hm? You lot ask to use my estate as a site to practice some new treatment and I've heard nothing of the process! Do you honestly take me for an idiot?" Yes, yes, they did. Judging by how Wallace looked askance, it wasn't just her guests that thought it either. Until Weiss realized the man's pointed stare was at Watts, not his mistress. "Well? Do you?!"

Watts exhaled and adjusted his collar, wrinkling his nose. Her little outburst had left Lady Lavender panting for breath and the Hunter started down at her, calmly folding his hands behind his back.

"I do not have to answer you. What I do here is official Church -"

"Then I'll contact the Archbishop! Do you want that? I can write him a letter, you know! And I'll have you demoted for this!"

"You will do no such thing." Watts reached out preemptively and caught Lady Lavender's wrist, her hand inches from his cheek. "The process warrants secrecy because of the sensitive nature of the patient's ailment. My insubordination, if you wish to call it that, is because I am constantly bothered by inconsequential matters while I attempt to save a young girl's life." Watts released his hold and frowned, leaning down to his hostess' level. "And, frankly, you are owed nothing. No explanation, no courtesies, not even thanks. If need be, we could have had the royal family order you to open your doors to us. Be grateful we extended a request to you at all."

Weiss shifted her feet, uncertain of what she could do, much less say, in the situation. Looking between Lady Lavender and Watts she managed a better look at the man's markings. It was still masked but she could make out a rounded shape, not unlike the wheel that made up her own mark. Thinner linework, bold points not unlike a compass. Anymore she couldn't make out and as Watts stood tall again it became imperceptible once more.

"I will be writing to the Archbishop later," Lady Lavender snapped. "I will not suffer having such rude guests in my home!"

"Well, you needn't worry then, good lady. We are almost finished here and will be out of your abode soon thereafter." Watts stepped back and smiled. "Now, are we finished? I must be getting back to work, although perhaps now I'll visit the young lady myself. Would you like that?"

"I'd like for you to finish your work and be gone!"

"And so we shall. By your leave, good lady." The sweeping bow had to be made in jest, and if not that then the kindly smile certainly was. Watts wasted no more time with either of them, brushing Wallace aside and strolling back out into the halls.

In another time, in another situation, Weiss could see herself in Watts' shoes. Hell, she'd been in his position plenty of times. Dealing with an indignant noble barking at her, threatening consequences that they realistically couldn't hope to enforce. Truth be told he'd handled being shouted at with far more grace than she likely would have.

Yet any positive impression was swept away in the face of his callous disregard for Ruby and Yang. Treating an ailment, was he? A fine cover story, if an utter travesty. Nevermind the fact that his presence here alone was damning. He'd known Yang had been kidnapped, he'd known where they had been taken and yet he'd played along. He'd been in their meetings and…

 _Oh gods. He was there. He knows._ He had to know. He was present for the meetings prior to their dispatching, he had Ozpin's ear. Weiss hurried into the hallway and caught the final glimpses of Watts as he reached the end, pausing to look back at her. From afar she couldn't be certain of his expression, but she was certain he smiled at her. Ice gripped her spine and she watched him disappear back into the antechamber, an unpleasant ringing in her ears.

 _Has he known this entire time? Why hasn't he said anything? Why hasn't he done anything?_

Her legs started to ferry her forward until Lady Lavender's hand seized her arm and hauled her back. "Where are you going? We're not done here yet!"

"Let go of me!" Weiss protested. "I need to go to my chambers! Let go!"

"Not until you apologize for what you did!" Dragged back into the parlor Weiss was made to sit in one of the chairs as the woman stared down at her expectantly. "Well? I'm waiting."

"Shouldn't I be apologizing to Ruby Rose?"

"From what I understand she doesn't want to see you again. That doesn't mean you're free of it though, Caroline. I want to hear an apology!"

Weiss was more than content to let the girl's reputation with her aunt burn to ashes. She was even more willing to have Ruby hate the girl. Neither were going to get her out of here, though were they? Agitated, she took a deep breath and smiled. "I'm sorry I offended your guest. May I go now?"

"Make it earnest! None of that courtly nonsense."

Oh hells… They were really doing this weren't they?

At least finding some sincere regret wasn't too difficult. Masquerading as someone else or not Weiss herself had still said those words to Ruby. She'd caused her partner hurt, and no doubt even more yet unseen by not being here. Dredging up guilt was easy. Upsettingly so. Downcast, she slouched in her seat and folded her hands in her lap.

"I'm sorry I offended her, auntie. Sincerely I am. And I'll apologize to her too if I may."

That seemed to satisfy the woman a little more. Incrementally maybe, but she did nod and back off a bit. "Fine, and no, you may not. You're not going to get out of your own guilt that easily."

"Then why am I apologizing to you? I didn't offend you, did I?"

"You did! You've insulted my guests, Caroline, and that… That rapscallion Dr. Watts has done the same thing! Honestly!" she huffed and crossed her arms. "It's like you two have no appreciation for how difficult it is to host!"

"Not something I exactly make a habit of…"

"Obviously. And that man, I swear… They need to put collars on their Hunters! Some of them are beyond rude!"

Yes, because that's how collars worked. Dogs clearly learned to obey just by putting some leather trinket around their necks. Weiss opened her mouth to snap back before her eyebrows went up in surprise and her mouth hung agape.

A regular collar was no more special than a shirt; just a garment. That would do nothing to curtail someone's rude behavior. What about a magical collar, however? One designed to bend the will of its wearer.

If the Church had Merlot's notes, and by extension Watts, then they could exert control over Yang. Weaponize her even. While the spells were rune based it wouldn't be too hard for them to bring another user like herself in. Watts himself could even utilize runes for all she knew! If he had stolen Merlot's work, if Raven and the other suspected as much…

Wouldn't they try to find a way to remove Yang's collar altogether?

Raven had asked her to look into it before, then insisted they take Merlot's work for themselves. Maybe she had found something? Or at least enough of a hint to warrant going through it a second time.

"Well? Do you have anything else to say for yourself?"

Weiss jumped up from her chair and threw herself at Lady Lavender, arms wrapping around her and nearly sending both toppling over. She giggled, squeezing the woman tight before releasing her. "Thank you!"

"I… Um…" her aunt blinked and shook her head. "You're… Welcome…?" Weiss swept past her and jogged to the hallway. "I didn't say you could leave! Caroline!"

"Ground me later!" Weiss called back before rushing from the room, nearly tripping as she stepped on her dress. "Blasted thing…" she cursed, drawing it up and racing down the hall. Watts was nowhere to be seen and unless the gods were inordinately cruel, he wouldn't be anywhere near her chambers either.

If he was onto her as she suspected, then...

No, Watts couldn't possibly know. The disguise had been a last-minute addition to the plan, something they'd concocted in the spur of the moment. He could have suspicions, sure, but nothing concrete. Either way she needed to get to work and fast; Yang needed a way to break free and she couldn't do that if they had a failsafe to make her heel.

It was a stretch, but as Weiss ran up the stairs, pausing to discard her heeled boots, she felt a rush of certainty that made her almost giddy.

Yang was controlled by a spell. Merlot's spellbook was inside her desk. With any luck the answer she sought laid within the final pages.

Watts might have been onto something calling Lady Lavender an imbecile, but to Weiss the woman was an idiot savant.

/+/+/+/+/+/

In most battles having a two on one advantage would signal a swift end to affairs. Certainly, against any other opponent Blake and Ilia would have claimed victory in mere moments. Yet as her dagger scraped against Adam's sword, arms burning as she fought to hold the blade's biting edge from her shoulder, she watched Ilia be swat away by Adam's scabbard and she was reminded of a harsh truth.

Adam wasn't just any other opponent.

She and Ilia kept pace, even scoring a wound or two. For what they lacked in comparative strength they more than made up for in agility. It may have taken both her daggers, but Blake could consistently parry and deflect blows, knocking Adam off balance for Ilia to press the attack. Whenever her friend was in danger Blake could throw a dagger, lunge for Adam, or taunt him from afar.

"I thought you were going to bring me back?"

The redhead wheeled around and bared his teeth, sheathing his sword and charging. Blake dove aside, feeling the tail end of her shirt become just a little lighter as Adam's blade soared over her.

It wasn't exactly orthodox, but it was working.

He was strong, yes, but so were they. And now he wasn't the only one that could play mind games either. They just needed to press the attack and fatigue him, wear Adam down until he couldn't keep up. They didn't even have to kill him, just injure him enough to not give chase.

Ilia stepped into a thrust and her sword unlinked. Wrapping her blade around Adam's she jumped, landing on his back as he doubled over, rolling across and yanking his arm behind him, wrenching the sword free. While he kicked her away Blake raced into his blindspot and tore into his leather gambeson with her daggers. Not deep enough to wound she realized, cursing as his scabbard narrowly smashed against the bridge of her nose.

They didn't have their magic. That was fine. She'd fought without spells before and survived. Adam fended off another assault by flinging dirt into Ilia's face, retrieving his katana and putting space between them. While her friend sputtered and hurried to clear her vision Blake placed herself before Ilia, crouching preemptively as Adam began to circle them, a predator taking stock of its surprisingly feisty prey.

Adam lowered himself to charge, but they reacted first. Blake charged and they clashed again, daggers screeching along the length of the katana before locking at the hilt. He brought his scabbard around to strike and Ilia caught his arm, pulling it back and using Adam to pull herself in. Her feet drove into his ribs, Blake's daggers raked across his chest, and with a pained snarl he toppled, rolling away and clambering back to his feet again. Blake, giving him not so much as a second's respite, lunged, forearms striking scabbard as she bore her daggers down at his shoulders. The wind rushed from her lungs as Adam struck her, grunting and darting away to avoid his blade.

Staying locked in a grapple would spell the end of them and so they relied on hit and run tactics. Blake darted in and out of Adam's vision, using her daggers both for melee and as projectiles. Ilia switched her sword back and forth between whip and blade.

It was as quick as whittling down a stone wall by way of a gentle breeze, but it was working. Adam's breathing grew heavier. His movements slower, if only just.

They weren't free of the exhaustion of battle however and Blake too felt her legs begin to burn, arms going numb from absorbing repeated blows. She could feel welts forming where she'd been struck and a score of wounds bled, openly. None had suffered a fatal wound yet, miraculously, though she doubted their fortune would continue.

Then, as though the universe was waiting for the perfect time to spite her, Adam landed a heavy blow across Ilia's head with his scabbard. She remained upright but clearly dazed and Blake had to rush in to deflect a lunge. Adam expected as much and twisted his sword, catching her under the ribs with the flat of the blade and pushing her back, striking her bicep and deadening her arm. A dagger fell to the ground and Blake cried out as her chest was struck again, gritting her teeth as Adam's blade sliced along her thigh. Hobbling back, she leaned on her other leg to relieve pressure, gripping the wound as hot blood pooled to the surface. He'd missed an artery, barely.

Ilia tried to step in and managed to do little more than nick Adam's cheek with his sword. Her wrist was caught, and she jumped to avoid a low cut, driving her feet into Adam's stomach, falling back, and kicking him away.

They needed something else. Something to score a more decisive blow. Blake reached for her magic again and growled in frustration as her mind couldn't grasp the energy around them, tendrils just out of reach, taunting her like bait on a line. Their weapons weren't enough.

In retrieving her dagger Blake found their answer. Unexploded Dust crystals lay scattered amongst the rubble, various shards of fire, wind, and electricity strewn throughout charred wood. Grabbing the largest fire crystal she could find Blake rejoined the fray, stone clutched in one hand, dagger in the other. She had no idea how she'd activate it - force was needed to cause Dust to explode. Could she strike it against Adam's sword? Sure, if she wanted to be caught in the explosion too.

 _Think! Think damn it!_

Ilia was bat away and Blake's dagger missed Adam's throat by inches. With her other hand occupied she could only step back, biting back cries whenever pressure was applied to her thigh.

"Did you think I'd let you escape?!" He twisted and his foot drove the last of her breath from her lungs, throwing her back where she crashed down into the rubble. "Did you honestly think I'd let you leave again?!"

"Blake!"

Ilia rushed to them, loosing her sword and letting the bladed links unfurl. Adam's blade was caught in her own and she pulled with both hands to disarm. Instead she staggered forward, overpowered, and Blake heard a sickening hollow crunch as Adam's scabbard struck Ilia in the side of the head. Her friend fell and she lost her sword, sputtering and spitting out blood in the dirt.

"I am so very tired of this…" Adam sighed, dragging his blade along the ground as he approached Ilia. "Why can't you all just behave? We're fighting for our freedom. For what we _deserve_." Ilia reached for her blade and Adam's leg caught her ribs, lifting her and throwing her away. "Why do you two fight against our freedom? Why do you hate your own kind?"

"We don't hate our own kind, Adam…" Blake spat. The crystal, warm in her hand, begged to be used. "Just you."

Adam took the bait. Leaving Ilia where she lay, he turned back to her, smiling. The unpleasantness of it made Blake want to withdraw but she stood firm, wrapping her fingers around the crystal in hand to conceal it. She'd get one chance and only one. Even if it didn't cause serious damage, she'd only need a distraction to make this work.

"Blake…" He sounded sweet, caring, like a parent gently correcting their child. Adam flicked blood from his blade and cooed. "Blake," he repeated. "Why are you doing this? I wouldn't need to fight if you'd just come back and behave."

"You're delusional if you think I'd rejoin you!"

"Hm. I'm delusional." He stopped and examined his sword, running a finger along its edge as if admiring its lethality. "I'm fighting for our people, Blake, while you work with the enemy. And I'm the delusional one?"

On reflex she stepped back as he approached again, kicking aside fallen lumber and twisted cutlery. Swallowing fear, she smiled back at Adam, ears folding in contempt. "The enemy? They aren't the ones who killed my parents, are they? Just who is the real enemy here, I wonder."

He paused again, seeming to mull over what she said, twisting his blade and pursing his lips. Then he smiled, shoulders shaking as a curt, cruel laugh came. "Oh, that? I'd almost forgotten all about them. Sorry," his smile vanished. "I've been busy fighting for our people. You usually don't remember every fly you swat."

She'd known, after a fact. Tukson had told her as much. That didn't dull the blade that twisted in her heart or the heat of emotion that swelled up within her.

"They were my parents, Adam!" Blake screamed, hot tears welling in her eyes. "You bastard!"

"They were in the way. What were we supposed to do?" He asked it so _casually_ , the bastard! "Let them continue? If we're going to gain any ground for the Faunus then we need to be able to do what's necessary, my love. And that means casting off rot."

"Like you're casting me off?" She stumbled through wreckage again and stepped free of it, backing down the cluttered road. "What happened to casting me off, huh?"

"You're not rotten though, darling. You're…" Adam rolled his neck, sighed, and smiled at her again. "Misguided. You're like a dog who's bitten its owner. You made a mistake, and I can correct you. I can fix you."

Ilia was still down. She tried to crawl for her weapon, but blood leaked from a gash by her temple, limbs barely able to pull her along. She'd find no help in her friend. This needed to work.

As defiantly as she could Blake lifted her chin, although not before spitting at Adam's feet. "Fix that, you psychopath. I can't wait for the Church to finally put you down."

Any facade of pleasantness left him as Adam scowled and lunged for her. Blake waited, body screaming for her to evade, to run, to do _anything._ His sword raised and she lifted her arm, flicked her wrist, and threw the Dust crystal at Adam's blade as it fell.

His sword twisted at the last second and the crystal bounced off the flat of the blade, clattering to the ground with a faint clink. Blake's scream was muffled as a hand latched onto her throat, legs kicking as her feet left the ground. Her hands clawed at Adam's hand and she kicked against him, aiming for his abdomen, his crotch, anything and everything. He weathered her blows and sneered up at her all the while.

"Blake…" he sang, lifting his sword and pressing the edge against her abdomen. "Why do you insist on hurting me? After all I've done for you…"

She gasped for breath and choked on it. Gritting her teeth, she swung out and drove her fist into the bridge of Adam's nose. Whatever reprieve she bought herself as she was dropped was fleeting and she felt a boot bury itself in her side, rolling across the dirt and reflexively curling up.

"Why can't you just behave!" Adam stalked towards her. There, her dagger! Blake rolled and reached for it, crying out as he slammed a foot down on her arm. "I've given you everything you needed, Blake. I'm working to better our kind." He knelt down, putting pressure on her arm as he did. Biting back a howl of pain she lifted her head and spat again, satisfied as a glob landed on his cheek.

Until the bite of his blade dug into her arm.

"I just need you alive, my love. I don't mind if you're a little worse for wear." Her hand twisted and clawed desperately beneath his boot. She couldn't reach her weapon. "But you know what, darling? I forgive you. We'll finish this mess and you'll come back where you belong." Smiling, he reached down and grabbed her hair, yanking her head up. "Won't that be nice?"

"I'd rather die…"

In the corner of her vision she saw something dark move. Was her vision fading? No. Her eyes flicked to the corners and Adam followed, frowning. "What are you looking at? Hoping Ilia will save you?" He scoffed, finally moving off her and pulling his blade free. Blake yelped and cradled the limb to her chest, pushing herself up as he moved towards Ilia.

"Leave her alone!"

"Why? She's unnecessary. She's a distraction. To you, to the cause." Adam flicked her blood free and flipped the sword, pressing his foot to Ilia's chest. "And I hate distractions."

The black streak again. Adam's arm raised. Blake shouted, reaching out in a desperate bid to stop him.

Another building exploded and Blake felt weightless for a split second, hit the ground, and her vision went dark.

* * *

 **Once again Adam is a right jerk. Once again I toned down just how jerky he is because ew. Hopefully he's still awful enough!**

 **While I love being able to tell two separate stories I feel like it's V4-V5 syndrome, so apologies if things feel a bit disjointed. There's a reason for it though, I promise!**

 **Thanks for reading as always, lovelies, and until next time!**


	49. Chapter 49: Fireworks

**Hey all! Happy May everybody! We made it! 2021 is getting closer and closer. Maybe we should all head down to the pub, grab a pint, and wait until...**

 **Oh wait, we can't...**

 **Welp, have a silly story instead to pass the time!**

* * *

Blake rasped and gagged as her throat, pinched shut seconds before, fought to feed her lungs much needed oxygen. While her wounds bled, and she laid across the ground a black blur in the corner of her vision made her jump. Her hand lashed out only for her wrist to be caught in a vice. Cursing, she pulled.

Wait, her magic! Adam's block was waning! With drunken fervor she grasped at energy around her and formed shadows into twisted spikes, aiming them at her assailant.

One nearly pierced Ren's skull before she halted her spell. The pink-eyed boy managed somehow not to flinch nor react beyond his grip tightening on her wrist slightly. "Thank you for stopping that," he said in his usual monotone. His lips twisted in a slight smile and he eased his grip. "I'd prefer keeping both eyes, if it's the same to you."

Baffled by his presence and intoxicated by the sudden return of her magic all Blake could manage was to stare and nod.

The battle wasn't over, however, and the clash of steel against steel jarred her from her delirium. Her head turned slowly, still laboring for breath, and she went slack-jawed seeing Nora obliterate the ground at Adam's feet. Chunks of rock sailed through the air and he leapt back to avoid another spine-shattering swing.

Right into Jaune's waiting shield. The redhead wheezed as a kite shield smashed into his back and threw him forward, sternum caught by Nora's hammer, then thrown several yards through the air. He'd hardly landed before Pyrrha jumped onto his downed form, blade held at his throat as she kicked his weapon away.

"How did…"

"We saw their forces moving and followed," Ren explained calmly. He splayed a hand over the wound in her thigh and gave another reassuring smile. "We've dealt with his reinforcements outside. You're safe now."

They couldn't have come in a moment sooner. Grunting as she pushed herself to sit with her good arm, she watched Ren's hand as she felt a warmth spilling over her wound. Green light poured from his palm and spilled across her thigh, seeping into the wound, filling it and her with a pleasant chilling sensation. Like a seamstress' needles she could feel her flesh stitching, biting the inside of her cheek and managing to keep from squirming at the odd feeling.

The soothing chill brought welcome comfort and Blake stared openly at her exposed thigh, clothing and flesh ruddy with dark blood but now free from open wounds. Only a light pink scar remained where Adam had stabbed her; the limb was tender, as she learned too quickly by trying to rise on her leg, clenching her teeth and settling back as Ren's gently touch began to mend her arm as well.

Nora joined them with Ilia cradled in her arms. Her friend mumbled something incoherent, eyes half-lidded and head bobbing. Blood dampened a patch of hair along her temple and Ilia hardly noticed when she was set down and likely would have fallen if not for Nora's support.

"I think she's concussed, Ren. Blow above the temple, in and out, feeling nauseous." The redhead caught Blake staring at her and flashed a brilliant smile. "She's going to be okay though, don't worry! Right, Renny? Tell Blake!"

"Your friend will be just fine. Although I can't heal a concussion away," Ren explained as he worked. "I can close the wound. The rest will come with time."

Finally finding her voice again Blake nodded. "Thank you. Both of you."

She still didn't quite understand how they'd been found, or how they'd dealt with the White Fang outside without giving themselves away. Come to think of it there was a lot she didn't understand about current events. Where had the Hunters she'd traveled with all gone? Vincent was obvious, his severed head several yards away somewhere. Buried in rubble perhaps. Were the twins dead as well? What of Hera? Blake couldn't say she cared for the lot but she hadn't wished them any ill will, and certainly not death. Not to discredit Weiss' friends but they weren't exactly veteran Hunters. If they had managed to best the White Fang's troops outside of Alabaster, then those people couldn't be responsible.

Blake already knew who had slain the Hunters. He was currently pinned beneath Pyrrha's boot, writhing on his stomach now as Jaune worked to bind his hands at his back. Adam was fearsome to be sure, but to slay four Hunters on his own? Magic or not they knew how to fight, presumably knew each other as well, judging by their time together.

Holding onto fleeting hope that the others were still alive she dragged herself to Ilia's side, taking Nora's place and setting a hand on her friend's back. Ilia stared through her before her eyelids fluttered and her gaze focused. She looked green and more than ready to pass out.

"Blake…?"

"We're safe, Ilia, it's okay. They're friends." Nora nodded vigorously while Ren smiled. Erstwhile enemies turned friends by an unpredictable series of events. Not even a month ago Blake never would have expected to be speaking cordially to Hunters, much less count herself among them. She still didn't, not really, but these few among them she could gladly consider comrades.

Ilia didn't share her sentiment and drew closer, leaning over and laying her head across Blake's shoulder. For her own part Blake allowed it, wrapping an arm around her friend to keep her steady, all while Adam unleashed a string of curses that if she was honest were thoroughly creative. They did nothing to free him of his bonds however, and Pyrrha's blade to his throat gave him pause, albeit briefly.

"Go on then, kill me. Give my kind more reason to hate you."

"We aren't going to make you a martyr," Jaune said brusquely. With his offhand he grabbed Adam's bindings and hauled him to his feet. "And we're not going to kill you either."

"Our job is to stop you, not judge you. Your fate is for our superiors to decide," Pyrrha added.

"Is that so? So that's it? You hand me off to your masters and wash your hands of things? Do you suppose that makes you innocent?" Adam laughed bitterly. "Do you think the organization will just pretend you didn't have a hand in my death?"

Beside her Ren rose to his feet, both to hold Nora back and to chime in. "We face dangers daily, as is our job as Wardens. We won't be cowed into inaction because of idle threats."

"There's nothing idle about them, scum. If my head rolls then you can bet that hundreds of your own will follow. Or we can avoid all this unpleasantness and you can release me now." Adam tilted his head and smiled at Blake. "Hand her over to me as well and I'll even let you four live."

"I think you need to stop talking."

"I think you need to consider your options, bitch," Adam snapped at Pyrrha. "Unless you're too arrogant and believe you've won?"

Disarmed, bound, and seconds from being run through Blake wouldn't call Adam a victor. She didn't expect him to grovel or beg and knew his threats to be little more than idle, but what was he talking about? He was alone, his troops outside incapacitated. More could lay in wait, sure, but he couldn't hope to suppress all of their magic. Without Magi of their own even a sizable group of fighters would be child's play.

Yet he seemed so certain of himself. Adam pulled against his bindings and sighed loudly, like an impatient man made to wait for a carriage rather than one being led to the gallows. Angry at being captured, perhaps humiliated in his defeat, but not concerned for his fate. Jaune pushed him in the back and Adam was slow to react, taking only a handful of steps down the road before stopping.

"I think that's enough of this. I'll give you today, Blake. You can thank your little friends for that."

Adam swung his head and smashed against Jaune's face. The blonde staggered back and kept his grip until Adam twisted, wrenching himself free and making to run. Pyrrha reached to catch him, the closest besides Jaune, and instead brought her shield to the fore as a spike erupted from Jaune's shadow.

"The next time we meet I won't be as kind!" Adam, torn free from his bindings, retrieved his discarded sword. Nora leapt at him and her hammer crashed into a wall of shadow, forced back as spikes erupted from the face. "As for you four I'll be sure to take my time with killing you."

The wall retracted and black mist began to rise, swirling around Adam and obfuscating their view of him. Finding a dagger nearby Blake hurled it into the storm and cursed as the vortex knocked it aside harmlessly. Sneering, Adam turned, as though to walk away. The shadows coalesced, growing heavier, thicker, and concealing him entirely.

With a small puff of air, they dispersed. Adam was gone.

"Damn it!" Jaune cursed, nursing his face. He and Pyrrha hurried to the spot where Adam had stood and scuffed the ground, searching for any traces of the man.

They wouldn't find him. Yuma had no doubt already ferried Adam outside of town by now and there was no telling which direction he had gone. Chasing was hopeless, if not idiotic. They'd spread out and if Adam did linger then he'd pick them off one by one. Just had he had done to Vincent, and likely the others as well.

Of course he'd had an escape prepared. What were they even thinking trying to fight him? Ilia groaned at her side and Blake frowned, pressing her hand to Ilia's cheek and wiping away sweat and grime. Nora offered her waterskin and she accepted it readily, holding it steady so her friend could sip.

 _He's gone though. He's gone and we survived._ Worse for wear but alive. The knowledge that yet more of their friends remained among his number sullied any would be victory. With Ilia gone there was no intermediary between her and the White Fang any longer. No guarantee that the others could be saved. That sobering fact tarnished her momentary relief in an instant.

Recognizing that giving chase was futile Jaune shook his head and approached them, sheathing his blade and handing off his shield to Pyrrha. Crouching before them he offered her a reassuring smile, and Ilia a less than certain one when she inched away from him. "If she's concussed then we shouldn't ask her to walk. I can carry her if you'd like?"

Blake might have offered to undertake the duty herself if not for her still tender leg. Instead she eased Ilia forward, smiling sympathetically as her friend clung to her arm. "He's a friend, Ilia. They're good people, I promise. They won't hurt you."

Years of fighting mankind had created plenty of nasty habits to form, shying away from anyone not a Faunus not the least of them. Blake wouldn't have faulted Ilia for refusing even if she needed the help and she was certain the others wouldn't either. To their collective surprise she nodded, releasing her hold on Blake and allowing Jaune to lift her onto his back. Pragmatism won out and she laid her head on his back, face pale against his dark grey tunic.

Pyrrha offered her a hand and she took it readily, shaking her head at an offer to be carried as well. Her leg was sore, but she could walk on it, albeit slowly. Assuming no one minded a middling-paced journey, she should be fine on her own.

Questions were left unanswered. Blake didn't know why Alabaster had been abandoned, or why exactly the Hunters had led her here. She didn't know how Adam had come to learn of her being here, or how he and Vincent had crossed paths. As her mind worked to piece together frayed ends, they made their way towards the gates at a leisurely pace. There was little the group could do for the town now. If its citizens were gone and alive, they would return of their own accord, albeit with some repairs to be done. If not… Well, Ren was one man and no healer could mend the dead.

"We don't have horses, unfortunately. And it seems the few that were outside ran once the blasts began," Ren said. "We left our packs just beyond the town. There's food and some changes of clothing, if you'd like something new. You and Nora may be roughly the same size."

"You can't have the yellow pants though, those are my favorite," Nora grinned, slinging her warhammer over one shoulder. Not that Blake intended to argue, she couldn't care less what she wore, but the ease with which the redhead swung her oversized mallet made acquiescing easy.

"We're to report back to the city once we're finished. I don't doubt Ozpin will want to hear of this."

"Pyr's right. A whole town is empty and we've got no idea why." Jaune shifted Ilia and looked to Blake curiously. "Speaking of… Why are you here, exactly?"

"My party was sent here to investigate a disturbance. That was the official story anyways. I don't know why I was really here." Though she was beginning to form ideas. Blake nodded back up the main road towards the now littered town square. "You may have seen the leader back there. I don't know where the others are."

She wasn't wholly desensitized to death. Just accustomed to it. Grimm, combat, natural cases. She'd been exposed to loss enough that she knew how to handle it, or at the very least, snuff out the feelings that accompanied the event. It helped, in some morbid way, that she'd hardly known or cared for the people she'd been with. Callous, certainly, but it was the honest truth.

The others didn't share her aloof nature, and as Jaune's face paled to match Ilia's, Pyrrha lowered her head and closed her eyes, lips working a silent prayer. She couldn't begrudge them for it. As far as they knew her group had been honest to goodness Hunters just setting out to perform their assigned task. Not, if her suspicions were correct, leading her to the slaughter.

As sound as her theory was it still left too many questions. Blake teased them as the group paused by the gates, Ren inspecting the trail of sodden cloth before looking to her for an answer. She smiled wryly and shrugged, letting him and Nora clear the way before prying open the town's gates.

If her group had brought her to Alabaster to hand her over to Adam that still didn't account for everything. Why evacuate the entire town? Doubtless because they never would have allowed for the White Fang to come into their walls; they hadn't been the most willing of tributaries. If they evacuated the townsfolk to arrange the meeting, then what story was given to convince them to leave? Impending Grimm attack? They would just demand Hunters be sent to protect them. It didn't make sense. Nor was it clear how Adam and the Church may have come to a deal to begin with. While she wouldn't put it past him to arrange something to get her back it seemed like a leap.

Why not just attack her and the others on the road? Why bother striking a deal?

There was the sobering realization too that, if her theory was correct, Ozpin and the others had deemed her no longer valuable and were willing to use her as a bargaining chip. Her membership was admittedly tenuous at best but she'd have expected a little more loyalty than that.

Outside of Alabaster now they moved down the main road to the bridge. Remembering her own steed Blake signaled for them to stop and moved gingerly down the slope, relieved to find her mount still tied to a tree, grazing calmly among the grass. With Nora's help they unfettered the animal and led it back to the road. In a unanimous decision Ilia was placed in the saddle and Jaune took the reins, opting to spare his back and Ilia the discomfort of resting against plate.

Another realization, less sobering but nonetheless important, occurred to Blake then as they traveled the road. Turning back to Pyrrha she slowed her already middling pace. "You mentioned you were returning to the city…?"

"We're supposed to report on our missions," the redhead confirmed. "And now we'll need to report what's happened as well." They didn't know. They should though; Weiss had spoken to them about accompanying her, hadn't she?

"We can't go back, not yet." Ilia needed rest and she would get it aplenty, just not in a bed as Blake might have hoped.

"And why is that?" Pyrrha asked, neither angry or skeptical, merely curious.

Blake was positive Weiss had told them what had happened. Yet as she recounted events the group's bewilderment grew exponentially. Their attack by Wardens, their meeting with Ozpin and the other senior members. The subsequent reveal of an apparent splinter group within the Church, operating wholly without Ozpin's knowledge.

Except Blake was now dubious of that as well given her own situation. She kept her reservations private for the time being.

Even so she didn't need to share her own misgivings for the others to draw similar conclusions. Her untimely separation from Weiss and their own missions prevented them from assisting her as well. To Blake's knowledge she'd left with Glynda Goodwitch and Raven. Hardly instilling much confidence, that duo. One was perhaps an enemy and the other a questionable ally at best.

They were stopped now and the looks of consternation on everyone's faces mirrored how uncertain Blake felt.

"It's possible that this is all mere coincidence," Ren pointed out after a silent spell. "We shouldn't jump to conclusions."

"It is awfully convenient though, I'll admit. We're all sent elsewhere while Weiss is made to undertake the mission on her own. Although I can't say I fully understand why she alone would be sent."

"I can't believe Ruby was captured! Again!" Nora screamed. The horse kicked with a start and Ilia groaned atop it, clutching her head and curling up. Ren soothed the concussed girl as best he could while Jaune clamped Nora's lips shut with his fingers.

"And you believe Wardens are responsible? As in… Our own people?"

To Pyrrha's question Blake answered with a nod. "I know what I saw. Weiss does too. Two men in snow white cloaks." Cloaks, she noted, that the group was not wearing themselves. They had mentioned they were Wardens themselves, hadn't they? "Are you Wardens now too?" she asked, deciding to clear that up.

"We are. It was a hasty decision, but one Ozpin assured us was necessary. He and the others fear that Merlot's machinations were merely the start of something larger." Pyrrha peeled back the collar of her jerkin to reveal a vaguely familiar mark on her neck. "These grant us strength, although if I'm honest I've yet to notice much difference."

"If something is about to happen however then it's necessary for us to be prepared. We should thank the Archbishop for his prudence."

Nora nodded, prying Jaune's hand from her lips to do so. "Ren's right. They're thinking ahead, we need to be ready for whatever comes next."

"Even if it means they're hiding something from us…" Jaune muttered, for Blake's ears and hers alone.

"You can bet they're hiding things from us. In fact, I promise they are. There's a lot we learned on our mission before, things you four need to know." Blake walked to the horse and took the reins from Jaune. "And you're going to have to wait to report back, I think. We need to go help Weiss and the others."

Blake didn't expect an ounce of resistance to her proposal and was pleased to find none. They had a way to go before they were even remotely close enough to help. _If they went to Galloway like Weiss said, then that's three days from here. Maybe two if we had horses._ But they didn't, and with Ilia in her current state they couldn't make a swift journey anyways. Three days then. _Zorander keep her. Hopefully they can last that long._

Until then all they could do was travel. Battling fatigue and a growing sense of dread Blake led the horse, walking abreast with the others as they made headway down the road.

"Tell me…" she began after a pregnant pause, looking between the expectant faces around her. "What do you all know about magic…?"

/+/+/+/+/+/

Meticulous, with practiced patience and a steady gaze, Weiss sifted through the remainder of Merlot's spellbook. She read each passage, she read between each passage, and once she was certain she'd scoured a page's contents she returned to it and read through it again.

They had sent the book along for some reason. Not combat. The plan was to exfiltrate Yang and Ruby without fighting the Wardens inside the estate. Battle was a last resort, one which would come with the complications of Grimm and civilian casualties. By that train of thought then the book before her had to provide some means of escape, some method of stealing away their prize, Yang, without inciting a battle.

If such a spell remained in the leather-bound book then it had eluded her thus far. Merlot's extensive knowledge of their craft was astounding, the combinations of runes daunting, and the spells themselves, so painstakingly recorded, complete with explanations, theoretical drains on the caster, so impressive in its scope that she'd have lauded the man were he not so deplorable. Yet for all the book's content, forty-three pages in, Weiss had yet to decipher what it was she needed from it. Her fingertips grazed the yellowing page of another sheet, eyes dancing over spells for conjuring quicksand, inducing a targeted hailstorm, and manipulating trees. Captivating spells, but unless she planned to fight, worthless.

"What am I supposed to be looking for?" she asked herself for what felt like the hundredth time.

The next page contained spells for waterwalking, a spell to form a shield of solid stone, and a summoning spell, much to Weiss' surprise. Runes, curved around the interior edge of a glyph, to summon an 'ethereal hawk'. Likely used as a messenger if she had to guess. Handy if she needed to relay a message to those beyond the estate's walls… If she knew the runes on display.

Which was another issue with the spellbook. Weiss let out a lengthy sigh and kneaded her eyes in the heels of her hands. Unlike other classes of magic where one only needed the mental image of a spell and the willpower to make it manifest, runes required specific characters. It was versatile and nigh impossible in its breadth. If you missed so much as a single stroke or made a mark bend left when it was meant to go right, the rune would fail.

At best nothing would happen. Sometimes however the spell would explode in your face. Runic magic wasn't something many people used both because of its cumbersome nature and its relative weak potency compared to "purer" classes.

It was all Weiss knew. So finding runes she didn't recognize was demoralizing, if not outright frustrating. Were so much not contingent upon her success she'd have summarily dropped the book in a drawer and returned to it at a later date. She didn't have the luxury of time, nor did her friends, and so she leaned forward in her chair, chewed on her lip, and doubled down.

Ten pages in, when her frustration had begun to peak, Weiss began noticing a shift in the contents. Much of the spells - all of them really, had been either elemental or purely utility in their nature. On the subsequent page, another headed by Merlot's curving script, the section titled "Sealing and containment" piqued her interest. For all intents and purposes this would be the material that the Church rightfully ought to have kept for themselves. She was surprised Goodwitch had even allowed the book to be passed along.

 _Unless she didn't know._ Between Raven and Roman, and hells, even Qrow if she was honest, Weiss could see someone slipping the book to her without permission. With a wry smile she began to read over the first page and right away she found promising notes.

 _Wards? He knew how they were constructed._ She marveled at the details before her, licking dry lips and leaning back to satiate her thirst on honeysuckle-infused water. The sweetness made her blanch. The welcome quenching sensation brought a pleased sigh. _It makes sense. He used runes, after all. At one point or another he very well could have been a Warden._

It would explain how Merlot knew which towns to attack and which to avoid, and the barrier he erected in their initial confrontation outside of Ambrose. If she was honest it was an obvious and natural leap in logic to make given what they had seen. All of it was laid out before her; the runes necessary to erect a protective ward, the relative magical energy, quantified, required to maintain it, and superfluous notes on strength, efficacy, and interestingly, how well they held up against spells.

Wards were designed to keep Grimm from entering the city. Weiss had assumed at first that they functioned by way of concealing negative energy from the beasts. Then she'd learned the truth, how Grimm sought out magic, and the paradigm shift that followed changed everything.

Wards weren't made to keep Grimm out, not specifically. They were used to protect against magic, to conceal it. That Grimm became blind to a Magi's telltale signature was a useful byproduct of the barriers.

Doubt crept into her mind once more. If her assumptions were correct, then the Church's main prerogative wasn't to defend against Grimm but to conceal and defend itself against magic. Why? Magi were few in number comparatively speaking, with regular citizens far outnumbering their own. Most joined the Church itself and served in some capacity, rendering their spells as a tool of the organization. The Magi who didn't join still needed to adhere to strict guidelines, lest they be persecuted by the Church, or even the kingdom itself. Magic wasn't allowed to run rampant and yet barriers, presumably, were erected at areas of great import to protect against it.

Grimm wasn't their primary concern. Magic was. Another conclusion that really should have been forgone if she was being honest with herself. Maybe she just hadn't given it enough thought before.

A faint prickling pain began to fester behind her eyes. Little more than a buzzing sensation, a gnat hovering by her ear, it grew into a throbbing headache. In the mere seconds it took for the furor to blossom Weiss grit her teeth and leaned back from the book, nursing her temples in a bid to chase it away. In with a faint whistle, out in a hiss, she focused on breathing, squeezing her eyes shut. It lasted only a few minutes as it often did, subsiding and fading with a mere whimper. Stress induced, as she often imagined, which made sense given the gravitas of things.

Once opening her eyes no longer brought on a bout of discomfort she returned to her studies. Barriers, containment fields, seals to bind doorways shut, it was all here. Fascinating though it may be Weiss spent precious little time devouring the information on those pages. Those could come later, assuming she'd have a chance.

The prize she had been seeking was a few pages thereafter, although Weiss wasn't entirely certain it was her end goal.

For all his intellect Merlot had little patience for subterfuge and misdirection. That or he'd arrogantly assumed no one but himself would ever see his notes. So, when Weiss found a page labeled 'Bend Will' she stared at the runes scrawled onto paper, racking her brain for familiar details. She had seen them once, she was certain of it, and she could place them too. Yang had shown them the "collar" which Merlot had affixed her with, the very same spell that enabled him to manipulate Yang's behavior, to an extent. The Dimuran had seemed to develop a resistance to it after a time but the spell should still be intact. Watts, assuming again, could use that if he had some knowledge of the spell itself. The more Weiss studied the runes however the less certain she became of that conclusion. It was a spell meant to control, obviously, but was it only Yang?

Therein lay another problem with her magic system.

Weiss gathered the book in her hands, drank the remains of her mug, and sauntered over to the bed. Pausing briefly to draw her curtains closed and bury an orange dusk sky behind a blanket of deep violet, she settled into the four-post bed, propped herself up with pillows, and began to decipher the runes as best she could.

Unlike elemental spells which relied on the strength of its spell, and no elements truly cancelled another out, runes had exact opposites. Seals could be undone with the proper contradictory combinations. Spells could be cancelled if your opponent recognized your spell in time.

By the same token a Magi with the proper runes could release a seal, or in this case, a spell to control, by utilizing the right runes. A key for a highly specialized lock as it were.

Yet for the life of her Weiss couldn't say with certainty that the spell outlined before her was specifically for Yang. Try as she might she couldn't recall the runes which appeared on Yang, having only scored a precious few moments to admire the seal weeks earlier. That had to be it though. Merlot had clearly developed a means to both seal a Grimm and control Yang. The latter had to be what was on display now, the former within the book's final few pages.

A knock at her door made Weiss hastily conceal the book beneath the covers. Another butler whose name she didn't know entered, asking if she'd be joining her aunt for dinner. Engrossed in her discoveries and wary of another verbal lashing, piteous as it was from Lady Lavender, she declined. Thankfully dinner in bed was allowed and she thanked the man, sending a greeting along to her unwitting hostess.

Only once the butler left did she retrieve the book again, drawing her knees up and resting it across her thighs to cover it from any sudden interruptions.

This had to be it. Raven intended for her to free Yang from her bindings and in turn enable her daughter to fight back. Weiss wasn't sure she was a fan of the connotations there; to release the spell on Yang would mean getting close enough to both activate and undo the seal. Wardens would be watching to make sure nothing untoward happened.

But if she managed to release Yang? Her friend's raw power eclipsed Weiss' own and she was, presumably, more accustomed to fighting people than Weiss herself. That could very well enable Ruby to fight back too without fear of consequence.

Purpose reignited, Weiss settled in, skimming the final few pages before returning to the one labeled 'Bend Will'. If nothing else she would memorize the runes in preparation for what was to come. A few of them she recognized, precious few, while others were alien.

Had this been in preparation for a test back home she'd scold herself for cramming as she was, but that was all she could do. There was no telling how long she had before Watts and the others made their move.

Whether dinner came or not was irrelevant. If Lady Lavender wanted an audience with her niece, then she would have to wait. A singular, all-encompassing thought consumed Weiss and commanded her absolute attention, and would for the remainder of the afternoon.

 _Time to study._

 _/+/+/+/+/+/_

"Girl, I do hope your sister is as sly as you think she is."

"She'll be okay, I know she will. So long as you hid the medicine like I asked."

Peach smiled, something between bitter and sympathetic. The wrinkles on the woman's face were more prominent than ever nowadays and she looked every part of the fifty odd years she claimed to be. All fifty spent in service of the kingdom, brewing medicines, studying new remedies, and perfecting the art of healing magic.

If anyone could disguise a bolstering potion without tipping off Hunters, people who had themselves some knowledge of apothecary, it would be Peach. Ruby could only hope the woman's skills and ingenuity hadn't begun to slip in her elder years.

"I did exactly what was asked of me and then some. Even if that deplorable man should test the medicine he won't notice anything amiss. He'll believe it's for an upset stomach and nothing more."

She meant Arthur Watts. Proctor, or Warden, or clergyman for all Ruby knew. Aside from occasionally seeing the lean man occasionally roaming the cathedral's halls she had next to no knowledge of him. What he did for the Church, his specialty, or even his relation to the rest of her superiors. Ozpin was the de-facto head of Vale's branch of the Church of Remnant, and Glynda Goodwitch served directly under him. She knew of those who trained them; Oobleck, Port, Ahmar and Azalea, they were but a handful of the veteran Hunters whose jobs it was to instruct Initiates.

Watts was a mystery to her. As were many people within the Church, Ruby admitted, but few were so close to Ozpin and yet so enigmatic.

Regardless, what was done was done and now she could only but wait for results. Sat with Peach in her room, working a random scarf in her hands until the threading threatened to come undone, Ruby watched the door anxiously for someone to burst in. If they were discovered, then Yang would probably be rushed into her "surgery". Watts would expedite the process and her sister, she feared, wouldn't survive the ordeal. The last she'd seen Yang she could barely hold her head up let alone protect herself.

Which left her with plan B. Ruby would find a way to undo the collar that inhibited her magic, steal whatever she could find that was remotely weapon-like, and rush to Yang's aid. Whether there were two Wardens or twenty didn't matter; after being apart from her sister for so long nothing on Remnant was going to keep them separated for long.

"Miss Rose, you shouldn't worry so much," Peach said. She placed a hand on Ruby's bouncing knee and smiled. "Your sister is rather tenacious from what I hear. She'll be fine."

"Yeah… I know she's tough, and she's probably been through worse." Considering who's custody she'd been in prior to their reunion Ruby didn't doubt it. An unpleasant chill raced down her spine and she drew her shoulders together. "I hate to think what he's doing to her."

"For whatever it's worth I'll be right here to help. I'm afraid I'm not much use in a fight, but I promise I'll make certain you two make it out together. This is all my fault after all."

"No it isn't!" Ruby, shocked by Peach's somber tone, left her own nerves be. "You helped us in Ambrose, remember? And you're helping us now!"

"True, but I'm the one who brought up concerns about your sister's condition. If I hadn't said anything then perhaps Arthur wouldn't have taken you two. Ozpin may have wanted to work with Yang, but it wouldn't have been as ghastly as this."

"You couldn't have known. And besides, it's like you said, Yang is strong! She'll be right as rain once she gets that medicine, and then…"

Then what? Yang would be ready to fight so Ruby had to be too. That meant finding a way to remove her collar first. Her nails dug in against her neck as she tried to pry the leather garment off, huffing when it refused to give. _Yang will be ready. I'll make a distraction somehow, magic or no magic. We can do this._

They could, somehow. Ruby still wished Weiss or Blake were here with her. Any of their friends would make this infinitely easier.

For now, all she could do was wait. Wait and hope that the medicine worked, or that her collar would come off, whichever came first.

"Whatever happens next, dearie, we'll make it work. I promise you I'll do whatever it takes to make this right." Peach rose from her chair and Ruby followed, looming over the stout woman despite her own height. "I need to get going now but I'll be nearby and ready should anything come to pass. Be safe," she urged gently, placing her hands-on Ruby's arms and smiling up at her. "Watts will be made to answer for what he's done here, as will the others. If I know Ozpin then he'll be sure of that."

Revenge wasn't quite her cup of tea and Ruby wasn't interested in it. She just wanted herself and Yang gone, freed from this place and allowed to be with their friends. All the same she returned the smile and nodded, sharing a hug with the healer before waving her off.

And that was that. Left to her own devices again and with little else to do Ruby pushed the chairs back against the wall, swept discarded clothes under the bed. She could imagine her dad yelling at her about not cleaning her room properly, how he'd have to dig the clothes out later to be washed. The image brought a wistful smile to her face and a sense of longing bloomed in her breast. She and Yang had to go see their father again, and their friends. They still had a lot of ideas, plans and fun activities in store to make up for years of separation.

Clinging to the promise of a happier future with her sister Ruby cleared a sizable space in the bedroom. With her toes digging into plush carpet she began to stretch, jog in place, and practice shadow boxing.

Yang had always been the brawler, not her. That didn't mean she couldn't try to be ready.

For now, she'd rely on the medicine to have some effect. That didn't mean she'd remain idle however. Even if she had to somehow pummel the Wardens with her bare fists she'd do it if that meant getting Yang back. Anything besides laying down and accepting their fate.

/+/+/+/+/+/

"Miss Branwen, please, sit down and relax already."

"Yeah, Rae. Wearing a hole in the grass ain't gonna make things move any faster." Qrow uncorked his flask and chugged a mouthful of whiskey. Or was it scotch? Hells, he didn't remember anymore. Licking bitterness from his lips he slouched forward on his stump. "We've got until tomorrow morning, don't we?"

"If the reports are to be trusted, yes. That largely depends on what Roman was able to discover." Goodwitch turned to the lounging man, sprawled across the grass as he attempted to doze. Frowning, she walked over and nudged his ribs with the toe of her boot. "You did manage to confirm that much did you not?"

Grumbling, Roman lifted his hat from his face, blinked sleep away, and smiled. "Of course. What do you take me for anyways?"

"A conman, a cheat, and a coward," Raven quipped as she continued to pace. "Also, a horribly cheap host. Your choice of ales is dreadful."

"Most people don't break into my manor to drink, so forgive me if I'm never prepared for your sudden visits." With a scoff Roman pushed himself up, frowning as he plucked blades of grass from his jacket. "Perhaps one of these days you'll send proper notice so I can arrange something finer? Perhaps some snake venom?"

"The information," Goodwitch repeated. "You're absolutely certain they're planning to perform the operation tomorrow?"

"Hundred percent. Neo overheard some of the goons moaning about having to stick around for another day. Two prissy little things." At his side Neo pulled a face and made talking gestures with her hands before throwing them in the air. "So, at the earliest they'll start tomorrow morning, and tomorrow night at the absolute latest."

"Schnee is running out of time. We should just go down there now and find Yang."

"Funny. You never seemed to care before."

Raven stopped, then turned on her heel and stormed over to Qrow. "That's because I didn't have the luxury of caring! This is different!"

"Now suddenly you care, huh? Funny." Unphased by Raven's looming, Qrow took another drink before rising slowly, smiling down at his sibling. "After fifteen years you decide to be a mother?"

"Watch your tongue, Qrow, unless you want me to pull it from that thick skull of yours."

"Sorry, just havin' a hard time believing you want to be a parent now," Qrow drawled.

"I'm the only parent she's got left! Tai's a coward, and Summer is gone!" Raven shoved her brother's chest and stepped closer as he stumbled. "And like fuck I'm leaving her fate to a drunken wastrel!"

"Summer might be gone," Qrow snarled. "But she's still a better mother than you'll ever be."

"Is that right? Are you so sure?" Raven smiled, flashing her teeth, black scales glistening in the dancing flames of the fire. "I'm here, aren't I? Where's your dear Summer, hm?"

"That's enough!" Both twins looked towards Goodwitch as the woman shouted. "Cease your bickering, you infantile buffoons. If you insist on dredging up whatever this is then do so in your own time, _after_ we've accomplished our goal. Can I trust you're able to set aside your squabbles until then, or shall I dismiss both of you here and now?"

They were his nieces; Summer had trusted _him_ to keep an eye on Yang and Ruby. Not Raven, and as much as he liked Tai as a friend the guy had become as helpful as a paper boat. Exhaling, and maybe enjoying the way Raven's face scrunched at the alcohol on his breath just a bit, Qrow stepped back and held up his hands.

"Fine. But we're not done, Raven. When we're finished here -"

"I'll be gone, don't you worry, dear brother," she sneered. "Then you can go back to being the neglectful guardian you've always been."

"Pot, meet kettle," Roman mumbled.

"Shut up!" Raven and Qrow both shouted.

"Just do your job and I'll do mine, got it? I've got family to save down there," Qrow pointed to the distant estate, a small, faint flame burning in the vast emptiness of night. "And I'll be damned if you get in the way."

"Try not to die, brother of mine. I'd so hate to have to bury you just when we were starting to get along again."

To that he could only roll his eyes, more than content to let Raven storm off, which she did. "Edea's teeth..." he grumbled, rubbing his face before returning to his stump.

To see Raven so agitated was promising. It meant she was genuinely invested in this, in saving Ruby and Yang. It was much more than he had expected of his sister and a welcome surprise at that. _Shame she's got to be such a cunt while she's here…_

Raven went back to pacing. Goodwitch returned to their makeshift camp, sitting on the ground and sifting through papers. Some of the crazy doctor's notes if Qrow remembered right. What he wouldn't have given to get a hold of the depraved bastard himself. Proud as he might be for the girls having triumphed, he felt the slightest bit cheated, denied his own small taste of revenge for what had been done to Yang.

He supposed he'd get plenty of chances once they were in the estate though.

 _And to think Watts is down there._ How the hells had one of Ozpin's closest managed to pull this off under their noses? The how didn't matter much in the end. Yang and Ruby were captured. Watts was responsible. And Qrow was more than keen on turning the smarmy prick into a new sheath for his greatsword. _We're gonna have a chat when I get back, Oz. Our security is shit._

But that, much like going down to rescue the girls, would have to wait. So much waiting and no action. Qrow liked to think of himself as a patient man to an extent. His patience was wearing thin long before night had settled, and when Raven had first brought up the idea of a night raid on the estate he'd nearly agreed with her. Common sense prevailed however and so here they were, sitting on a hilltop a mile or two away from Galloway, forced to twiddle their thumbs and wait for a signal from Weiss. Some indication that she knew where in the estate Yang was being held. Where they were keeping Ruby. Anything.

Yet as the night wore on, Remnant's lone moon, pieces of its celestial body floating free from the main mass, no signal came. Not that Qrow knew what they were even looking for. A spell? A messenger? Maybe she'd enact some crazy cosmic event like breaking up the rest of the moon. Nevermind that such a feat was impossible for the little icy princess.

As exhaustion wore him down and he took to leaning against his stump, his tattered cloak draped over himself as a blanket, he began wondering if the stars weren't twinkling to convey a message, or the occasional firefly wasn't a creation of the kid's.

It was driving him mad not knowing, and increasingly apparent that they wouldn't be able to act until tomorrow morning at the earliest. Sleep beckoned, his eyelids weighing down and threatening to close. All the alcohol probably wasn't helping him either.

A firefly drifted towards him and hovered before his face, silently buzzing, a green dot swirling around in the dim light. Maybe this was Weiss' signal? Heh, chasing a firefly to rescue his nieces. Maybe he'd had a little too much to drink? He could imagine it now: rushing down the hillside, stumbling over himself, giving chase to an insect just trying to escape his intoxicated escapades. If nothing else, it would piss Glynda off. That was always worthwhile.

The sky brightened. At first Qrow thought someone had relit the campfire, eyes drifting towards the smoldering pit to his right. Logs, burned up and turned black, rested in a pile of soot and ash. Confusion lasted a split second as a loud, concussive blast in the distance reached them, slapping him in the face and jarring him awake like a bucket of ice water.

"What the hell?!" Roman exclaimed, flailing as he sat up in his sleeping roll. "Are we under attack?!"

No. Not them. Slack Jawed, Qrow rose from his spot and walked to the edge of the hill and stared down at the estate, watching as a great pillar of flame finished spewing into the sky, dispersing as tendrils of orange and red fanned out, filling the already dark sky with a heavy cloud of smoke. Beside him Raven was grinning broadly, eyes wide as she watched the fire shoot skyward.

"That's it! That's my girl!" Raven roared, drawing her fire blade. "That's our signal!"

 _You've got to be kidding me._

She wasn't. Before anyone else was remotely ready Raven drew her second sword and jumped from their campsite, landing some twenty feet below and sliding down the slopes before racing towards Galloway, streaks of red and green leaving a fading trail in her wake.

His sword was in hand before Goodwitch even ordered for them to move out. While she worked on getting Roman's ass in gear - Neo was already jumping in place, no doubt eager for combat, Qrow followed his sister's example and took off down the hillside.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Weiss unburied her head from her pillows, wincing as her ears still rang. Thank gods she'd had her blankets on otherwise she'd have been showered in glass. Stunned, she gingerly moved her blanket off and used it to brush aside sharp shards, mindful as she stepped around broken panes and towards her blown out window. The telltale glow of flames died away and she felt lingering heat kissing at her face, the air around the entire estate unseasonably warm.

More pressing than that was the continued, loud crackling of flames and the crumbling of lumber, weakened by fire and collapsing in on itself. One of the buildings on the estate's grounds was up in flames and from her window Weiss could just make out Wardens rushing to tend to the inferno, white cloaks stark against the poorly lit landscape.

Another pillar of fire erupted from somewhere within the building and forced them back, the roar of flames not unlike that of a dragon. _How?! When?!_ Her mind raced as her feet followed suit, hands fumbling to get her boots on. Without her rapier in tow she settled for Merlot's spellbook, throwing open her bedroom door and running to the nearest stairwell.

/+/+/+/+/+/

"Fuck, that feels good!" Yang grinned, rolled her neck, and cracked her knuckles. Fire erupted around her and she ignored it, savoring the heat, hair dancing as updrafts toyed with it. The roof of the building was gone, as was the entire first floor. Hells, most of the building was gone. "Nice medicine, prof. Hit the spot!"

For the first time in nearly a week she took a healthy gulp of fresh air, eyes sparkling as she gazed up at the night sky. It was stunning, really. An ocean of stars, each as beautiful as a priceless gem, infinite in number. She missed that. Gods did she miss it.

Black mist spilled from her wounds and she raised an eyebrow as a figure in white stood at the top of the stairs. Their arms raised and she smirked, waving her hand and sending a wave of flames racing up after them. One of the twins, their hood falling back, scampered fitfully to avoid being engulfed in fire.

Yang couldn't be happier. Even as she climbed the stairs and five figures clad in white stood around her, varying spells prepared, she felt a sort of drunken excitement she hadn't in a long time.

These people hadn't just hurt her. She could take whatever they dished out, she was fine with that. They'd hurt Ruby too though, hadn't they? They'd fucked with her sister, ruined their plans, and for all she knew, hurt their friends too.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls!" Yang raised her arms and flames swirled at her feet, expanding and forcing the Wardens back further. Magic brimmed inside of her, threatening to burst free of its own accord. She was almost keen to let it. Instead, Yang drew the magic in, held a hand aloft, letting flames gather in her palm, turning blue. "Sorry for the delay, but I'm proud to say…" The orb exploded and showered blue sparks over the area, incinerating grass on contact and anything else in its path.

"Wildfire is _back!_ "

* * *

 **Hey... Hey reader, d'ya get the title of this chapter? "Fireworks"? Fire _works._ Yang can throw fire again!**

 **I'm way prouder of that stupid pun than I have any right to be.** **This was a fun chapter to write. Perhaps not the epitome of fine literature, but fun.**

 **Chapter 50 is going to be... Hoboy. Stuff be happening! Lotsa stuff! You ready? I'm not. This is one of those chapters were you plan it out, draft it, and go "My story lives or dies on this hill."**

 **But I'm sure it'll be fine. Totally fine. No worries. Nooooone at all.**

 **And the next won't have quite so many breaks either. A lot of things needed to come to a head before 50, not the least of which was Yang getting a little pick me up.**

 **Get ready for some pewpew next chapter! :D**


	50. Chapter 50: Weight of a Name

**Here we go.**

* * *

"Well? Come get some, you bastards!"

Yang's throat strained as she howled over the raging fires around her. They were spreading, the building she'd been held in obliterated, walls turning to cinders as the glowing, lively embodiment of her fury crawled up them. The buildings of the estate were far apart enough that, unaided, the flames wouldn't have spread. Between debris from the explosion being thrown about and the wind lifting embers like tufts of a dandelion that wouldn't last long. A storehouse nearby had begun to smolder, its roof turning from gray slate to ashen black, the fire taking hold wherever it could. The lawn had been set ablaze, flames as tall as Yang herself dancing, moving formlessly and devouring anything in its path.

Another time she'd have felt horrible for the damage she'd caused. This was someone's home, someone who could purchase another, or two even, and be little worse for wear, but a home, nonetheless.

Yet with five Wardens before her cast in the pale glow of flames and the sun-like shine of her blazes, she cared little for architecture. Two of them were personally responsible for the hell she'd endured over the past few days. The rest were complicit in her suffering. And that was to say nothing of whatever they may have subjected Ruby to during their imprisonment.

The gods would have to forgive her then if she was more inclined to rain down Ralthor's fury upon the rotten pricks before her than fret about a building or two.

To both her mild amusement and impotent rage none of the Wardens were inclined to take her up on her offer. Standing as she was, with flames swirling around her, the air so hot that even with her bolstered tolerance she felt droplets of sweat bead on her skin only to vanish with a sizzling hiss, it wasn't as if any could get close enough to attack her head on. Screw wildfires, she was making her best efforts to impersonate the center of a crucible. Judging by how a handful of seasoned fighters shied away from her Yang figured she was doing a damn fine job.

"Alright then…"

If they wouldn't come to her then she'd come to them. Ruby was waiting for her somewhere and no way in hells would they be allowed to leave with these sods in their way. Which left her with only one option.

Flames danced in her palm before erupting in a roaring stream, a focused blast that raced towards and split the group before her. A lone tree went up in an instant, limbs creaking, screaming out as they fell away from the trunk, leaves turning to brittle wafers.

Yang repeated it again, and again. Fatigue would inevitably kick in. Spellcast sickness would take hold and leave her debilitated if she wasn't careful. With a triumphant grin, skin set aglow and air alight, burning brilliantly as the flames around her, she couldn't find a shred of concern for herself.

Another blast, this one curling in on itself, swirling like a vortex towards its target. Tree roots erupted from the ground and her spell slammed into them; blocked, but its power uninhibited, the roots went up in a tantalizing blaze in seconds.

Someone had the gall then to try and attack her. One of the twins, a girl a full head smaller than her, thin body obscured by a billowing white cloak. Yang caught her leg inches from her head and sneered, pivoted on her foot, and hurled the girl towards one of many fires. The girl's body shimmered and she vanished before falling into the fiery pits and to Yang's shock her twin replaced her, diving towards her with a pair of clawed weapons.

With only magic at her disposal Yang had to step back to avoid being torn apart. Duck, dodge, weave. The claws slashed through the air, whistling furiously, their curved teeth flaring, white steel turned orange in the blaze.

A pair raked across her shoulder and Yang hissed, then sneered. With her other arm she caught the girl, twisted, and pulled, causing both herself and her opponent to rotate, before lifting a leg and feeding her calf to the brazen fighter. Reprieve was fleeting as the other twin returned, her bladed heel missing Yang's face by a hair's breadth. With the flat of her palms Yang pushed aside harrowing kicks all while her mind reached out to her flames, shoving aside and snuffing out fire to secure a path or attempting to redirect some to weaponize.

Something ensnared her leg. A root emerged, securing her right leg in place, coiling around her limb up to the knee. Another erupted from the earth and caught her outstretched arm, yanking it down and her along with it. Something solid struck her back and she fell to her knee, gritting her teeth as stars danced in her eyes.

With a blade aimed right between her eyes she inhaled. Her chest swelled and the sensation of swallowing food just out of the oven built up, smoke spilling from her lips. Then, with a scream equal parts fury and pain, she loosed a breath of fire onto the twin. Satisfying was her shocked expression and pained howl. Again, she vanished from view and the clawed twin took her place, diverting flames and lunging for Yang's throat.

Having already freed her limbs Yang sneered, dropping her shoulder and ramming it into the girl's gut. Blades bit into her back and she drove her legs forward still, charging towards the burning remains of her prison. With a heave she grabbed the girl's sides and launched her, hurling flames and throwing her over the ruined walls, watching with grim satisfaction as her curled form disappeared into the pits below.

The other twin raced to help her sister, leaving the plant-wielding prick and the other two Wardens to contend with her rage. While the wounds on her back mended, black smoke rising from the gashes, Yang cracked her neck and flexed her hands, fresh flames coming to life in her palms. Realizing how out of his element he was, or the futility of his efforts, the plant-user fell back. In his stead the remaining two advanced, one brandishing a wicked mace, the other a halberd. Yang welcomed them as a scorned mother might her two children.

A wrathful smile as they charged, and a torrent of uncontrolled hellfire.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Weiss had been woken unceremoniously more times than she could count. Ruby was typically the main offender, eager to break fast with their friends, or train, or explore Vale before her streets became littered with residents. Occasionally she'd be disturbed by Jaune attempting to woo her, or Nora belting an unholy song meant to inspire them for the day, only to leave herself and half the cathedral deaf.

Only once had she been awoken by a firestorm befitting the end times.

With Merlot's spellbook tucked under her arm she tore down the halls. Most of the estate's servants passed her on the way, far too panicked to question her presence. None gave her a moment's thought or tried to stop her, wondering why on earth their lady's niece was charging towards the fray.

She wasn't dressed for battle. A pair of trousers and a tunic did not combat armor make, and being barefoot bode ill for romping about where flames might have taken hold. That mattered little now. She hadn't formed a proper plan yet, still working towards finding Yang's location. With that information now soundly revealed - by Yang herself no less - she needed to work on their exfiltration. She also needed to find Ruby in all this chaos, somehow get both sisters together, and make a break for it with the Wardens hot on their heels.

Needless to say she wasn't exactly prepared for this.

Bouncing off servants, panting as her legs ferried her forward, Weiss reached the stairwell, taking a page out of Ruby's book and sliding down the bannister. Her feet hit the cold marbled floor and she bolted for the front door, mind stumbling over itself as she attempted, poorly, to prepare for battle.

 _I don't have my weapon, I'm ill-clothed for a fight. I have little idea of my opponent's capabilities, less still about whether there are more laying in wait._ Weiss took a second, but only just, to open the spellbook and sift through its contents. _How did he use this blasted thing?! I couldn't make any of them work!_ She needed the instant casting of other Magi if she were to stand any chance in this. Merlot's spellbook, however, remained as useful as a twig against a Boarbatusk.

Someone suddenly took hold of her shoulder and she turned, book raised, ready to bludgeon whoever was daft enough to try and get the jump on her. It was a paltry weapon, but she was intent on leaving her would be assailant bruised and battered if need be.

Wallace's old face paled and he released her, hands held in defense as a frightened gasp rattled free.

"P-Pardon's, lady Caroline!"

"Pardon?!" Weiss howled back, lowering the book. "The estate's being burned to the ground and you thought it was smart to grab me like that?!"

"My lady, I only meant to -"

"Later!" Never. Weiss turned to leave and hissed as her arm was grabbed. She was above assaulting old men, however deserving it might be. She wasn't so base, so brutish that she'd bludgeon Wallace with the sizable tome in her hand.

The butler was certainly trying to earn that right though.

When she turned back she realized Wallace wasn't alone. Lady Lavender, her 'aunt', stared after her with a frightened, tear-stricken gaze, hands clasping a medallion hung around her neck. Her lips worked soundless words and she flinched, as did Wallace, as the fighting outside escalated. The sounds of flames roaring to life as they raced across the grounds, orange lights flooding through nearby windows, made Lady Lavender shirk back and whimper, removed as she was.

"Caroline, sweetie, we need to go." She tried to keep her words steady but each came out in a bumbling cadence, her voice pitched higher as stress built. "Come with me and Wallace and -"

"Go out the eastern exits and stay there." Weiss shrugged off the butler's grasp and took a step towards the doors. Lightning crackled outside, snapping. In one window above she could see the purple serpentine tendrils strike down, casting eerie shadows across the manor's foyer. "Once there's an opening, take it. Take as many people as you can and run."

"Caroline, do not go out there! Do you hear me?!" Weiss paused at the door, fingers around the handle, and she sighed deeply. "You can't go out there! They'll kill you! Please, sweetheart, if this is about what I said…"

Her head hung and an exasperated groan slipped past her lips. Relieving her grip on the door her hand grabbed the medallion still around her neck, lifting it free and tossing it to the floor. Instantly Neo's spell broke, her body shimmering as bit by bit, like a pane of glass fracturing, the illusion concealing her faded away. Weiss couldn't help but offer an apologetic smile to the stricken woman before her, eyes wide as the shattered moon, mouth caught open in a scream that couldn't quite make it free from her pinched throat.

"Take Lady Lavender outside, have everyone ready to flee when you can," Weiss reiterated. "I'll try to secure a path to the gates."

To his credit Wallace nodded, grabbing his mistress' arms and pulling her back. The door Weiss had been going through opened of its own accord and she stepped back as frantic guards spilled in, faces slack in horror. Seeing a chance to arm herself Weiss reached out and wrenched a longsword free from one of their scabbards. Hardly her usual fare but similar enough to it, she hoped, that she could make do.

"Good luck," Wallace said, pulling his lady again. The elderly servant barked orders at the stunned guards, too shaken to even question the new white-haired girl in their midst. As a huddled, frantic mass they broke away, disappearing through a double door entryway, the sounds of their collective footsteps fading beneath the cacophony of battle outside.

Now with Merlot's spellbook in hand and a blade in the other Weiss felt somewhat more prepared. Her borrowed weapon was weighty but no more so than her rapier; anything was preferable to fighting unarmed. With the door open she charged into the night, finding little difficulty in seeing thanks to the fires burning nearby. It was, to put it succinctly, a living hell. The stables had somehow caught fire and the stablehands managed to break open the pens only for their steeds to charge free, barreling towards the now open gates and rushing down the road into Galloway in the distance.

Weiss turned towards combat, towards the roaring of fire, the crackling and hissing of lightning being thrown, and the drowned shouts of combatants caught in a fever pitch exchange. It was easy to guess that Yang was involved. Few people would set half an estate up in flames in so careless a display.

 _We're going to have a serious chat when this is over._ Weiss started to run, feet cold against the damp grass, unpleasant pinpricks of blades sticking against her soles. _I don't even want to consider the fallout of this…_

Past flowerbeds long since trampled she reached the corner of the manor and rounded it, skidding to a halt in the sodden loam.

Yang was involved in the fighting, no surprises there, although Weiss didn't expect her friend to be quite so explosive. Streams of fire erupted from her hands, crashing against the stone walls surrounding the estate, spilling over and sending embers hurtling into the ocean or throwing fire across the grounds. Pillars of fire rose from nothingness, releasing cinders and soot high into the air, causing a blackened rain to begin to fall. Where bolts of lightning and the occasional surge of water sought to intercede Yang answered with devastating, almost reckless attacks of her own. Weiss wasn't so sure she could even get close enough to help.

She wouldn't find a chance to try.

From one of the other buildings, a small shed, two more Wardens emerged, their white cloaks shielding them from the falling embers. Weiss shouted a moot warning as they charged Yang, splitting apart to avoid a preemptive torrent of flames hurled their way. Stacked as the odds were against the blonde Weiss couldn't help her, not yet.

Watts emerged from the same building not a moment later, his lanky, towering frame cast in shadow. Weiss could just make out the look of righteous fury on his face from afar, green eyes burning bright as the flames before them. He was fixated on the battle, no doubt weighing his options and deciding on the best course of action.

More importantly, he hadn't noticed Weiss' presence yet. Encumbered, Weiss dropped Merlot's spellbook and wove runes - ice, fire, and wind, before releasing a trifecta, sending the combined, swirling spell hurtling at Watts' back.

/+/+/+/+/+/

She had no weapon. Her scythe lay forgotten in a field back outside the city, or more likely, confiscated by the city guard. She had no magic, her spells blocked by the stupid collar around her neck! If she was being honest with herself, she had no hope of being any help.

She still had to try.

Peach had shown her the way. Through the halls they ran, forced into an alcove whenever the crowds grew too thick, stepping into a side room to emerge from another door, removed from the chaos.

Except they weren't removed. All around them things were going to hell. The sounds of battle waged outside, the chorus of elements clashing, fire striking lightning, the ground shuddering whenever tree roots freed themselves of their earthly confines. Without the manor was a bed of frenzied battle. Within, screams and frenzied pushing, the storming of dozens of bodies rushing to flee from the scene. Ruby could only hope no one was trampled in the fray. She didn't linger long enough to find out.

In one of the kitchens they found an exit, a back door used primarily by servants to bring in shipments of product for preparation. Without her scythe to wield Ruby settled for a sizable kitchen knife, long as her forearm and just as wide. A shame that Blake wasn't there to guide her in its use, she thought somberly, waiting as Peach ferried a group of startled cooks out of the kitchen. A knife was nowhere near the same as a scythe, obviously. How was she supposed to fight with such a little weapon? And without her magic no less.

"I'll be along shortly," the healer had said. "I need to make sure no one's been hurt."

She didn't offer any complaints, parting with a smile and well wishes before throwing open the door and racing into the night.

By any standard she might be one of the fastest people on Remnant. As useful as her speed magic was, she still needed the endurance to maintain it, her body the fortitude to support such quick movement. Ruby ran as swiftly as her legs could carry her and ran with ease, breathing controlled, exhaling in fine wisps. Yet for as swift as she might be on her own it was agonizingly slow without her spells. Even as the windows of the estate raced by, she was frustrated with her turtle-like pace.

Magic remained yet out of reach. Her body would tingle in the all too familiar way as magic attempted to infuse her limbs with an inhuman strength, fortifying her and sending her hurtling through space at blinding speeds.

None of that happened now. Ruby growled and tore around the corner of the manor, not bothering to stop even as Yang and a masked Warden traded blows. Spells clashed against spells, fire and lighting colliding in a deathly beautiful array. With smoke and flames obscuring sight Yang likely never saw her and the Warden never heard her.

Mustering all the anger she could Ruby drove herself and her knife into the Warden's back. She felt the blade dig in as sharpened steel made easy work of flesh, staining the snow white cloak, turned grey by ash, with crimson streaks. Ruby absorbed an elbow to the head and stumbled back only when discharge forced her to, clenching her muscles and gritting her teeth in pain.

The Warden turned on her then, face red in fury, wrenching the knife free from his body and charging her. A fireball exploded into his back and Ruby let herself fall as he hurtled over her, crashing against the brick wall of the manor and sliding down it, motionless.

"Ruby!"

Hearing Yang's voice, a mixture of elation and surprise, filled her with glee. A smile split her face and Ruby rose to rush to her sister's side, only to yelp, shielding her face as dirt kicked up, rocks peppering her body. A large, gnarled root separated the two of them and she watched in terror as twin fighters emerged from a ruined building, descending on Yang in a flurry of kicks and swipes.

She was so close! If her magic was working, she could circle around and help Yang. If she had her scythe, she could cleave the root in two.

The ground at her feet rumbled and she preemptively dove away. Bark scraped against her trousers and she rolled, scrambling towards the bloodied knife and scooping it up. Another root shot towards her, the tip molded, sharpened like a spearhead. It pierced the first root and drove through with ease.

Trembling with nervous energy she circled, silver eyes trained on the bearded man advancing on her. The same one as before. The one who had watched over her so many times in her lavish prison. The one who had bound her at the farm, who had joked, after beating Yang unconscious, that she was useless. And here she was, a rose without thorns.

Magic or no she'd show the man just how dangerous even a plucked rose could be.

To bide her time was to welcome death, yet Ruby did just that. _Control your breathing. Clear your mind. Yang can handle herself._ She'd have to for now. Until she could deal with this brute her sister would be on her own. _You don't have to kill him. Stab him in the stomach. Wound him._

Pep talk aside, she wasn't too confident in her ability to win. Ruby dodged another exploding root, barely, using the knife to miraculously cut through a thinner one that sought to coil around her arm. Once separated from the source the wood seemed to lose its power.

Larger limbs she couldn't hope to cut no matter how sharp the knife was. She'd just have to avoid those.

Ineffective as she might be with a simple blade the Warden wasn't taking any chances. Roots shot out, twisting and spiraling, lunging at Ruby. Lattice peeled off the side of the manor, briars wrenching free. Jagged thorns tore into the fabric of her pants, but she avoided them, barely. For every step she took forward the Magi forced her back three times as many.

On the bright side he didn't seem to be trying to kill her; without magic of her own trapping her would be an easy feat. There was little solace however in being an idle plaything. Yang needed her help and even now her sister struggled to fend off multiple attackers, her wild flames a deterrent and little more.

She tried. Gods knew she tried. If Yang wasn't going to give up on fighting back, neither would Ruby.

With little to do but press an attack she charged, ducking, sidestepping, and when necessary, scrambling out of the path of spells. Surprised by the ferocity of her assault, or maybe her recklessness, the bearded man stepped back, raising both arms and causing more roots to erupt. They rose up to either side and stood at her height then continued to rise, higher and higher. From an open yard to a corridor Ruby charged forward still, holding her knife at her side, eyes locked on the man at the end of the tunnel.

At their tallest the roots began to curl inward, interweaving, locking limb in limb. Moonlight was blotted out. Wood creaked all around her, the ground trembling as the earth itself was torn. Ruby ducked beneath branches reaching out to trap her, cutting through another, gasping in air to fuel herself and redoubling her efforts. She'd beat this man and help Yang. Nothing was going to keep her from her sister!

Ruby let out a shout and barreled through. The end was beginning to shrink, her path forwards disappearing. Already it was shut behind her, her only light the rays that managed to pierce through the gnarled growth.

Wind kicked up by the fires blew the man's hood from his head. Ruby caught the sneer on his face and the taunting, triumphant grin he goaded her forward. The end of the tunnel was within reach, the walls collapsing around her. With a final push she drew the knife back and lowered herself to try and prepared to dive free.

The end of the tunnel snapped shut.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Ice, wind, fire. Three elements hurtled towards Watts, twisting with one another and coalescing into a multicolored projectile, aimed square at the center of the man's back.

Weiss cursed when her attack was deflected with painful ease. She'd known it had been a futile effort, but she had hoped it might at least make Watts flinch.

Watts took his time in confronting her, more interested in Yang's battle than Weiss herself. When their eyes did meet, he looked upon her with something akin to disappointment. Not disgust as she'd have expected, or anger, but a look of disapproval.

"You have no idea what it is you're doing, do you girl?"

Weiss wove another pair of ice runes and unleashed them. Patches of ice formed at Watts' sides and erupted, blossoming into flowering crystals, edges razor sharp. A single swipe of his hand shattered them, a blue energy coating his body. Fire crashed against him, striking something unseen and absorbing the blow feet before Watts himself. Wind proved to be of little help.

"Do you know what it is you're fighting against? What are you seeking to delay?" Watts and Weiss both turned to the battle besides them as Yang cried out. Claws bit into the blonde's shoulder as a blade found purchase in her thigh. "I wouldn't expect you to, I suppose. Misguided as you are."

She'd heard enough. Whatever justifications Watts sought to give were worthless. She wove another rune, then another, and a third. Wind, ice, fire to coat her blade.

Ruby had speed magic. Fortifying spells like that couldn't be replicated even by runes. Even so runes did afford her the chance to make a decent mimicry of her partner's jarring speeds. Ice formed in patches along the ground while wind billowed at her back, tossing her untied white hair. She stepped on the first patch and the wind exploded behind her, propelling her to the next, and the next. The scenery turned into a blur as she streaked towards Watts, sword dragging a trail of fire in its wake. Her feet dug into ice for stability. The cold bite against her soles made her wince but she powered through. She slid into Watt's side, thrusting her fire-imbued blade up at his ribs.

Her blade was swat aside, the sound of steel striking steel. She saw nothing, although she did feel the boot that slammed into her soft, fleshy stomach. Winded she stumbled back, then raised her sword as a glint caught her eye, muscles tensed to absorb a blow. Another strike landed on her side and she fell, rolling away to avoid any follow up attacks.

Watts hadn't moved. He remained as motionless as ever, watching her with a dismissive interest. How? What had struck her? Air magic? Another glint caught her attention and she raised her sword, wincing as steel bit into her cheek, blood trickling down her pale skin.

"Set down your weapon and cease this at once. I only seek to deal with your friend." Watts tried to sound diplomatic. To Weiss he might as well have been pissing in the wind. She rose to her feet in defiance, sword held awkwardly in one hand, taking a fencing stance. The elder Hunter let out a sigh and shook his head. "Very well…"

The air around her shimmered and Weiss stepped back to avoid a spell. No attack came. Instead she watched as bodies materialized before her, figures carved from stone, showing little detail beyond a humanoid shape. She shuddered in recognition as six sets of black, soulless eyes stared at her, emotionless faces set in a grim countenance.

Sentinels, the same autonomous stone beings she'd seen, briefly, in the maze beneath the Cathedral. Six of them appeared, each wielding a blade, not stone like their wielders but metal, fire and moonlight glistening off them. With a silence unbecoming given the chaos around them they moved, forming a wall of bodies between her and Watts.

She wouldn't wait for them to make a move. Ill content to become their plaything Weiss wove an earth rune, raising jagged spikes that pierced the outermost creatures, tearing them apart at the waist. A spell of ice engulfed the center pair, shattering and reducing them to rubble. Blood trickled down her face, dripping onto the collar of her tunic, and Weiss' face twisted in concentration. Wind runes formed beneath the remaining two and launched them high into the air. She formed another set of runes, flinging them right, then left, tossing them about as a child might their toy before throwing them back at Watts. Their bodies shattered before they could reach him and the pieces collided against a barrier, exploding into dust or careening off, pelting the wall and building behind him.

"Not the most stable things, are they?" Weiss drew a water rune, and an ice rune. Droplets gathered together in larger orbs. Ice encased them, shaping them into shards.

Her hailstorm pelted Watts, or it would have if not for the Sentinels. Bodies reformed, they lunged and rushed to his aid, readily sacrificing themselves for their master. Stone absorbed most but she did manage to tear a few to shreds only to watch, horrified, as stone moved of its own accord, piecing itself together.

Where six earthen corpses had stood six Sentinels again readied themselves, unharmed, as though she hadn't just unleashed a barrage upon them.

"Do not presume for a moment that you ever stood a chance," Watts called over the fray. Another torrent of flames erupted, and Weiss felt heat lick at her back, too focused on the impossible task before her to turn and look. "Mere fledglings like you against us?" He shook his head and raised a hand. Six bodies moved in unison, weapons raised, charging headlong towards Weiss. "I'll make it quick."

Weiss stumbled back, deflected the first blade, scrambled out of the path of a second and third. Rigid joints scraped loudly as the figures gave chase, shambling towards her with unearthly determination. A fire spell blew a hole through one's chest and it continued its pursuit unabated.

They were slower than she was, mercifully, but she clearly couldn't kill them. _Any puppet becomes useless without its master!_ Where spells had failed before Weiss took to the blade instead, using another wind rune to propel herself towards Watts.

Her longsword clashed against Watts' barrier and she leaned her entire body's weight into the attack, gritting her teeth as steel bit into magic, throwing sparks. Watts' face twisted into an angry scowl and he placed a hand on the inside of the barrier, palm glowing. An invisible force crashed into her, driving wind from her lungs and throwing her. She cried out as her back hit the ground and she rebounded off it, rolling and coming to a stop in a flowerbed. Coughing, desperately wiping soil from her eyes, she scrambled as a sword buried itself between her legs, throwing a handful uselessly into the face of another Sentinel.

She planted a rune in the mud and watched as a pillar of stone erupted, hurling two of the Sentinels high into the air. Her arms locked up as she absorbed a crushing overhead cleave from another, stepping aside and letting the creature drive its blade into the dirt. She relieved it of its head. To her horror it continued without hesitation and swung its sword blindly, cutting down one of its fellows in its blind assault.

Deflect. Dodge. Parry. Riposte. With her rapier she might have had an easier time standing toe to toe with the fiends. Awkward as she was with the sword it took all her effort just to fend them off. Weiss stumbled as the loose soil underfoot gave way, maintaining her balance and luckily falling away from a lunging blade. Her heart was ready to burst from her chest, weaving runes whenever she could, her spirit crumbling a little each time her spells failed to finish off the stony being.

Barriers. Immortal servants.

What in the hells was she supposed to do?!

/+/+/+/+/+/

Yang howled, her screams fueled by pain and fury. Numerous wounds raced to seal themselves shut and her healing ability did little to relieve her of the agony her injuries caused. Dried tears stung her eyes, her breath coming in raspy, strained gasps.

Magic was still readily available. She hadn't begun to fatigue yet despite the obscene levels at which she was expending energy. Maybe adrenaline was just making her oblivious to the impending ailment. Perhaps she'd just been blessed by the gods for once.

Whatever the case she used her blessing to the fullest.

Even as she was cut into, lifeblood leaking from gashes and lacerations, she saw Ruby disappear into a knotted tomb. Another blade bit into her shoulder and Yang lashed out, grabbing the offending girl's throat and tossing her aside. Another wound to add to the collection. Hissing, staggering, she reached out towards the exposed roots, steadying her shaking limb.

 _Focus. Controlled bursts. Ruby's in there,_ she ordered herself, inhaling and flexing her fingers. Sparks danced along the roots' surface, racing along the top, before igniting. Flames swarmed and swallowed the roots in an instant, dancing down the length of them and smoldering against the ground. Her heart stopped as she watched the display, praying to any gods that would still deem her worthy of mercy, and waited.

A small figure bolted from the twisted prison and raced towards her would be captor, hidden behind a wall of smoke. Yang could do nothing more to help as the twins redoubled their assault, raining blow after blow upon her. Blades dug into her forearms, scales withstanding their bite. Barely.

Their spells, she gathered, allowed them to switch places in an instant. Wonderful for feints, for buying themselves a moment's respite, or setting up surprise attacks. Miserable shit for Yang to deal with.

She caught one of their arms and wrenched, then twisted, pivoting, and used the girl to stop an attack of the other. With a shove she forced them together and doubled forward, spewing another scalding breath that swallowed them.

To her absolute frustration they dove from the blast largely unscathed, cloaks burning but otherwise fine. Just as Yang set to charge after them an icy wind billowed around her, biting into her skin and pelting her with hail the size of her fist. Desperate for coverage she raised her arms to shield her face, grunting and growling as her torso took the brunt of the assault. Her right arm burned, she realized, as it had been for some time now. Amid a fight for her life she decided it was hardly the time for self-restraint; Ruby wasn't anywhere near close enough to be caught in the crossfire.

Yang felt an unpleasant surge of anger course through her as the bandages on her arm tore, the limb going black, then growing larger. Claws replaced her hand and she hunched over, heaving for breath, as fire erupted at her feet. Red eyes found the Warden responsible for the icy barrage and she bolted at him, eating a face full of icy wind, uncaring, and slamming her malformed hand into his ribs. The man yelped, lifted off his feet, and cursed as Yang slammed him into the ground.

Flames swirled in her other palm and she held it by his face, growling as she was bat aside by a gale force wind. A blade dug into her back as a twin landed on her, the other raking her claws across her arm. She bat away the latter, peeled the former off herself, and aimlessly unleashed scattershot fireballs, igniting the manor, turning another tree into a smoldering husk, and levelling a fountain in the process.

An icy blast pelted her from behind and she staggered. Wind hurled debris at her and she shielded herself again, hissing as broken wood cut into her, stones leaving sizable bruises. Her limbs trembled and though she'd hardly ran out of the energy to fight her body was reaching its limits. Healing was slowing, innumerable cuts still bleeding.

"That's all you got…?" Yang staggered forward as the Wardens, minus the man preoccupied with Ruby, circled her. She heard her sister cry out and saw roots ensnare her, wrapping around Ruby like serpents constricting their prey. "Come on then!" she screamed, letting her magic run rampant, white hot flames erupting at her feet, then blue. "Fucking try me!"

With the numbers to overwhelm her they still attacked one on one, albeit in quick succession. Relying on her scales as her only defense, paltry as it was, and her reflexes, Yang fended off one assault after another. Flames spilled without control and she managed to keep the twins at bay with those alone. Those using spells were another matter entirely.

Wind buffeted her, pressing down with enough force to drive her to one knee. Watching as her walls of fire were split, she inhaled, chest swelling, and spit a plume of fire, melting shards of ice. Most melted. Some broke through and she hissed as they cut along her skin, dipping her head to save one of her eyes from being destroyed. On her hand she kicked and spun, knocking aside the girl with the claws, then caught the leg of the other with the bladed boots. Before she could incinerate that one the other switched, raking her claws across Yang's chest. With a howl of pain, she dropped her captive and stumbled back, covering her latest wounds with one hand as she tried in vain to stem the bleeding.

Again, they formed around her. With the cold carelessness of a seasoned killer they took their time, circling her, taking stock of her condition. It was shit if she was honest. Wounds hurt like hell, blood continued to leak from her injuries, and the Grimm, try as it might, couldn't keep up with them. _Come on you lousy parasite! Do something or we're both fucked!_

Spells were readied, blades already sleek with her blood glistened, ready to tear into flesh once more. Yang screamed again, unintelligible, desperate and filled with rage and readied herself. She unleashed as much flame as she could manage with the sole intent on swallowing the whole group in one towering inferno.

Spells released and her own magic continued to build, unprepared. Frozen daggers raced towards her face, wind propelling them forward, and the twins took her flanks, boxing her in.

Ice shards fell short of their target. A gale petered out and hit her as little more than a breeze, barely enough to tussle her hair. One of the twins, inches from striking, yelped as she was hurtled aside, slamming into the ground and skidding along it. The other only just darted back when twin blades almost sheared her head from her shoulders.

Trembling, fighting to control her bubbling spell, Yang looked up at the back of Raven and sneered, swaying on her feet.

"'Fucking try me'? Really? That's what you went with?"

 _When in the hell did she get here?!_ And why was the woman so dead set on being so fucking dramatic? Twice now she'd stepped in to save her sorry hide just as it was on the chopping block. _Couldn't she step in before I'm getting my ass kicked?!_

Raven looked back at here, eyes raised expectantly. Was she expecting thanks…?

"Got somethin' better?" Yang snapped back. Not far away Qrow darted off to help Ruby. When had they gotten here? She supposed it mattered little. Ruby would be fine now and loathe as she was to admit it, she was alive too thanks to the deadbeat before her.

Red eyes snapped back to the twin Raven had tossed aside. Her fingers itched, lip curling back in a wicked grin. Fresh fire lapped at her palms and formed along her forearms, forming gauntlets of pure flame.

"Let her burn, Yang."

She planned on it. Focusing all her fire into a concentrate point Yang aimed the swirling mass at the downed girl, grinning viciously. The Grimm within her, she tried to reason, was the one taking pleasure in what she was about to do, not her. She would never get so excited over taking a life.

Her spell was released but Yang missed, flinching as a shrill scream filled the air. She recognized the voice at once, as did Raven who cursed behind her. Before she could try her attack again her mother grabbed a still bleeding shoulder and pulled her aside, pushing her towards the front of the estate.

"Go! We'll handle these runts!"

Yang nodded, powering through the pain as best she could while breaking into a jog. Her limbs threatened to buckle and the Grimm, begrudgingly, she was sure, worked to heal her wounds. Ruby emerged from her stranglehold and rushed to join Yang; eyes wide but determined. Weaponless, the older sister noted, and not using her magic. Hardly ideal, but then little about this shitshow was.

Together they came upon the front of the estate. Watts stood alone, watching as six strange stone figures gave chase after Weiss who clutched a hand to her side. Blood seeped between their friend's fingers and Yang bristled, as did Ruby beside her.

"Help Weiss," Yang ordered.

"Kick that guy's ass," Ruby answered, rushing off, unarmed, to provide whatever relief she could.

Pissed off at having to let her sister fight in such a state she stalked towards Watts. Furious at her own treatment she flexed her hands, forming twin fireballs, gritting her teeth as pain shook her body. Livid, incensed, righteously, violently enraged at the man responsible for the entire situation they found themselves in Yang unleashed her spells, cursing as they exploded against a barrier, though smiling when Watts staggered, stunned by the ferocity of her attack.

"You! What are…" The man's voice trailed off when he saw the Branwen twins fighting his comrades. Somewhere, Ruby had found herself a sword and screamed as she ran through a Sentinel. "This… This is wrong! All wrong!" Watts turned to her and waved a hand.

Fatigue hit Yang, her mind growing sluggish. The _fucker_ was trying to put her under again was he?! Growling, she raked her claws across her own thigh. Adrenaline spiked and the pain jarred her from her fugue-like state. Slamming her good foot down she swiped her hand through the air. Sparks came alive, twinkling around Watts like the stars above, and went off, erupting in a series of small but potent eruptions that battered his barrier.

Yang threw herself at the barrier and screamed, slamming her fist into his defenses once, twice. Putting her hands together she slammed them down and the barrier shattered, falling away soundlessly. Watts' eyes went wide and she drew a fist back, grinning in triumph.

The crack of her knuckles across his jaw was the most satisfying sound she'd ever heard.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Searing pain. Weiss' hand trembled as it clenched her wound, gasping for breath as she stumbled back. Yang and Ruby were here, finally. She wasn't alone to fend off these soulless abominations. There wasn't much time to celebrate though.

Yang was overpowering Watts, yes, but shattering a barrier hardly spelled victory. No sooner did Yang land a blow was she thrown away; her subsequent charge stalled by concussive blasts. Ruby rushed to Weiss' aid and, without anything to fight with but a discarded shovel, broke it over the head of a Sentinel. Much to her friend's horror, and to Weiss' expectations, it shrugged off the attack and turned to Ruby. Its head quivered and it lurched forward, jaw separating and opening up.

The most ungodly sound erupted from the Sentinel then. A low, hollow screech that turned into a sonorous bellow, echoing from within the creature itself. Their bodies moved in jerky gestures and all six turned on Ruby, bodies reforming, undeterred by her pitiful assault.

Weiss wove a pair of ice runes and prepared to fire when they charged past Ruby with speed unseen before. By the time she realized who their target was she hastily redirected her spell and fired her ice after them. Two had their legs rooted and they fell forward, torsos separating from lower bodies. Yang, having heard their cries of warning, turned and blanketed the others in a wall of flame.

"Weiss!" Ruby slid to a kneel beside her and her eyes darted over the stricken Schnee, hands reaching for her wound. "Y-You're hurt! Let me go get Peach!"

"No time…" The Sentinels reformed yet again, and those trapped crawled forward without legs, dragging their bodies towards Yang. Weiss pulled Ruby's hands from her wound and pushed her back. "Help Yang, I'll support you two."

"But you're bleeding!"

"I'm fine!" Weiss hissed, pushing Ruby's hands back. "I'm fine. Help your sister!"

Ruby didn't move, eyes darting back and forth between the weapon in her hands and Weiss' wound. Why wasn't she going? She could easily overwhelm the shambling creatures with her speed. Hells, she could take Watts by surprise and land a wound or two before he even knew she was there.

"Ruby…" she muttered, snapping her fingers to draw attention from her injury. "Why aren't you going?"

"I… I can't use my magic…"

"What do you mean?"

Ruby leaned forward and gestured to the choker around her neck. "They put this on me, Weiss! It blocks my magic! I don't know how, but it does!"

Blocking magic. A seal then. That much she could undo in theory. Nodding, Weiss pushed Ruby's shoulder and gestured to the discarded spellbook. Her partner rushed to it and returned, pressing it into Weiss' lap and cringing as Yang shouted. Not in pain, thankfully, but that could come soon. They watched as the blonde blew away the Sentinels again only for Watts to reform them once more. Another blast from him tore a deep scar along the ground and Yang narrowly avoided it, the spell smashing into the manor's wall and blowing clean through it.

 _Search! Hurry, you idiot! Sealing, control! Something!_

Not elemental. Not utility. Weiss found the 'Bend Will' spell and pulled Ruby closer. Her fingers wove over the collar and a series of characters appeared, blue markings glowing just off the surface of her skin. None of her runes coincided with those on the page.

Not that spell then. Not a barrier, which ruled out warding spells.

"Aha!"

'Dampen'. Weiss studied the runes on Ruby's neck again hurriedly, then the page. Without looking at the latter she copied the runes, taking extra care to get each one correct. It was agonizingly slow work. Yang continued to hurl fire. Watts continued to pelt her with shockwaves, destroying anything he struck. A window above them shattered and Ruby ducked her head down, nearly breaking the spell.

"Hold still!"

Weiss copied another rune, then another. By the time the final one was completed she released a held breath and looked up expectantly. To hers and Ruby's collective delight the runes twisted, twin circles turning in opposite directions. With a faint shimmer they faded and the choker around Ruby loosened.

No sooner did the seal fade did she push her partner away. "Go!"

Ruby nodded, placing a hand to Weiss' cheek with a smile before vanishing in a blur.

The sword Ruby had been given was a far cry from her scythe. It lacked the reach, the torque, and in the brunette's hands, the deadly efficiency of her usual tool. Weiss wouldn't have known that watching Ruby's handiwork. What she could only describe as an invisible whirlwind of blades raced between the Sentinels, lopping off limbs, disarming them, and cutting them asunder. They would reform, naturally, but that took time, and as they tried, she continued to harry them, dismember them, and reduce them to rubble.

With the distraction dealt with Yang refocused her efforts on Watts himself. Another concussive wave soared overhead, and the blonde propelled herself with an explosive shot, hurtling towards the man, twisting in midair and redirecting to avoid another blast. With finesse befitting of a fighter more like Blake, Yang pivoted yet again, twisted her body, and drove her leg into Watts' guard. Between her momentum and sheer strength, the man's barrier shattered again and his arms took the brunt of the blow, pressed into his chest and sending him sprawling into the dirt.

Watts tried to move but Yang lunged for him again, or rather, threw herself at him. Bodily tackling the man back to the ground, they rolled, and she managed to end up on top, pummeling down with her mismatched fists. It took several blows, but Watts managed to blast her away, crawling to safety. He spat blood, shaking his head and casting another blast to keep Yang at bay.

Left to watch the display while clutching her wound there was little Weiss could do. The sister's appeared to have matters handled and hurling spells would only get in their way.

Hurried footsteps made her turn and she relaxed seeing a group of familiar faces. Peach rushed to her and knelt, prying Weiss' hands off her wound and going to work. Behind her Goodwitch gave her a look of concern, assuaged when Weiss nodded her head, then took to watching Ruby and Yang instead. Further back still Roman and Neo had just arrived, the well-dressed if sweaty man doubling over to catch his breath.

"Any other wounds, dearie?"

"Just the one," Weiss said. "Have people begun to evacuate?"

"Not yet. Most of them are afraid because of the fighting. It's like trying to herd cattle." Peach smiled somberly. "And, I think, they fear that Grimm are going to spawn."

Naturally they would. With all their collective panic, the anger between combatants, it would only be a matter of time until Grimm began to appear. Unless the estate was within Galloway's barrier, which judging by the people's considerate concern, it wasn't. Grimm would appear as they feared just not for the reasons they thought.

"Roman, Neo, I leave it to you two to escort the civilians to safety." Goodwitch pointed to the gates as she stared down the pair in question. "Escort them to the city and let the guards handle the rest. Tell no citizens to approach until I personally arrive, am I understood?"

"Wha… But… But we just got here…" Roman whined. "You're making us run again?"

Another spell from Watts sheared the tiles off the manor, sending them raining down on the grounds below. Yang released a torrent of fire that missed the man, slamming into the wall behind him. The topmost stones were torn free and hurled into the ocean. Laughing, Roman backed up and tugged at his collar.

"You mentioned civilians…?"

Goodwitch saw them off and Peach continued her ministrations. The peculiar unpleasantness of feeling her flesh mend paled compared to the pain and discomfort of an open wound. Soreness lingered but she could deal with that much. Grateful, Weiss slowly rose to her feet, twisting to make sure everything else was in order.

Fire met a shockwave and the flames were thrown high into the air, casting the entire estate in a hellish glow. Fresh Sentinels formed, dredged up from the Earth itself. Watts was replicating more and more, faster than Ruby could dismantle them. Her partner stopped to catch her breath and saw Weiss standing, flashing her a reassuring smile before darting out of the path of one of Watts' spells.

"Go, we'll handle everything here," Peach urged.

"Thank you."

They needed time now. Time to evacuate, time to figure out how in the hells they would take down Watts.

Yang had her artificial boost from Merlot's tampering to bolster her magic capabilities. Watts? Watts was just a man, albeit one with decades of experience. Without Yang's enhanced strength they wouldn't be able to come close to touching him.

So long as the blonde's strength held, they could win.

Probably.

Yang kept Watts himself preoccupied with a firestorm, hurling whatever she could muster at the man. For his part the defenses held, only just; a combination of attacks should be enough to break through. With Ruby working on whittling down a never-ending horde of Sentinels that left it up to her to assist Yang.

First thing's first they needed to ensure the civilians would be safe. With earth runes Weiss lifted the ground and formed a crude but solid barricade between them and the gates. Would it hold? She doubted it. Watts blew through walls with his attacks like nothing, sundered the ground and had enough force to negate Yang's infernal blasts. A slab of stone wouldn't be much more than tissue against such a spell. It was better than nothing though.

With that taken care of she focused on the task at hand: Watts. Further away she could still hear combat raging as the twins fended off Wardens on their own. She'd have been a little more concerned if not for Qrow's class of magic; negating and blocking someone's spells with just a touch. With spellcraft it would be a hellacious undertaking to best their enemy. With powers stripped away.

She almost felt bad for the Wardens.

The twins were fine. Instead she gathered together runes - wind and ice, shaping her spell into a long javelin, steam rising from the frigid projectile. Watts flashed a new barrier and Yang's assault dispersed around it. Waiting for an opening she flicked her wrist, raised the javelin, and hurled it at Watts. It whistled as it sliced through the air leaving a trail of icy flakes in its wake. Then it collided, shattering on impact and cracking Watts' barrier. Another barrage from Yang shattered the barrier but Watts erected another. Face sheen with sweat it was clear he was struggling but then so were they. A stalemate.

They needed an edge. Ruby continued to harry the Sentinels, chipping away and preventing them from reaching Yang. One broke rank and made for Weiss herself, lumping and making ready to charge, a crude, misshapen spear in its hands. Several yards away it fell short, cut from head to toe by Ruby's sword.

"We need to do something!" her partner shouted, darting away and claiming another victim.

"I know! I'm thinking!"

Yang skid across the ground as she absorbed another blast, forearms sizzling, skin turned red. "Sooner rather than later, Weiss!" she cried out, growling and stomping the ground. Fire kicked up and raced towards Watts in a narrow trail, erupting around his barrier. She failed to break it.

More than one rune. Only overwhelming force would break the barriers. How many would she need then? A dozen? Twice as many? If they could only free up Ruby too…

"Ruby!" Weiss flagged her speeding friend down. "Attack Watts! Forget the Sentinels!"

"But…"

"They rushed to his defense before!"

Theoretically. Her partner nodded, darted between advancing figures and made a beeline for watts. Sparks erupted along the outer shell and the man within turned, blasting blindly to try and force Ruby back. Yang pelted the barrier with more spells and cracks formed, forcing Watts again to reinforce it.

Better, but they still needed more.

At least the Sentinels were throwing themselves into Yang's line of fire now to try and dampen her attacks.

Weiss began to prepare a series of runes, as many elements and combinations as she could think of. On her fifth moved to toss the book aside but paused. Either the fires around her were playing tricks on her eyes or the book had begun to glow. Baffled, she reopened the pages and gaped at contents inside, each rune set alight. The elemental runes anyways, as well as a handful of assorted spells. Most of her usual repertoire was glowing, performed within the book. But how?

Her spells faded as she lost focus. That was fine.

On a whim she held the book out in her hand, eyes trained on Watts. Did she have to weave a rune? No, it was already before her, right? Instead she pictured the rune in question - fire, forming its shape in her mind's eye. She envisioned each stroke, each movement, surprised to find the sensation of magic bending to her will. The pages rustled and she could practically feel the magic radiating off them, begging to be released.

Who was she to deny them?

Uncertainly she waved her hand and her jaw fell again as a fireball formed, firing off at Watts. She missed but that was hardly the point. The runes in the spellbook continued to glow, ready for use, and she felt capable of utilizing its power. How and why were lost to her, nor did they matter in the moment. Watts saw five runes formed at her back and erected another barrier. Weiss smiled, lifting her arm and letting it fall, pointing at Watts.

Ice, fire, lightning, wind, and water all surged forth. The sound of their collision, five spells pelting Watts' barrier at once, was unlike anything she'd heard before.

Judging by how Watts' defenses fell she ventured it was unlike anything he'd encountered before too.

Heat built at her neck and she dismissed it. Fires raged around them and the manor itself was aflame now, three stories quickly becoming consumed by a voracious, unfeeling force. With almost giddy abandon she formed another five runes and released them altogether. The ground at Watts' feet opened. Wind pelted him, pressing him forward into Yang's barrage of fireballs. Sentinels rushed to their master's aid and Ruby cut them down like wheat in a field. A deluge of water swept them up and threw them into the wall, over it, their rattling, hollow cries drowned out as they were swept under the water.

Is this what Yang felt like? So much power at her fingertips. No need to form runes. No reason to pause and prepare. Unsure of how to react to her newfound gift Weiss laughed and released a hailstorm upon Watts, content to let her spells speak for her. A blast knocked her storm away with disappointing ease, although Yang's follow up, a direct explosion that Watts barely blocked, did a far better job of unnerving the man.

"You're making a mistake!" Watts shouted. His hair was a mess, slender face caked in soot, clothing torn and singed. "What I do is for the good of the Church! For Remnant!"

"Like hell!" Ruby's sword clashed against a fresh barrier, tip pressing hard into Watts' protection. Yang pelted the front with fireballs, raining down and striking in a scorching volley.

"You fools! Stop this at once!"

Ruby darted away as a blast erupted at Watts' feet. She wasn't gone for long, leaping up and driving the sword down into the top of the barrier.

"Stop!"

Yang waited until her sister was clear and conjured a pillar, swallowing Watts inside. Sentinels which had only begun to form shattered, reduced to dust, and Watts cleared the flames with another blast, the barrier crumbling to his feet.

Weiss took her chance. A wind rune hurtled towards the man and knocked down his still forming shield, pushing him off balance. Another swept his legs out from under him. Ice crystallized on one arm, then the other, and finally his legs. Ruby dashed in and grabbed the hold of one arm, abandoning her sword as she ran with Watts in tow, hefting him up and throwing him towards Yang. Grinning, Yang planted her back foot and cocked a fist, crouching down and taking aim.

She swore Yang's fist came out the other side. It didn't, but Weiss couldn't help but cringe as Watts' stomach probably collapsed on impact, spittle and blood flying from his mouth. The blocks of ice did little to weight him down and the punch alone threw him into a tree, back colliding against it with a meaty thud. Down he slid, groaning as he landed, limbs limp against his sides. His head lolled and he lifted it, spat out blood, and coughed.

Weiss had spells ready. She was almost begging Watts to get back up so she could try casting more. What else could she do with the book? Could she replicate other classes of magic? Was she able to store any spells she wanted to?

Watts didn't rise. The man remained where he was, breathing raggedly, head leaning back against the trunk. Sentinels which had begun to reform shuddered and fell, crumbling away and returning to the earth. Either his magic had run out or they'd rendered Watts incapable of casting spells. Either was welcome, really.

Only once he was bested did Weiss realize the other sounds of combat had stopped as well.

She found Qrow and Raven standing over restrained Wardens. Seven in all, either bound or slain, with the twins leaning on one another for support. From afar Weiss could tell they'd sustained some injuries, which was unsurprising, but they were alive. That was good, she supposed.

Yang almost attacked Watts again. Marching towards him, flames still dancing across her body and hair alight, she raised her malformed hand and growled. Ruby was at her sister's side in a second and wrapped both arms around her waist, embracing her even as heat and fire spilled off the blonde's form. As though a switch had been struck Yang immediately backed down, cutting off her magic lest she burn Ruby. Watts tried to stand, pushing himself against the tree, only to slip and fall back down. More blood was spit up and he groaned, swatting uselessly at the air to keep the sisters at bay.

No wonder Watts' barriers were so difficult to break. The man himself took a punch and went down like a sack of flour. They were all he had to protect himself.

Granted, said punch came from a monstrous fist on a woman with unnatural strength, but one punch?

 _Hunters are just like everyone else without their magic,_ her mind reminded her. Casting a sidelong glance towards the gates she could just make out the residents of the estate rushing away, a solid body of panic scrambling down the causeway. Goodwitch, Roman, and Neo remained at the gates, to her surprise. _I suppose they can manage a straight walk to Galloway._ Weiss smiled, exhausted, allowing herself to drop the book and her aching arms to fall with it.

The spellbook had expedited her casting but it hadn't mitigated much of the impact of spellcraft, if any. Truth be told she felt better than she expected; the new mark, the Warden's, burned low on her neck, a pestering reminder of her new designation. Ozpin had promised it would help and it certainly had. How many of those spells could she have managed before without collapsing?

Goodwitch approached, hands folded at her back and even now, as fires continued to rage, she retained an air of calm professionalism. Weiss wanted to be a little further from the raging inferno beginning to claim the manor, but her superior placed a hand on her shoulder and kept her still.

Then she smiled. Okay, now she was seeing things. A trick of the light, or exhaustion. Maybe she'd already collapsed and was hallucinating?

"Well done, Warden." The woman paused, shook her head, then pat Weiss' shoulder. "Well done, Weiss. Exceptional work."

Technically she'd played a minor, almost insignificant role in the whole affair. Yang had been a one-woman army and fended off Wardens until their timely arrival. Hells, Ruby had kept a small army of earthen soldiers busy to buy them time to beat Watts. Besides slinging a handful of spells what had she done exactly?

Not much, although evidently it was enough.

Standing a little taller and bubbling with pride Weiss allowed herself to return the smile, nodding. "Thank you, ma'am. But…"

Goodwitch followed her gaze and moved away. "Qrow! Help me with the prisoner!" The lanky man groaned, leaning back and tossing his head, before shambling after the stern woman. It wasn't that they needed to watch over the other Wardens anymore. Half were slain, or so Weiss assumed, laid on the ground and unmoving, and the others were bound by their trademark robes. Raven still moved among them with both swords at the ready looking just a little too eager for one of them to try and make a move.

Ruby came bolting over and made Weiss squeal in surprise as she was almost tackled to the ground. Her side flared up and she hissed, complaints dying on the tip of her tongue as Ruby embraced her. Unable to find the energy to be cross for her blatant disregard of her injuries, healed or not, Weiss rolled her eyes and returned the hug, relaxing into the comfortable hold.

"That was insane, Weiss! I've never seen you cast so much at once!" Ruby beamed, grinning as sweat continued to roll down her face.

"A boon of the spellbook, I suppose."

"Between you and Yang he didn't stand a chance!" Ruby chuckled, hands on Weiss' arms as she stepped back, smile growing wider. "You two are awesome!"

"Speak for yourself, dolt," she chided gently, flicking her friend's forehead before smiling affectionately. "He couldn't hope to stop you, quick as you were."

"Oh, that? I can go faster, probably. If you think that was fast…"

"How about we just take it easy?" Yang smirked and waved with her left hand, the right slowly peeling away, black flesh giving way to a slimmer, more human form. "Seriously, I'm pretty burned out."

 _Awfully cavalier for someone peppered with cuts too_ , Weiss mused. They were healing, although she doubted it dulled the pain much.

Weiss had welcomed Ruby's hug but Yang's she shied away from, holding her hands up and shaking her head. Her fire had ceased, and her wounds had mostly healed but she was still sweaty, coated in soot, and that was to say nothing of the blood spattered across her clothing. With a stern huff the blonde caught her wrist and pulled her in for a bone crushing hug.

"I earned this, snowflake. Give me a fricken hug would ya?"

She acquiesced, mostly to save her spine from being shattered. She may or may not have held her breath for the duration of the hug too.

"I suppose you have…" Weiss smiled, then gasped as Ruby threw herself at them and joined in.

"Back together again!" her partner cheered.

They were, weren't they? Minus one, granted, but they could rejoin Blake once this fiasco was over and done with.

Not to slight their absent friend, or friends even, but Weiss was looking forward to a bath more than anything now. What she wouldn't give to just submerge herself in water, wash away the grime, and relax…

"Weiss?" Goodwitch tilted her head seeing them in each other's arms, cleared her throat, and gestured for Weiss to join her. "How do you feel? Are you still well?"

Weiss nodded and wove a wind rune to prove it, smiling as she let it dissipate. "Yes ma'am, do you… Need something?" Her eyes widened and she looked around. "Wait, don't tell me Grimm -"

"Have not appeared, gods be good. No, I don't need you for that."

Wood creaked and buckled. From above the roof flexed before caving in on itself, weakened by fire and unable to maintain its support. With the falling roof came one of the walls, burning debris falling into a flower bed below and crushing everything beneath. Weiss sighed, hung her head, and nodded. She knew exactly what was going to be asked.

"Good." Goodwitch smiled and pat her shoulder. "I'll assist you and collect debris, but as the only one here versed in using water magic…"

"I understand, ma'am."

"Then get to it. We need to contain this before the entire estate collapses." The woman began to move away before pausing, shuddering and shaking her head. "I can't imagine Ozpin will be thrilled when we receive a bill…"

"They're going to bill us?!"

"Rogue element or not it was still the Church that caused this." Goodwitch let out a lengthy sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Let's save what we can. The less that collapses the better."

Weiss grimaced, turning to the burning, three story structure before her. At least adrenaline still pumped through her veins, helping to stave off fatigue that was no doubt moments away. She wove one water rune, then another, looking towards Yang and Ruby for help.

"I just make the flames, Weiss," the blonde said defensively. "Sorry."

Ruby shook her head and smiled apologetically; hands raised in defense. She was fine with hugging fire a second ago!

Weiss groaned, letting loose her runes and dousing the burning rubble closest to her, then readying more. Ruby did at least bring her the spellbook, which was nice, although her friend was just a little too quick to rush back to Yang's side and excuse herself from any work.

"Thanks…" Weiss drawled, rolling her eyes and conjuring more spells.

To hells with Lady Lavender's bill. She was going to charge the kingdom a small fortune for saving this house.

/+/+/+/+/+/

By the time all the fires had been contained Weiss was on her last legs, ready to lay in the grass itself and sleep away her fatigue. The Warden's mark and spellbook had helped somewhat but gods if there wasn't a lot of fire. Swaying, she welcomed Ruby's arm around her shoulders to keep her steady, throwing an accusatory glare towards Yang.

If she hadn't been so overzealous and tried setting all of Remnant on fire, she wouldn't have spent the last two hours combating them.

The estate remained standing. Sort of. Half the roof had collapsed by the time they'd finished, and the western wings were skeletons, poor imitations of their former selves. Whatever building Yang had been held in was now gone and only the foundation remained. Trees were reduced to charred, blackened twigs, brittle and deathly frail, and the garden beds that weren't crushed beneath rubble were burned to cinders anyways.

Recoverable, sure, but it wasn't going to be quick. Or cheap, a lamentation that Goodwitch made clear multiple times during their work.

But they were done. Watts was restrained, cooperative even, although Weiss suspected Raven's blades to his throat had something to do with that. He'd answered Goodwitch's questions in full. The information had been kept from them, frustratingly, and when asking Raven for information the woman merely scoffed.

"Bastard didn't give a damn about Yang," she grumbled, spitting into the ground. "The rest was shit about 'saving the Church.' Hell if I know what that means."

Neither did Weiss. As disappointing as it was to be denied answers, she supposed that they'd gotten any at all was good enough. Goodwitch and Ozpin would handle Watts' betrayal. Execution, if she had to guess, the typical punishment for a rogue Hunter. Brutal, swift, and fitting of the crime. All of Watts' co-conspirators would likely receive the axe as well.

"Here, by the way," Raven handed over her rapier, the blade stuck with dirt and sod. Weiss shot her a cross look and the woman scoffed. "I didn't fucking break it. You're welcome, by the way."

"Thank you…"

"Damn right. Pain in the ass trying to carry that around while I fought."

 _Why didn't you just drop it then?_ Weiss wanted to ask. Or leave it with Goodwitch, or Roman…

Scratch that. She'd rather Raven hold onto her weapon than that conman. For all she knew he'd have tried selling it off to pay some debt.

Using her shirt - it was already soiled anyways, Weiss carefully wiped down the blade of her rapier. It was comfortable compared to her pilfered longsword earlier. Familiar despite how little she'd used it so far. Giving it a swing, she smiled, and without anywhere to properly sheath it, held it at her hip.

Matters hadn't proceeded as planned whatsoever – not that she'd _had_ much of a plan, but she doubted anyone could argue with the results. She had failed to alert the others as to Yang's location, but her friend took it upon herself to do so. Just a tad overzealous; everyone in a five-mile radius had probably seen Yang's towering explosion. And then the blonde had enough energy to keep fighting after that?

"Your daughter is a monster…"

"What was that, Schnee?"

Ice gripped her heart and Weiss inched away from Raven. "I didn't mean it _literally_. She's just impressive, that's all."

The woman, insufferable as she was, grinned and cocked her head. "Yeah? You have the hots for my girl now?"

"That's not… I didn't…" Raven laughed, and Weiss rolled her eyes, grumbling as she left the woman where she was. It was good natured ribbing and fair game, but she wasn't in the mood for it. Between playing a spoiled brat, fighting Watts, and extinguishing multiple fires her humor had all but left her.

So, rather than join Ruby and Yang as they chatted excitedly, she marched her way over to Goodwitch, clearing her throat loud enough to interrupt her and Qrow's conversation.

"Yes, Weiss?"

"I would like to go into the city and rest."

"We aren't finished here," Goodwitch chided.

Watts. They were still waiting for someone to come by and take him away. Wardens, she'd assumed, which seemed idiotic given the blatant betrayal they'd just experienced. Why not just let Qrow take the man? He could easily handle a single person, couldn't he?

Then she was reminded of the four remaining members of his group and let out a groan. Even now the traitor was causing problems for her. _I just want a bath! Is that so much to ask?!_

"We shouldn't have to wait much longer. Go take a seat or join your friends. There will be plenty of time for rest soon."

"Gods willing," Weiss grumbled, hanging her head and trudging off.

Ruby and Yang's energy, especially now, was overbearing, but she couldn't deny the happiness she felt as they both smiled at her. Waving off hugs this time she settled for a pat on the head and ruffling of her hair, courtesy of Yang. Although _settled_ was putting it lightly. The blonde had the reach advantage and Ruby grabbed her arm before she could retaliate.

"Ready to head home, Weissy?"

"Weiss works just fine, you know."

"Sure I do!" Yang grinned. "But that's boring." The blonde paused, lips curling back in a toothy grin. "I could call you Ice Princess instead? Snowflake?"

 _I won't even dignify those with a response._ Instead Weiss scoffed and stomped her foot petulantly. "How is my name boring?!"

"Her name isn't boring, Yang! I think it's nice!" Ruby smiled, then snickered. "Though I do think "Weissicle" is a funny nickname…"

Gee, she wondered who came up with that one. It was fortunate that Yang's wounds had all healed by now. She was still filthy, with dried blood crusted on her clothing and smeared with grime, but her injuries were gone. That was good. Weiss would feel a little less bad if she added one or two to the mix.

The sisters went off on a tangent and Weiss, content to simply bask in their presence, or too tired to contribute, let them. Something about revitalizing their plans together once they returned to the city. The thought again of doing anything but resting made her insides churn unpleasantly but she smiled along with them, nodding diplomatically whenever asked if she'd like to tag along. If they wanted to include her in their nonsense then she'd gladly join in, if only to keep them out of trouble.

She couldn't wait to see the others again. Pyrrha, Ren, Nora, and yes, even Jaune. Hopefully whatever tasks they had been assigned weren't half as daunting as hers had been. _Ozpin certainly seems to enjoy giving me ridiculous missions._

She wasn't sure if that was a testament to her ability or outrageous expectations.

Blake would love to hear about it too, and probably be thrilled she hadn't been made to take part. Whatever she'd gotten up to must pale in comparison to what had transpired here.

 _Perhaps we all should request time off after this._ Weiss smiled as the sisters laughed, unsure why they were laughing but having a sneaking suspicion she had been the punchline when they both smiled cheekily at her. _I could certainly use it. I'm sure they could too._

Besides there was still a lot to sort out. Questions left unanswered about the Church. How Watts had managed to operate right under Ozpin's nose, how no one had noticed. Why they had been able to experiment on Yang in the first place?

In the lull following combat her mind returned, as it so often did, to the inexplicable, sometimes contradictory information they'd been given about the Church. They still had yet to receive answers and now, with time to consider some of her queries, the blatant lack of information about her own organization was galling.

They still didn't know exactly why Yang had been chosen, did they? Something to do with her resilience, and to enhance Hunters further. They had the basics, sure, but there had to be more to it.

Were Grimm becoming more of an issue? She hadn't seen many on her journey to Galloway and now, after a monumental battle between Magi, none had appeared by the estate either. Goodwitch had confirmed it wasn't protected by Galloway's barriers and that in of itself was a massive discrepancy. Magic attracted Grimm, that had been confirmed, yet there were none here now. Someone else must have recognized that too.

As ever there were more and more questions about the Church and no clear explanations.

Frustrating didn't begin to cover this. Weiss was beginning to suspect they were actively being redirected, kept busy to prevent them from trying to learn more.

Spellcast sickness hadn't set in and yet her head began to throb. Dull, at first, it swiftly turned into a pounding headache. She winced, clutched the side of her head and closed her eyes. And then there were these headaches that she got, always out of the blue, seemingly inexplicable in their origins.

"Weiss?"

Why did she get these? Why hadn't they ever been told anything about these? Was it an issue unique to her? She doubted that. So why then? Why hadn't anyone acknowledged these sudden migraines? Why did she continue to go untreated? Why hadn't she mentioned it to anyone before?

Her headache grew, a resounding thumping square between her eyes turning into an all-encompassing, debilitating throb. Weiss hissed and clutched her head in both hands as she staggered. Someone's hands seized her shoulders and through blurry vision she saw Ruby staring at her, worry plain on her face.

"Weiss! What's wrong?!"

She hadn't overdone the spells, it wouldn't have onset so suddenly, so abruptly.

Why had Watts insisted on taking Yang away? What did he mean about 'saving the Church'? Who was he trying to save it from? Why was Yang so important to that?

Why did Raven want her?

Why did the Church want her?

So many questions. No answers.

Weiss groaned and almost sank to her knees, crying out silently as her head felt like it might explode. Ruby tried to embrace her, and she shove her friend aside, falling back into the dirt and curling in on herself.

Whispers began to fill her head, indecipherable and random. Unintelligible chatter that she couldn't make out whatsoever. _What in the hells is this?!_ Weiss let out another groan and tossed her head, slapping the side of her skull in a desperate, furtive bid to try and stop the noises.

Why wasn't Goodwitch helping her? Qrow? Raven? Her friends?!

What was happening?!

Then the whispers stopped. Just as soon as they'd begun, they abruptly cut off and left behind an eerie silence in her mind, a clarity that felt unnatural. Everything felt surreal for some reason, her body lighter than before, her exhaustion erased. Hoarse, she tried to call out to her friends, but her lips couldn't form the sounds.

A lone voice returned to her, a single woman's voice, low and commanding. She didn't recognize it, couldn't place it, and it felt as though it reverberated through her whole body, ill content to be confined to her skull.

" _Kill."_

The woman uttered the same word over and over, slowly, enunciating it. Weiss felt her body warm; her muscles relax. Somewhere she could almost feel magic responding despite making no effort to reach out. Swirling around her. With a trembling hand she blindly groped about until she found her rapier. Her fingers curled around it, reassured by the comfortable chill of steel against her fingertips, imbued with a sense of purpose.

" _Kill."_

"Weiss! What's happening?! Talk to me?!"

" _Kill her."_

"Schnee, cut the shit! What's going on?"

She felt relaxed. She felt at ease even as her body writhed, shuddering against her will.

" _Weiss."_

Her eyes shot open and she saw Ruby, then looked past her towards Yang, the blonde looming over her sister and reaching out, clearly worried. She gripped her rapier harder and exhaled steadily, her mind settling and her body ceasing its convulsions.

" _Weiss. Kill her."_

Weiss rose, testing the weight of her rapier, and smiled at Yang. Peace. Clarity. It made perfect sense.

Ruby yelped as she was pushed aside and Yang staggered back, gritting her teeth as Weiss' rapier dug into her shoulder, hand bloodied as she tried to stop the blade.

"What the fuck?!"

Yang needed to die. It made sense. Perfect sense. She pulled her weapon free and wove a rune in Yang's face, blowing her back with a burst of air. Her rapier narrowly missed Yang's throat and she wove another spell, trying and failing to encase the blonde in ice. She gave chase, lunging, thrusting, cutting at Yang as she scrambled to stay back.

Ruby collided against her back and Weiss fell forward from the unexpected assault. Squirming, she tried to break free, hand grasping as her rapier was knocked from her grasp.

" _Kill her, Weiss."_ The woman called her name again. Gently, soothing, yet with a firmness that made it clear it was an order. One she was desperate to follow.

 _Kill her. Kill her. Kill her."_

Ruby pressed down upon her back, crying out for someone to help. Try as she might to buck her partner off her back she hadn't the strength for it, writhing beneath the brunette, clawing in the dirt to try and dig herself free.

Weiss screamed as anger boiled over. Unable to get a hold of her weapon she began to weave a run instead, crying out as a boot slammed down on her wrist. Raven returned her scowl and she tried to pull free, Ruby atop her, the bandit pinning her arm to the dirt.

She tried to break free, screaming and kicking. Something caught Raven's attention and the woman cursed, stepping off Weiss' arm and deflecting a spell. Weiss' head began to throb again, and she cried out, face pressed against the damp, cold ground, legs kicking out and back arching. Fire ran through her veins.

Another spell was flung. Ruby shouted in warning and collapse on top of her. Raven screamed and Weiss saw Yang shoved aside, another spell deflected by the bandit.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Ozpin eased back from the scrying orb and removed his spectacles, rubbing the bridge of his nose with a weary sigh. In his tower he turned his chair to gaze out over the city, staring out into the horizon as the dark sky gradually turned a brilliant shadow of fiery orange.

It hadn't worked as intended.

They had expedited the process and knew it could fail, that she may not have been ready, but he'd had higher hopes for the girl. They all had. Bastard child or not a girl with that pedigree, with that kind of command, she could have been a prime candidate. The ideal Warden.

Yet she'd floundered. Even now as he turned back to the scene at the estate Weiss seemed to be inept, incapable of carrying out her orders. It would fall to Glynda, although Qrow's presence complicated matters further.

In an ideal world Weiss would have attacked, killed Yang, and fallen by either Raven or Qrow's blade. Ruby would remain but she could be dealt with easily enough. Plans rarely went as one hoped, however. With a rueful smile he waved a hand over the orb and changed scenery. The world came through as a blurry mess at first before trees began to take shape, a long, gray strip marking the road sprawling out before him.

Blake raced down the road with a girl on her back, shadows springing up in her wake to intercept spells. Behind her four figures gave chase, unable to match her speed. He'd have thought Lie Ren at least swift enough to keep pace. Another error.

Or perhaps a result of rushing the process. They were imperfect, he'd admit. An unfortunate result.

Letting the orb's view fade away he replaced his spectacles as the door to his office opened. Smiling, he rose from his desk and circled around it, greeting the newcomer with a slight bow of his head.

"I trust you rested well?"

A deathly pale woman smiled back, nodding once as she silently moved across the room. Ozpin stepped aside and allowed her to inspect the orb, conjuring the scenes again. After a moment she shook her head and stepped back, lips drawn into a thin line.

"They've failed."

"I'm afraid so. It seems we were hasty in our decisions." Ozpin frowned. "And I doubt Glynda will be enough to stave them off."

"And what of the others?"

"Beaten. The twins proved to be more than a match thanks to Qrow's debilitating gift."

"Hardly our mistake. Watts' defection was not something we could have planned for." No, but it was something he should have seen coming. The man's agitation as they discussed how to handle Yang and the fallout of Merlot's machinations. His eagerness to shirk protocol. Ozpin let out a heavy sigh and ground his foot into the hardwood floor. The woman smiled at him sweetly, reaching out and placing a hand on his cheek. "Patience, Archbishop. Patience, and we will emerge victorious."

"Naturally. I'm ashamed to admit those four girls have been more troublesome than I expected."

"They weren't the first, nor will they be the last. It matters not." Silent as death itself the woman approached the windows, folding her hands at her back as she peered out at the city below. "The Church has weathered far worse than a few insubordinate girls. We'll resolve this and Remnant will be all the better for it."

"As ever, you guide us to a better world."

"I am but one part of this. Don't be so modest; I couldn't do anything without your assistance, dear."

Ozpin smiled, joining the woman by the windows. The sun continued to rise and he could just begin to feel the heat of its distant warmth, beckoning in a new day. Washing away any misgivings of their fleeting failure.

They would likely escape now, all four of them. But where would they go? The Church was universal. Every kingdom contained its own branch, every major city playing host to Hunters, to Wardens. Wherever the girls tried to go there would be eyes on them, willing souls ready to take up arms in protection of Remnant.

"Grimm…?" he asked, tilting his head thoughtfully.

"No. Galloway is ill prepared. We cannot expect that barrier to hold with such a large force."

"Then we allow them to escape," Ozpin nodded. "I'll begin to make arrangements at once. In the meantime, could you monitor them? I'd like to know where they're planning to go."

"But of course. You may leave it to me, Ozpin." The woman smiled again and leaned in, closing the small gap between them and kissing the wizened Magi. It was brief, fleeting even, but left her with a small delight. "Glory to the Church."

"Glory to the Church. I leave them to you, Salem."

Ozpin excused himself, bowing out and leaving his office. Behind him the woman continued to stare out at the city as it just began to wake. Thousands of unwitting, complaint souls rising to begin another day in ignorant bliss.

* * *

 **Well, there it is.**

 **Whether breadcrumbs sprinkled throughout 49 chapters will make this make sense or not remains to be seen.**

 **Thanks for reading! I'm going to go hide under my bed now.**


	51. Chapter 51: Escape

**Shorter installment this week! Debated combining two chapters into one but that felt like cheating.**

 **Thank you, by the way, for the largely positive response for last chapter :)**

* * *

"Move! I said fucking move!"

Yang, body trembling from mounting exhaustion, dove aside at her mother's behest. Another portion of debris was cleaved in two and the disjointed shards crashed against the estate's walls. Brick came crumbling down, shattered, and the other sailed through an existing gap, plummeting into the ocean with a raucous crash.

The other Wardens, those that were left anyways, remained still. Bound and beaten they posed no threat any longer, too bloodied or exhausted to stand, let alone fight. That made the sudden barrage by Glynda Goodwitch even more stunning. That a single woman could lift debris thrice her size and fling them with ease was equal parts impressive and galling. The amount of magic it would take to accomplish such a task. It was strenuous, that much was clear; Goodwitch's face glistened and twisted in concentration, arms raised. Her hands wove about as a conductor's wand might, stone, fallen trees, and anything else she could grab responding to her whims. Her symphony was anything but pleasant.

Raven twisted as a charred mass of stone sailed over her head. Close enough to send her hair into a fit the woman shouted and drove forward, red sword set ablaze. Another stone shot towards her and she cut through it, jumping and leaping off another. She'd managed to reach Goodwitch only for the ground to quake and rocket skyward.

Qrow fared little better. Without magic to propel himself through a swirling storm of detritus and rubbish he couldn't get nearly close enough. Not anywhere near enough to disable Goodwitch's magic.

Yang pressed down on Ruby's back again and squeezed her eyes shut. Something pelted her back and she hissed, held firm, and wrapped her arms around her sister. Beneath them both Weiss had ceased her struggles and remained still save for breathless moans.

What happened? One moment they'd been triumphant and the next they were cowering beneath a cyclone of stone. Weiss had attacked them - the wound in her shoulder still throbbed - and Goodwitch had gone berserk.

"Yang! We have to go!" Peering down at the fitful face of her sister the blonde nodded.

That was a given. No one in their right minds would linger in the face of such a chaotic display. Dozens of pieces of debris floated around Glynda, swirling about without weight, the woman herself the center of a storm. Leaving was easier said than done however as another smaller shard jettisoned past them, burying itself in the trunk of a tree.

To be hit by debris was to welcome grievous injury, and without Goodwitch ceasing her spells they'd likely be pelted and killed within seconds. Keeping low to the ground was all they could do to save themselves.

"Why aren't you running?!"

Why? Because they couldn't move! Yang, galled by her mother's indignation, like somehow their cowering was a slight against her, raised her head and shook it once. They couldn't move even if they wanted to. Not without being turned into a pincushion.

"Qrow, get ready!" Raven screamed; her voice drowned out in the howling winds.

Qrow nodded, one arm raised to shield his face. His greatsword dragged across the ground as he began to circle Goodwitch. "Make it quick!"

Raven dodged away from another portion of the collapsed walls, and to Yang's surprise, sheathed both of her blades. The wind bit into her exposed skin, salt from the sea stinging her skin, and Yang took the chance to try and move them further away. Ruby took the hint after one shove and crawled on her hands and knees towards the gate while Weiss, still barely moving, remained where she laid. Cursing, she wrapped one arm around the dainty girl's midsection and dragged her through the dirt.

A dislodged body of brick sailed overhead and smashed against the iron gate, warping it. Broken pieces pelted the area around them and Ruby ducked, covering her arms and cowering as a few narrowly missed striking her.

The journey to the gatehouse was painstaking. Ruby and herself couldn't move too quickly as winds assaulted them, threatening to knock them down, battering and hurling smaller projectiles against their prone bodies. Without the flames from before the night's darkness was shuddering. Clouds blotted out the moon and left them in perpetual limbo, incapable of seeing any oncoming attacks even if they tried. Only the whistling of debris foretelling impending injury kept them safe.

Fresh flames erupted behind them and Yang halted, as did Ruby ahead of her. Heat lapped against her back and she shielded her face as light erupted in the courtyard, squinting through the glare.

Raven stood alone, arms spread, red and blue flames swirling around her body. Smaller refuse was incinerated on contact while larger portions were bashed aside by tendrils of flame. In the light of the fire Yang could see her scowling, straining to maintain her spells. The flames grew larger, roaring to life, taking shape as Goodwitch continued to try and bury her in rubble.

A long, slender body began to form, coiling around Raven and growing taller, broader. A narrow sapling turned into an aged, towering body in seconds, flames distorting to form loose details. Scales, flames reached higher, shimmering and beginning to narrow. Raven grunted as a stone slammed into her chest, took a step back, and kept her arms raised.

Flames raced to a point and stopped, forming a serpentine body with a head, its eyes blue flames set in an orange glowing skull. While the dragon itself couldn't roar its body did so readily, eagerly, turning the estate once more into a glowing beacon against the gloomy night.

The dragon reared back, and its mouth opened. Soundless, save for the crackle and hiss of its conjured form, it hurled towards Goodwitch. The distance between them wasn't great and it closed the gap in seconds, searing the ground in its wake. Goodwitch gathered most of the clutter she commanded and formed a shield between herself and the assault.

Flames crashed against stone, spilling over the guard and hurling embers everywhere. Goodwitch stepped back and Raven advanced, shouting inaudibly as the dragon's flickering body reformed, slamming against Goodwitch's makeshift protection.

In the long shadows cast by the spell Qrow emerged, sword dragging behind him and one arm outstretched. The stern woman saw him and raised one arm, pulling a twisted barb of iron free from the ruined gate.

Raven's spell crashed down again. Qrow ducked, reaching for Goodwitch's outstretched arm.

Yang turned her head and closed her eyes, shielding Weiss as Ruby cried out in fright.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Roaming Sentinels were always such a nuisance. Responding on a basic set of instructions they roamed the passages beneath the cathedral as little more than shambling bodies, unseeing, without care. Their heads would occasionally twist and their soulless, pitted, soulless eyes would focus on them before returning to their witless duty.

Unyielding, with no need for rest, they made excellent if unremarkable guards. Until they learned Watts had compromised their integrity and turned more than a few into his personal puppets.

"Sir?"

Infuriating, more so than any other development of the night. Admittedly they should have taken more measures in protecting the creatures from being stolen. A simple spell to animate them, another to instill a series of simple instructions. Anyone with a modicum of knowledge could wrench command of the creatures.

Why? What was Watts seeking to gain? Ozpin's brow furrowed and he paused to wave a hand before a sealed door. Ivy set into stone glowed green at the gesture, "growing" up the door, leaves appearing at the tips of twisting tendrils. With a shuddering groan the stone door peeled open, revealing another long passage beyond.

Yang Xiao Long. Merlot. A nuisance that continued to plague them. And now it appeared that Weiss Schnee, Ruby Rose, and if they assumed rightly, Blake Belladonna would be joining that list.

"Sir?" Ahmar kept pace easily, the taller of the two, his lone eye narrowed as he followed Ozpin. "You're certain you want to let them go?"

In truth? No. Ozpin wanted to capture the four girls and be done with it. Yet there was an opportunity presented to them now, one which they'd be even more foolish to pass up. Sconces came to life as they walked the corridor, turning the darkened passages into orange tunnels, pale brick guiding them along.

"Consider it, Ahmar. They have sided with Miss Branwen and others, no? We've played our hand and they'll doubtless make the decision to flee, given the chance." Ozpin glanced back and quirked an eyebrow. "Where do you imagine they'll go?"

"To seek aid," Ahmar said.

"Precisely. Raven will not wish to shelter them against our might alone and so she'll send them elsewhere to entreat for aid. Likeminded groups set on making our lives as difficult as possible. Groups that have as of recently been increasingly difficult to track down and snuff out." Ozpin waved at another sealed door and vines unlocked it.

Beyond, the hallway opened up into a grand, cavernous room. Sconces along the walls provided little light compared to the sizable brazier that erupted at the center of the room, throwing flames high into the air and nearly scorching the domed roof.

"We'll allow them to run," Ozpin continued. "All we need to do is monitor them and they shall lead us to our enemies. I can't think of anything better, can you?"

Between the sconces rose great bookcases, their shelves littered with volumes upon volumes of literature. Spellcraft, history, documentation of Magi. Scores upon scores of information gathered over the two centuries of the Church's existence. The walls themselves were painted a sky blue, bright as midday without a cloud to speak of. Glittering shards similar to stars filled the blue expanse, twinkling, dancing from the flames in the room. With desks spread throughout the space, circling the brazier, and a greyed tiled floor, polished to the point of a mirror, the room resembled a study. One built to house a large group of scholars rather than a personal space.

Ozpin walked to one of the bookcases and waved a hand idly. From somewhere unseen a set of stairs formed and he raised them to the topmost shelf, running his finger along the spines of the books within. Theories on magic mostly, with a handful of works on magic's properties and the manipulation of Remnant's energies.

Gods given? Innate? A power of the planet or something else entirely?

That they still did not know was a glaring hole in not only the Church's doctrine but in humanity's understanding of such a crucial aspect of their lives.

Yet, frustratingly, people had found ways to circumvent magic. Even without clear understanding, recalcitrant individuals like Raven balked at their imposed limitations and found ways to work around them. Insubordinate individuals like Merlot and Watts sought to… What? Expose magic? Wrench away their command of it?

"We need information. We were admittedly arrogant, assuming that we could let events unfold and these troublesome children be dealt with. For that, we are at fault." Ozpin sighed, then took a single tome from the array before him and stepped down. "They fight back because they do not understand what we do. They believe that they, who know nothing of the world, should be able to decide its course."

"Without the Church," Ahmar noted. "Magic would be allowed to run rampant again. What we do is to save Remnant from itself."

"And yet not all appreciate this. But worry not; their insistence in foiling us will prove to be our greatest ally." Ozpin smiled and handed the tome over to Ahmar. It was clean, spotless as every volume within the great study was. Smoke from the fire continued to rise up, vanishing before it could gather along the ceiling. "Deliver this to Salem and then prepare for departure."

"Sir?"

"I'd like you to monitor the children. Keep us informed on their whereabouts and, if possible, their destination. I fear our scrying magic may be compromised before long, so we'll have to do things the old-fashioned way, unfortunately."

Ahmar nodded. Loyal as ever, certainly more so than that infernal Arthur Watts. Ozpin bristled, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath through his nose to calm himself. Assuming the man survived the events at the Lavender estate they would need to interrogate him thoroughly for information. His end goals, the means by which he stole command of Sentinels, and how he managed to a token force of Wardens to defect. They needed answers.

Ozpin sat at one of the many desks, cushioned chair scraping against the polished floor. Steepling his fingers together he sighed, resting his forehead against his hands. The door to the study slid open and he cracked one eye open.

"Ahmar? One last thing before you go." Ozpin leaned back and folded his hands together. "Once the children depart, I would like you to deal with Miss Branwen. Bring her head, if you could. I think that should act as a wonderful deterrent to future detractors, don't you?"

From the doorway he saw the man smile. Excited, eager to please, no doubt. "By your orders, sir. Glory to the Church."

"Glory to the Church," Ozpin echoed, waving a hand dismissively. "Give her our regards before you send her to Kalom. Even nonbelievers deserve their final rites."

After a deep bow Ozpin watched the man leave, door scraping shut behind him. Alone in the room now he drummed a finger on the desk, lazily glancing at the bookshelves surrounding him. Information would come. Oobleck was enlisting the aid of Hazel Rainart and the kingdom's Commandery. Port and Belle had been dispatched to inform the other Archbishops of developing events.

 _We have little choice now but to wait and see what happens next._ Ozpin waved a hand again and the brazier's flames ebbed, lowering the lighting in the room to a pleasant, faint warm glow, the ceiling now obscured in shadow.

James' insistence on enlisting Weiss had seemed foolhardy on the outset. A bastard child, disowned by her family and made to toil in isolation, or she would have been if not for his intervention. Some pruning, a bit of support, and she would have been the ideal Warden, if not for some tampering. Unfortunate that a Schnee should evade their hold, bastard or not, yet not the end of the world. She would still prove useful, just in a capacity they hadn't foreseen.

"Perhaps Salem may find a use for her," Ozpin mused aloud, to no one but himself. With a small smile he rose from his seat and traipsed over to another desk, this one along the wall. Set in an iron cast, claws not unlike talons of a great hawk, another scrying orb lay in wait, cloudy and unfocused. Channeling his magic into the device he sought out Weiss, smiling as the picture became clearer.

"I wonder how Glynda fares?"

/+/+/+/+/+/

Poorly, as it turned out.

Raven's assault had pressed on and prevented Glynda from doing much beyond defend herself. Qrow's intercession had almost been foiled by way of skewering but Ruby, utilizing the remains of her magic, lunged out and knocked her uncle out of the twisted iron bar's path.

The wrought iron buried itself half-length into the soft earth. Qrow, shaking himself free from Ruby, rushed in, lanky figure flashing as Raven's flames spilled over levitating debris like torrid rainfall. His hand grasped Glynda's wrist and he let his magic surge, feeling his body tingling as it rushed from his very core outwards. Fingertips itched and he let the magic pour from them, spilling into Glynda, blocking off her body's ability to command magic. Like a gate shuttered or a river damned, the flow of magic would halt abruptly. The woman's mind would cease its ability to control energy, becoming clouded, and her body would become too weary to go on.

As expected, Glynda collapsed. Raven relinquished her spell as the floating stones collapsed around them, lingering flames landing in the ground harmlessly around them sizzling and failing to spread.

For a moment Qrow feared his comrade, his friend, would fight back. Glynda's eyes sought his own and he felt himself chilled, jaw setting tight. Hazy, unfocused eyes stared back, failing to recognize the man before her. Then, as if a veil had been lifted, the woman gasped. Her vision cleared and her pupils shrank, swaying as she knelt in the grass. Qrow reached out to catch her and Glynda tried to speak but only managed a faint croak, like a frog with hands around its throat.

He felt her go limp against him, fingers hurriedly pressing against her neck. A pulse remained strong, and she breathed steadily. Whatever had overcome Glynda had done her in as it had Weiss and now both were out of it, drenched in sweat and unresponsive.

Yet they weren't through. In a night that seemed dead set on being their undoing even the warmth of the rising sun couldn't instill so much as a shred of hope. Further away, down the singular road leaving the state, Galloway's bell towers tolled. Guards were being summoned, Hunters too, if available, and would be descending upon the grounds soon.

What was he to tell them? How did he explain any of this? Watts' betrayal, Glynda and Weiss' rampancy, the defection of several Wardens. There was nothing he could say, no reasonable explanation to be had.

"Get up! We are leaving!"

His sister, stubborn as a mule, soldiered on. Even as her body seemed ready to collapse under its own weight she trudged towards his nieces, pausing to grab Ruby by the shirt and haul her to her feet. Taking one look at Glynda he laid her down gently, made certain she wasn't in immediate danger, and rose to his feet. His own legs threatened to buckle beneath him and he took a deep breath, used his own sweat to slick back his hair, and moved to join them.

Watts alone remained conscious, resting against a tree nearby, mouth caked in blood. Much as Qrow would have loved to kill the bastard for all the grief he caused he passed Watts by with only a brief glare. For his part the man merely looked up, spat out blood, and let himself recline further.

"Come on, firecracker." Heaving, Qrow bent down and lifted Yang to her feet. Once she seemed steady, he collected Weiss, unceremoniously slinging her over his shoulder. "We gotta go before the guards start showing up."

"Go? What about Watts?!" Yang grimaced and gripped her right arm. While it resumed its regular form it remained blackened, hand twitching. "I owe that jackass a few more punches."

"You won't be doing anything if we're swarmed by guards and Hunters, Yang. Your uncle is barely standing, you and Ruby are on fumes," she cursed, nearly stumbling. "And I'm not much better!" Raven shoved Ruby forward, not hard, but it still made Qrow scowl. "We are _leaving._ "

And go where? After today Qrow wasn't sure Ozpin was the best option. Something had happened to Glynda and Weiss. To Wardens specifically. He wasn't an idiot; what happened was something he'd never witnessed before and that factor was the only thing the two had in common. Well, they were both women, so there was that.

Something about their being Wardens had caused them to go mad. Ozpin knew, one way or another. The Church then wasn't an option.

Urging Yang forward gently with a hand on her back they began the trek back down the causeway. Waves splashed up against the sides and sprinkled them with chilled, salted water. The sun rising to their left turned the crystalline water a soft amber, glowing with the day's waking rays. Ahead the bells continued to toll but no one opposed them yet. There was no telling how long that might last.

"We can go to Tai," Qrow suggested. They had begun to jog, and he did his best to keep Weiss from being jostled too much. "I can get us a boat to Patch -"

"He's a priest, you idiot. He's just as involved in this shit as you are," Raven snapped back. "No, we'll head out of the city, then move towards Plockton. My tribe is there."

"And Ozpin probably knows that," he retorted. "Do you really think that's any better?" Raven cursed, raising a hand and gathering magic. A bird formed in her palm and she whispered to it before sending it off, then conjured another.

"Looking for the Belladonna girl. If she's still alive we might need her magic."

Fair enough. Believing that Tai wouldn't help them out - help his own girls - was a stretch, a leap in logic that Qrow couldn't quite make. They didn't have the time nor himself the energy to argue with his obstinate sister right now. So be it. They'd head to her tribe's stolen settlement and try and figure out a plan from there. Assuming it hadn't already been razed to the ground and her entire tribe slaughtered.

Likely, and if true they would be thoroughly screwed. But without anywhere else to turn to it was all they had.

Surprisingly, they made it into Galloway unopposed. As the bells continued to ring no doubt the guards were mobilizing with all haste and any Hunters present being directed towards the estate. It wouldn't be hard for them to figure out what the cause of commotion was. From any point inside the city one could see the lingering clouds of smoke that hovered over Lady Lavender's home, revitalized by Raven's final spell. It would be swarming soon with a fire brigade and their protection detail.

With the sounding bells and forces rushing to mobilize the city had begun to wake earlier than usual. People still clad in nightgowns and simple wear stumbled out of their homes in a daze, wandering into the streets to see what the commotion was for. Side roads and alleyways provided some degree of respite from their curious stares. It was obvious they were fleeing, and the privier of those onlookers might even alert nearby guards.

Qrow hadn't been on this side of matters before. Usually he was the one chasing down criminals, or working to solve some attack, or reign in a rogue Hunter. Fleeing from the powers that be felt horribly wrong.

Maybe his mind was leaping to conclusions. The sudden attacks by Glynda and Weiss were concerning but could potentially be explained away as a side effect. Of what he didn't know - the Wardens and whatever process they went through was alien to him - but Ozpin surely could provide answers. Maybe Watts was their only enemy in all of this and he was letting Raven's hysterical hatred of the Church color his thoughts.

With Yang and Ruby in tow, the former heaving as she tried to keep up, he was ill content to risk their safety on 'maybe'. "Come on, Yang, you can do this," he cheered, rasping for breath himself. His eldest niece nodded, drenched in sweat and beginning to lean forward as she tried to run. "Rae!"

The blonde yelped as she was lifted, hauled over Raven's shoulder as he had with Weiss. Ruby went soon after, held under arm, kicking in surprise as she too was made to be carried.

Together the twins hauled the girls along, racing through Galloway's winding streets. When the buildings began to thin and the walls rose up ahead of them, gatehouse looming, they cursed. _Those guards are never gonna let us just walk through!_ Covered in soot and ragged as they were, they would be immediate suspects.

"Ruby," he growled hoarsely. "Got any magic left, kiddo?"

Ready, his niece nodded, pressing a hand to Raven's side. "I think so," she said, extending the other to Qrow.

He felt a rush of magic surge, filling his body with energy. His lungs no longer wanted for oxygen and his legs, burning as they were, suddenly felt relaxed and fresh. It was temporary, he knew, but a much-needed boost.

In an instant the world became blurred. The homes lining the streets, stone and brick, turned into smeared palettes of color around them. The chatter of disgruntled residents disturbed from their rest became indecipherable and muddled. The guard house itself, having been a hundred yards off seconds earlier, now stood before them. With the air whipping against his face they passed the threshold and burst out onto the road beyond the city's walls. Several hundred feet later, although only seconds had passed, Qrow felt the magic subside. His legs stumbled and he cursed, twisting his body and falling backwards, shifting Weiss to cradle against his chest. His back hit the ground and he slid off the road and into the grass beside it, skidding for a distance before coming to a halt.

Raven, infuriating, managed to keep upright despite hauling twice his load by digging her feet into the ground and leaning back. Realistically it was probably her being familiar with wind magic that made her better suited for the speed.

Groaning, Qrow shook his head and looked down to make sure he hadn't killed his charge in that tumble. Weiss remained as still as she'd been before, a little dirty for his stumble but unharmed. Exhaling, he sat up and wiped what dirt and grime he could from his face, spitting out a few pieces of grass and dirt and grimacing.

"Next time I'll take my chances with the guards…"

And where the hell was his sword now?! Spotting it several feet away, thrown aside haphazardly in the fall, his blade stuck out of the ground, buried halfway to the hilt in soft earth. Qrow groaned and stood, offering Weiss out to his incredulous sister. Ruby and Yang insisted they were fine to walk, and Raven released them only to have her arms filled with a new passenger.

"Come on," Qrow rested his weapon on his shoulder. "We've got to get more distance between us and the city."

"What about Roman and Neo?" Ruby asked.

"I'll send another bird. Just move it!"

"Oh, you can send more than one?" Yang rasped, coughed, then began a slow jog to keep pace with him. "Never thought to send one to see me, huh?"

"Yang, not now -"

"No? When then, huh mom?"

"When we're not liable to get a sword stuck in our back," Qrow argued. "I get it, Yang, you're angry." Not just at Raven but at Watts, the Church, everything probably. She had every right to be. "But now isn't the time. Let's focus on getting somewhere safe, then we can talk."

Without looking back he added. "You owe us answers, Rae. No more jerking us around. You're gonna tell us everything you know about what's going on."

"I planned on it," Raven huffed. "Just as soon as we're safe. So get off my ass."

Qrow rolled his eyes and took that rough retort as a promise. With a strained breath he forced his heavy limbs to keep moving, inhaling sharp, biting crisp air as he raced alongside the road towards the looming treeline ahead.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Blake hissed as a blade missed her throat by inches. Ren dove into her blindside again and nearly caught her. With Ilia in her arms she couldn't defend herself beyond using magic. Her daggers, still hanging from her belt, were out of reach, and her reserves of magic were waning. Casting anything was taking longer and her movements were growing sluggish. The four Magi, her friends, continued their assault, slowing but just as relentless as ever.

Ren fell back to avoid a spire that erupted beneath him. Blake warped her shadow and formed a shell to deflect Pyrrha's blade. It punctured through and she ducked, feeling hair shear away from her head. Nora's warhammer smashed her barrier to pieces and Jaune's shield slammed into her back. Letting herself fall forward she grew shadow on the ground and fell into it.

Somewhere. Anywhere. In the void her magic created she reached out blindly and seized the furthest point she could reach. Her body burned and she cried out as her muscles seized. Nausea struck, washing over her like an ocean's wave threatening to swallow her and drag her beneath the surface.

Her spell nearly failed. Expending so much magic at once left her gasping for breath as she and Ilia returned to the world. Foliage rushed to greet them, and she cursed, clutching her friend desperately as her body struck a tree limb, leaving a bruise as she bounced off it. Tumbling helplessly through the air she used the last of her magic to try and cushion their fall. Shadow rose, already dissipating into mist, and she struck it with a resounding crash.

Pain wracked her body. Blake felt her left arm go numb as she slid down a hastily constructed ramp, rolling over and over before landing in the dirt. Her chest heaved and the world spun as she laid across the forest floor, coughing and wheezing against the dirt. Turning her head with a pained groan she saw Ilia nearby, alive but clearly in pain, face contorted as a hand grasped at the wound on her head.

Blake tried to drag herself over. Her left arm was numb, and she cried out as she tried to lift it higher than her head. Relying on her right instead she pulled herself, slowly, until she laid beside Ilia.

"H-Hey." She coughed again and reached out, placing a hand on Ilia's side. Grey eyes cracked open and Blake managed a smile. "You okay?"

Dumb question. Ilia had the courtesy to smile back, closing her eyes again and wincing. "Alive. You?"

"Same." She groaned and lifted her head, almost retching as sickness tightened its grip on her. She felt ready to pass out if she was honest. Magic was out of the question and even with Ren's healing her body was sore and battered.

"Why?" Ilia coughed, reaching out and grasping Blake's hand. "Why did they attack us? They're your friends."

She didn't know. Sure, she had history with the White Fang but that had never seemed to be a problem before. Ruby and Weiss accepted her and that had seemed good enough for them.

 _Were they told to attack me if the trade went south? Was I meant to be killed if Adam didn't get what he wanted?_ Ozpin had to have arranged that. She'd known her tenure with the Church was more of a trial, a way to keep an eye on her in the interim. _Would they have agreed to that?_

She didn't know enough about them to be sure. No friends of Ruby would do such a thing, her mind reassured her, only to rebel seconds later. _Are you sure that Ruby doesn't feel the same way? Or the others?_

They'd fought together, almost died together. She'd shared laughs with them, conspired to discover what the Church had hidden from everyone. Would they really throw her away so easily?

"Blake?"

Ilia watched her worriedly, alarmed. She noticed the sounds of approaching footfalls soon enough, ears swiveling towards the source. Had they followed her that easily? She could barely move! Blindly, Blake freed a dagger from her belt and forced a smile for Ilia, staving off the bile that wanted to rise as she pushed herself up to sit.

"Just relax. I'll deal with them."

Ilia tried to drag her back down, as if that was going to help them at all. Blake shrugged off her friend's grip and turned towards their attackers, raising her dagger readily.

Only to stare at the lone woman before them who seemed just as befuddled as Blake felt. With a pair of rabbits hanging from her belt the woman stepped closer, grey eyes flickering to Ilia before resting on Blake again, holding her hands up. "Relax, I'm not going to hurt you."

"Who are you?" Blake didn't mean to sound as sharp as she did. "Who are you?" she repeated more gently, swaying. Her vision darkened and she retched, covering her mouth with one hand before breaking into a coughing fit. When the woman knelt before her and reached out, she held her dagger out on reflex, baffled as the woman laughed at her threat.

"Well, you're on my land, for starters, and you barely seem able to sit up, let alone fight back. Not that I'm planning to hurt you," the stranger amended hastily. "You and your friend are hurt. Can you stand?"

"Maybe." Make that a no. Blake tried to rise only for her legs to immediately give. Her stomach rumbled and she grimaced, grasping the side of her head.

"I'll take your friend to my cabin first, then come back for you." Ilia shied away as expected and the woman paused, looking at Blake uncertainly.

Did they trust her? Better question was did they have a choice? Ilia was concussed and barely able to move and Blake herself wasn't much better. Even if this woman wasn't a Magi she could probably kill them easily. Was there an ulterior motive to helping them? Nothing Blake could fathom.

"Trust her, Ilia," she urged, trying again and failing to stand. "I'll be right behind you."

"Trust her?" She couldn't blame her friend for looking put off for the idea. _The last time I told her to trust someone they tried killing us._ Ilia couldn't do much as she was lifted to her feet, pushing off the woman before resigning herself to lean against her instead. "If you hurt Blake…"

"If I wanted to hurt either of you I wouldn't be doing this," the woman pointed out. "A huntress doesn't waste time trying to befriend injured prey."

Huntress. Her paranoia immediately made her question if the woman was with the Church. As their savior turned to lead Ilia away however Blake couldn't make out any marks on the girl's exposed neck. Not that kind of Hunter then - it was a distinction that always seemed unnecessarily confusing to her - and even if a Magi, not one with cause to do them harm.

She couldn't stand but she could crawl, kind of. It must have looked utterly absurd, gods knew it felt it, but Blake managed to keep after the woman and Ilia. EAch time her hand pressed against the rotting leaves, cushioned as it was, pain flared in her shoulder. Her stomach was on the precipice of emptying itself and her breaths came painfully. Bruised ribs possibly, if she was lucky, and maybe a dislocated shoulder to boot.

Alive, for the time being, and she'd have to settle for that and count their blessings.

"We're not far. You can rest if you'd like," the woman said, phrasing it as a suggestion but making it sound more like a gentle reprimand.

Blake shook her head and winced, immediately regretting the gesture. Ilia looked panicked, either for her own predicament or Blake's. Either way she wasn't about to leave her friend with a stranger no matter how good their intentions might seem.

What was she going to do if things went south? Vomit on the woman?

It was better than being hounded by her 'friends'. Certainly, better than if she'd been taken by Adam. Whether that held remained to be seen.

Exhausted, and just a bit humiliated, Blake crawled along the forest floor, watching even now for signs of attack, or Grimm. If death was coming, she'd at least like to know about it beforehand.

* * *

 **No silliness here this time. See you next Friday!**


	52. Chapter 52: Echoes of a Rose

**I've got to ask y'all, and feel free to DM me an answer as opposed to leaving a review, but what works better for you as the reader? Shorter chapters (shorter for me being about 6k words) or an "average" chapter length (about 8-10k words). The story being told won't change overall as a result but I want to make the reading experience as nice as can be. So, if you're so inclined, let me know! :)**

 **On a different note, I rather like this chapter title. Gave myself a cookie for it, I did.**

* * *

Feeling utterly drained, her muscles inflamed, crying out in protest at the smallest movements, Blake rose. Her mind raced as she tried to piece together the unfamiliar surroundings she found herself in.

The room was dark. Not so much that her vision couldn't make out details - she was of the few Faunus races whose vision rivaled that of nocturnal animals - but enough that she was left guessing the time of day. A small building that consisted of a singular room, with a crudely carved table taking up residence in one corner of the space, two stools gathered beside it. Following the dirt floor, she saw a fireplace, crudely fashioned from stone and mud, the dying embers of a recently roaring fire petering out. Beyond that a bed claimed the far wall, a hunched, curled up figure within.

Ilia. Right. Groaning, Blake pushed herself up from the floor, closing her eyes and hissing. Every muscle in her body tensed at once. Her back was tight and made breathing unpleasant, her neck stiff. Sleeping on the hard ground, separated only by a thin blanket, probably hadn't helped.

They were safe. After finding them inside the forests the huntress, Avery, if she remembered right, had brought them to her cabin. Most of the journey was a blur and her addled mind made recalling everything that led up to her awakening difficult. It mattered little in the end. They were alive and Ilia was resting. For the time being they were free from her friends' assault. Could she even count them as friends? If Pyrrha, Jaune, Ren, and Nora were still considered friends then so too was Adam and Yuma.

 _I've got rather shit luck at striking up friendships, haven't I?_ It wouldn't be galling to find Weiss and the others turning on her too. If anything, it would be more shocking to not be attacked. _Zorander, whatever in the hells I did to deserve this, I'm sorry._ Her head throbbed and the heels of her hands worked at her closed eyes, leaning forward and drawing a sharp breath.

To linger was to welcome danger. Ilia was asleep if her gentle, rhythmic breathing was any indication. Much as Blake hated to disturb her friend's much needed slumber, she couldn't let herself relax.

How long until the others found her again? Would their savior turn them in, expecting them to go without a fight as they slept?

Paranoia reared its ugly head. Where gratitude should be she felt a humiliating sense of dread. Fear ran through her veins and brought a score of goosebumps to her skin. Crawling across the floor, silently willing her stomach to hold its contents, she groped about until she found something to use as a weapon. An iron poker would suffice.

To lift the makeshift weapon was an otherworldly task; her arm trembled and refused to lift the poker overhead. Unable to stand still Blake resigned herself to crawling over to the bed, lifting herself on the edge and peering at Ilia. She seemed peaceful, calm even. A clean bandage was wrapped around her head and she showed no signs of difficulty. Curious, she leaned down and sniffed, detecting the faint scents of lavender, the wisps of ginger on Ilia's breath. She'd been cared for at least.

That still did little to assuage Blake's fears.

Incapable of walking, nevermind carrying someone, Blake turned and slumped against the bed. Only then did she realize that she herself was covered in bandages as well. Arms and legs bundled in wrappings, and a firm, almost constrictive covering across her chest.

 _Stripped me down, did she?_ She hardly cared that she'd been seen bare. What was more troubling was how she'd allowed it. A stranger, in the midst of a life or death situation, had somehow disarmed her, undressed her, and gotten her to sleep. _We need to go. We should -_

Her ears flicked towards the door and she pressed herself against the bed. Footsteps approached and grass crunched underneath footfalls. The gentle creaking of wood was curious. Firewood?

Only one person seemed to be approaching. Feeling her body coiling she lifted the poker in both hands, reaching out for magic, willing shadows that engulfed the cabin to obey her whims. Like an older sibling the shadows lorded themselves over her and held their power just out of reach. Cursing, she trained her weapon on the door, ready to fend off any would-be attacker.

The sunlight that spilled into the room made her hiss; eyes forced to close as she turned her head away. An amused snort didn't help calm her and she raised the poker out, held aloft in trembling hands.

"What are you going to do? Shank me?"

That was the plan, yes. Cracking open one eye she watched Avery step inside and deposit her firewood beside the door. With all the concern of a mountain lion facing off against a fly she sauntered into the room, held out a hand and stared down at Blake expectantly. When they stared at one another in silence, Blake too uneasy to speak, the woman sighed and tapped her foot impatiently.

"I'm not doing this by hand. Can I have my tool, please?" she asked testily.

"Who are you?"

Avery blinked, then let out another sigh, dropping her hand and stepping back. "That out of it, huh? Well, for starters I'm the woman who saved your life. You're welcome, by the way." An involuntary flush heated Blake's cheeks. She felt relieved the dark room concealed that much. "And since you apparently forgot the entire conversation, we had last night, my name is Avery. You're Blake, that's Ilia."

Blake gasped as the poker was suddenly wrenched from her hands. "And this," she waved the tool about. "Is mine. Do you usually make a habit of threatening your hosts with their own things?"

 _Actually, a funny thing about that…_

The woman carried on her business and showed no signs of concern. No worry that Blake might stick a knife in her back or attack her. She supposed Avery could afford to be lackadaisical; both knew just how spent Blake was. While the woman went about feeding new logs to the fire she closed her eyes, laying her head back and taking a deep breath. Ilia groaned beside her and she cocked her head, half hoping her friend would wake. The speckled girl rolled over and put her back to Blake, muttered incoherently, and continued to sleep.

"You're safe here. The Hunters won't find you out this way."

Tensing, Blake's head snapped towards Avery. "I'm not sure I know what -"

"You really don't remember anything, do you?" Avery took flint, struck it a few times, then tossed a burning twig into the fireplace. Almost immediately flames took root and a pleasant warmth filled the cabin, coating the small space in a pleasant orange glow. "You were running with your friend there when I found you. Attacked by other friends. Sorry about that, by the way." She gave Blake a sincere smile. "I brought you two back here, patched you up, and you both fell asleep. That was yesterday afternoon."

"So, I told you all that?"

"No, I'm just really good at guessing." Avery snorted, moving back across the room and picking up a few skewers decorated with strips of meat. "Relax. I don't exactly care for the Church. They haven't done much for me except demand I attend services. If you're running from them then you're safe here."

"I'm not running from them," Blake said hastily. Her hostess raised an eyebrow, incredulous, and the dark-haired woman let out a groan. "Fine, but not for the reasons you think."

"Because they attacked you, right?"

Blake nodded. For no apparent reason too. Her friends - if she could call them friends anymore - showed up and saved her and Ilia from Adam. That seemed to fit her idea of them. How then did she explain being attacked by the very same people? If their aim had been to kill her then why save her at all? What good was it to risk themselves when Adam could have easily done what they sought to?

"You don't have to explain yourself. You're hardly the first visitor I've had randomly show up on my doorstep. And at least you didn't bring a swarm of Grimm with you." Avery laughed, a short, bitter sound. "Anyways, you're welcome to stay here until you're recovered. In fact, I insist you do."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me just yet. I'm not doing this completely out of the goodness of my heart, you know." Avery stepped back from the fire and dusted her hands clean on her tunic. "I'm sharing my food with you, not to mention I went out and gathered medicine to tend your wounds."

Blake chuckled, half amused, half in disbelief. "You're charging the people you saved? Some healer you are."

"I'm a huntress, not a healer, and it's just me out here, all by my lonesome. Giving things away means I have less for myself." _I didn't ask you to save us though._ Avery leaned down and held out a hand to silence Blake's complaints. "I'm not going to ask you to do much," she continued. "But I expect to be compensated somehow. Even if all you do is help me fix my roof while you're here."

That was fair. An inconsequential price to pay for what very well could have saved their lives. It was still baffling that someone would go out of their way to help two complete strangers. Faunus too. It was comforting that Avery didn't mind what they were, it seemed.

"At any rate, I've got food cooking for us. I doubt your friend there is going to be joining us," Avery inclined her head towards Ilia. "But if she wakes then she's welcome to. I'm going to go get some water for us, you just, I don't know. Make sure my house doesn't burn down."

"That much I can do."

"Good!" Avery flashed another smile before stepping towards the door again. Blake preemptively averted her eyes, grateful for the sun's warmth that passed through while loathing how the bright light made her head throb. "Just sit tight, I'll be back before long."

"Right."

Like she had much of a choice there.

The door closed again, and they were left in a midday nightfall. Only now that her head was clearing could Blake make out the sounds of birdsong amidst the crackling of fire and Avery's fading steps. Shifting herself on the cool, hard dirt floor she laid her head back, stealing a glance at the cooking food. Her stomach rumbled in anticipation and she licked up drool before it could leak free, closing her eyes and trying instead to focus on more pressing matters.

Weiss and the others were out there somewhere. Assuming they weren't her enemy now too, which felt like a huge ask given everything, she needed to find them. The Church had tried to kill her which rendered returning to the city impossible. The White Fang was out for obvious reasons. Her friends outside of that, what few she had, Blake refused to endanger. If nothing else she'd take a chance with Weiss, Ruby, and Yang. Once she was rested. No way on Remnant would she risk being attacked a second time and be unable to flee at a moment's notice.

 _Which means trusting Avery. She didn't kill us while we slept so that's a start._ A depressingly low standard that determined who she could and couldn't trust too. There was still no guarantee Avery wouldn't turn them in now that she was awake.

 _Stop being so godsdamned paranoid. The whole world isn't out to get you._ Huffing, Blake reached back until her left shoulder screamed out in protest, dropping her hand and letting Ilia continue to stir and mumble. _Some people might genuinely be trying to help._

The fireplace crackled and she felt an ember land on her foot. Hissing, she pushed herself closer and grabbed the poker, freeing a log and pushing it back into the pit. Regardless of Avery's sincerity it wasn't like she had much choice. She'd accept the hospitality for however long it lasted.

Which wouldn't be long if she let the huntress' house burn down.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Plockton was as Weiss remembered it. Shambles, abandoned, and with little sign of habitation. That the Branwen tribe had spent a few weeks within its walls making a home for themselves changed little of that fact. Buildings which had been torn asunder in Merlot's rampage remained piles of rubble, although suitable pieces were hauled away to repair other structures. Homes of brick and stone, far more durable than the typical tents the tribe was accustomed to, remained standing, albeit covered in moss and vines. Small as the tribe was, sixty people, including children which Weiss hadn't noticed before, took up a mere fraction of the town's entirety. So it was that much of the abandoned town remained just so, forgotten by time and long since grown unaccustomed to housing anyone.

Their arrival to town had been met with a mixture of curiosity and joy, and just the slightest bit of trepidation. Weiss couldn't recall how they had arrived nor when they had even left Galloway for that matter. Sizable gaps in her memory left her more unnerved than she cared to admit. Had she suffered a blow to the head? Overdone her magic? In her elation to find how swiftly a spellbook could hasten her craft it wasn't unreasonable to think she'd gotten overzealous.

Worse still was no one would tell her what had happened. Yang and Ruby regarded her kindly enough, chatting amicably with her and sharing meals whenever they stopped. While she'd known Yang for a short time, however, she could tell that her friend's smile was guarded, her body posture just a little tenser than usual; Ruby might as well be openly lying to her face for all the good it did.

Qrow and Raven weren't any better. Qrow kept his distance from all of them, often wandering off whenever they'd pause for rest. Raven regarded her as one would a flea ridden rat, openly loathsome, angry as disdain burned behind the fierce red eyes, stoking flames within.

What on Remnant had happened?

To her utter embarrassment and shame, she was bound. Myrtenaster - her version of it, as the real one remained in Atlas - was confiscated by Raven and kept on her person at all times. When they finally reached Plockton's perimeter they did so with Weiss' hands bound before her and a not-so-idle threat on Raven's part; try casting spells and she'd break every finger Weiss had twice over.

She hesitated to scratch her nose from then on.

And so there they were, traipsing along the town's empty streets with only the occasional curious soul passing them by. The sound of work around them was unmistakable as stone was set into place, hammers went about their business, arrhythmic strikes filling the otherwise silent landscape with a drunken, off-kilter song. The warmth of a nearly cloudless morning did little to assuage the unpleasant chill that gripped Weiss and she kept her eyes on the ground before her. The weeds sprouting between paving stones, splitting cobble and overtaking parts of the roads were inherently fascinating to her, or so she told herself. Anything was preferable to drawing Raven's ire.

Of the members of the tribe few were bold enough to approach when Raven appeared so infuriated. Lesser still were the ones who did so without looking to fear for their lives. Vernal proved to be the single soul either bold enough or dim-witted enough to take the chance, storming right up to Raven and beginning to complain.

Work wasn't being done fast enough. None of the tribe were skilled laborers, and why would they be? A nomadic lifestyle meant there was no need to take up trades. Masonry was beyond them, carpentry a distant dream. There was the matter of food, whether Plockton was truly safe or not, and the issue of Grimm prowling beyond the town's borders. Grimm, Weiss noted, which didn't seem to harry them on their way inside.

 _It's not the first time Grimm have ignored us. They've never done that before._ She watched Vernal as the woman continued to rant, face growing redder as her gestures became more bombastic. Evidently, she had been left in charge in Raven's absence and things had proceeded poorly. _Typically, they would come running from all over to attack. What's changed? Was it because we haven't been using magic…?_

Surprisingly, Vernal could say her piece, run herself breathless, with no repercussions. More shocking still was Raven's apology, something which took both Weiss herself and Vernal off guard. After promising to reorganize their efforts the bandit leader dismissed her subordinate and sent them back on their way.

In their initial visit to Plockton there had been precious little time for sightseeing. Beyond the cramped residential quarters, tightly packed, multi-story apartment blocs, most of which had been leveled by Merlot, they knew nothing of what the town had to offer.

As it turned out there wasn't much they had missed. With the plaza decimated by their battle it had been blocked off by crude barricades and a handful of workers toiled to make it safe again. Within the remaining winding streets there was hardly anything else of note. Shops, abandoned, with faded placards hanging from single chains, broke up the rows of homes, storehouses, and unmarked buildings. Passing by a group of four armed bandits idling about, playing dice between stacks of crates, they jumped to attention upon their arrival. Raven ignored them, marched right past and into one of the abandoned homes, nondescript from the others.

They must have lingered for overlong at the threshold as she turned to them, crossing her arms and tapping her foot impatiently. "Well?" she snapped. "Are you waiting for an invite? Come in!"

Begrudgingly they filed in. If this home was where Raven had taken up her residence, then it wasn't much better off than the others in Plockton. Between the hole in the far corner where sunlight poured in, water steadily dripping down into soiled floorboards, and a pile of clutter shoved against the wall, it seemed that nothing had been done to make it more hospitable. Weiss shuffled inside and wrinkled her nose at the damp smells, deciding to remain standing as Qrow sank into a musty armchair and immediately took to his flask, nursing it with long drinks.

"It's not the worst place I've ever seen?" Ruby smiled, ever the optimist. Or delusional. "Why don't we take a seat, Weiss? Oh, there's some decent looking crates over there!"

"Weiss can stand, Ruby," Yang said, pulling her sister away and glancing at Weiss. "Right, Weiss? You're good?"

"I…"

The look Yang gave her made her go silent in an instant. It wasn't hateful like Raven's, or wary like Qrow's, but apologetic. Without another word between them the blonde pulled her sister along and took up seats by a collapsing staircase.

Raven neither sat nor stood, instead pacing in the center of the room. Weiss jumped when the door closed behind her, shuffled her feet and grimaced as the boards changed color beneath her boot.

Come to think of it there were no signs of habitation anywhere. No bedroll, no indication that anyone had cooked here, slept, or worked. Things had been moved, yes, but that didn't mean anything. From outside the door she heard something scraping against the ground, then a dull thud against the door itself. Taking a step back she nudged the door with her shoulder, paling when it refused to budge.

"Going somewhere, Schnee?"

Like she'd get far. Weiss turned to rebuke Raven only to slam against the door, inching her head away and closing her eyes. Steel hovered perilously close to her throat and on reflex she tried to raise her hands and push Raven away. The blade came closer, hovering near enough that she felt the pinprick of metal on flesh, and her hands dropped.

"Rae, relax!" Qrow shouted.

"Shut up, Qrow!"

"Mom! We agreed not to hurt her!" To Weiss' confusion it was Yang who shouted in her defense. Her eyes swiveled to her friend desperately, pleading for intervention.

"Leave her alone!" Ruby added, rushing to help until Qrow blocked her path, arm outstretched. "Qrow, stop!"

"Rae, let her go," her uncle said.

"She tried to kill Yang. She attacked me in my sleep!" Raven bared her teeth and pressed her palm to Weiss' jaw, forcing her head up. "She's a Warden, she's corrupted! We can't trust her!"

"Whatever happened wasn't her fault! That's not who Weiss is!" Ruby said. "Please, let her go! We already tied her up, she can't hurt us now!"

Sweat trickled down her throat and ran down the length of Raven's blade. Despite her nerves and the erratic pounding in her chest Weiss sought Raven's eyes with her own, hoping to convey that she meant no harm. Hells, she didn't even know what they were talking about! No one had explained anything to her, why she was bound, how events at the manor had ended. None of them knew where Roman and Neo had gotten to, would explain where Glynda had gone, or why they had made a hasty retreat to Plockton.

Weiss had every right to be angry too, but the sword pressed to her neck did wonders at quelling any fight she had in her.

A red blur slipped between them and at first Weiss thought the blade had been brought down upon her. Instead, Raven stepped back and scowled and Ruby stood between them, arms outstretched as she planted herself between them.

"I said leave her alone!"

"Ruby," the bandit snarled. "Get out of the way. We can't trust her."

"She's my friend!" Ruby shot back. "Whatever happened before isn't her. You know that too, don't you? Then quit threatening her!"

For a fleeting moment Raven looked ready to throw Ruby aside and attack anyways. Thankfully she didn't, and only after sneering her way did the woman sheathe her weapon, leaving Weiss to sag against the door and nurse her sore throat.

"Try anything," Raven spat. "And I will kill you, got it, Schnee?"

"Enough already!" Yang stormed towards Raven. "What happened wasn't her fault! So quit acting like she's the enemy!"

"She _is_ the enemy, Yang. The moment she agreed to become a Warden -"

"And you still haven't explained what that means!" Yang shouted over her mother. "You haven't explained any of this! What exactly is so bad about the Wardens? Why did you keep helping us even though you left? Why do you hate the Church so much?" Red flashed through lilac eyes and Yang shoved Raven back when the woman turned to her. "Why did you come to save me after you left us?!"

"Because you're my daughter."

"I am? Then where the hell were you for the rest of my life? Where were you when Merlot took me, huh? Where were you when Summer left and I had to pick up the pieces?"

Ruby pulled Weiss along, grabbed her sister's arm and eased her back from Raven. Calmer than Yang, though Weiss could recognize the clenched jaw and set brow for the barely contained anger that it was, the brunette looked at Raven expectantly.

"You said before that you thought mom might be alive, that maybe she was still out there." Ruby's lip trembled and she shook her head. "What aren't you telling us?"

"Fuck." For once it wasn't Raven that cursed but Qrow. The lanky man, leaning back on his crate, put away his flask. "Rae, I gotta agree with the kids. I've about had it with you leadin' us in circles. If you know something, tell us."

"Qrow, be silent. If I want your input, then I'll ask for it."

"No, I don't think I will. You've been on and on for years about not trustin' the Church, about how bad Wardens are, everything. But you've never explained yourself." Qrow stood and sighed, hooking his thumbs in the waistband of his trousers as he shuffled towards Raven. "Then you pull the Summer card with the girls. You know how they feel about her. I expect a lot of shit from you, Rae, but that? Do you get your kicks by tormenting them?"

Raven sneered up at her brother. "You don't know a damn thing, little brother."

"You're right, we don't!" Yang snapped. "Because you never say anything! All you do is posture! You act so high and mighty for no damn reason, then get pissed at us when we don't do what you say!"

"How are we supposed to trust you completely when you don't tell us everything?" Ruby asked. "Please, if you know more about mom, about Summer, and why we shouldn't trust Ozpin or the Church, tell us."

"If there's more to this than just 'magic is bad' then we need to know, Rae," Qrow growled. "Now."

Usually Weiss was saddened that she lacked a proper, biological family to call her own. She was a Schnee, technically, but disowned and as far as she was from them, she may as well be some peasant's daughter. Seeing the dysfunction before her however she felt innately blessed for her lack thereof. If all families were like this then she'd gladly trade solitude for the headaches.

Shame Ruby had dragged her into the literal middle of things.

Sharing a heated glare with Qrow, Raven stepped back and sheathed her sword. "Fine. You could've told them too, you ass. It's your story too." Taking a seat on a dusty table she leaned forward, robe fanning out beneath her as she rested her arms on her thighs. "You were too damned blind to trust what she told us, though."

"She?" Weiss asked, finally finding her voice.

"Summer." Raven smiled bitterly, scoffed, and shook her head. "That bitch started this whole mess, then up and disappeared. Sit down and I'll give you idiots the full story. Qrow, you can fill in gaps; it's been a while." Waiting until they had all seated themselves, she sighed, then nodded. "Right. Bear with me, but we've got a lot to go through. So, if you could all keep your damn mouths shut until I finish that would be great."

No one said a word. The sisters watched Raven raptly, no doubt eager for an explanation. Qrow seemed skeptical but willing. Weiss, with plenty of stake in the matter even without the familial ties, leaned in expectantly.

/+/+/+/+/+/

"Qrow and I grew up in the Branwen tribe. It wasn't always the successful group that it is now though. When he and I were born it was on its last legs. Our leader, the former chieftain, was a complete idiot. Too bold in his raids, too eager to attack other tribes. Bastard had half of our fighters killed in one night alone, then had nearly a third of the tribe leave us to seek a better home. By the time the two of us were old enough to take part in the raids there were barely more than twenty members in all."

"We did what we could for a few years. We would attack small caravans and steal what we could from farms. Hell, we even tried to take up farming ourselves and replant some of the seeds we'd steal." Raven snorted, leaning back and drawing one knee up, draping her arm over it. "We were never good at that shit. Guards and Hunters constantly harassed us because of what we did and so we could never stay in one place for long. Constantly moving meant maintaining a farm was impossible. Hunting wildlife helped, sure, but sooner or later the animals would wise up and move along."

"So, we kept raiding. Eventually the old fucker passed on and the tribe, being a shell of what it was, hardly had a leader among it. We were too young and the next oldest member, a lame man named Griffon, did what he could. We moved to smaller raids, targeting only the easiest caravans. We stopped raiding towns and even villages and settled for what we could."

"We were hardly the worst tribe out there," Qrow added. "And we started having problems with others before long. If we moved too close to their turf, they'd demand we pay them some kinda tribute, share our hauls. We barely had much to live off to begin with. Their taxes or whatever you wanna call em almost killed us."

Raven nodded, "We managed though, for a time. It wasn't pretty living, but we kept ourselves going. Then, our dumbasses decided we'd hit a Church caravan. It wasn't too big and there were only some priests inside. Traveling between churches or some shit." She chuckled, ran a hand through her hair and smirked. "An easy mark, except for the fact they had a Warden with them."

"Summer."

Ruby's eyes widened and she looked at Qrow in awe. "Mom was a Warden?"

"One of the best," her uncle confirmed. Yang's jaw dropped and Qrow smiled somberly. "We didn't see any guards, so we figured it was easy. Steal Lien, maybe a couple of valuable things, pawn it off and buy us some food and supplies with the coin we got. Simple."

"Except for the fact that brat was along for the ride. As was your dear daddy, girls. That's where we first met those two, on the side of some fucking road in the middle of nowhere." Raven's lips twitched, caught between a smile and grimace. "The moment Summer came out of the carriage we figured we fucked up. We knew Wardens existed but nothing more really, just that they were the best Hunters the Church had to offer. But Qrow has his magic -"

"And as bitchy as Raven is, she's half decent in a fight," Qrow quipped.

"Fuck you." Qrow chuckled and Raven managed a more earnest smile. "But if it was just Summer, we might have been fine. Qrow could block her magic and I could've dealt with her handily. We were ready to kick her ass until Tai stepped out too, asking what the holdup was. He was just a fledgling priest back then, I think. Starry eyed and thinking Remnant was some beautiful place instead of the shithole it is."

"Summer alone we could've handled, so imagine our surprise when Tai joins the fight. Pissed Summer off, but he held his own. More than held his own even." Raven smiled seeing Ruby and Yang gawking at each other. "Dear old daddy leave that out, hm? He can fight, girls. Or he could, and damn well at that. Shocked the hell out of us too. Shit, he kicked Qrow's ass that day."

"Don't remind me…" Qrow grimaced.

"The short of it is the whole thing was a waste of time. Qrow lost and I barely beat Summer, but with Qrow down I couldn't exactly deal with Tai and hope to get anything, carry Qrow, and get away safely. So, we ran and returned to the tribe with nothing, like dogs with our tails tucked between our legs."

"And so, shit went on for a while. We did small hits, took what we could, and as a rule of thumb, avoided Church caravans like a damn plague. The tribe was hurting, and we needed a big score, something to help keep everyone fed for a while. Even though we wanted nothing to do with the Church anymore another tribe put us up to it, made a deal. If we could attack a certain caravan passing through their territory, drive it off and steal some of its goods, they'd share food with us. By that point people in the tribe were beginning to starve. We had a few newborns waste away to nothing." Raven closed her eyes and released a long sigh.

"So, we agreed. And wouldn't you know it? Summer was in that caravan too. We tried a different approach; follow it until they stopped for the night and attack them under the cover of dark. Woulda worked if Summer didn't somehow realize we were there. She was alone that time, no Tai, and she probably woulda fought us if we forced her to, but instead she tried to talk to us. Recruit us."

"Promised that she'd see about helping the tribe if we joined. Thought we were decent people despite being bandits," Qrow said, smiling fondly as he spoke. "She had a knack for that, seeing the best in people. Kinda like a certain brat I know," he added, winking at Ruby.

"It's called naivete, Qrow, or plain idiocy."

"She was right about Uncle Qrow," Yang chimed in. "Don't know what she saw in you though, Raven."

"Makes two of us. But," Raven continued on. "She made the offer. Come help the Church and in exchange they'll send supplies to the tribe. As a show of good faith, she even gave us a coffer from the caravan packed with Lien. Enough to buy us supplies for weeks. Can you imagine what that's like? You go from eating fucking leaves and grass to buying packages of cured meat, breads. We had enough to barter for new weapons, get clothes for some people -"

"You didn't have clothes?!" Weiss balked.

"We wore rags, kid. Whatever we could piece together," Qrow mused. "It ain't like you can go to a tailor and get stuff where we were from."

"Anyways, we took her offer. Took the money back to the tribe and talked to Griffon. Despite being two of the handful of capable fighters we had left he agreed with the idea. We'd go to the city and train to become Hunters, and in exchange the tribe would take money from them. At least until they were able to support themselves again. It all ended up being bullshit though. Summer couldn't get Ozpin to agree, no surprises there, but she still would send Lien their way to help. Qrow joined as an initiate…"

"And Rae started to work as a bodyguard for Tai," Qrow snickered.

"Because Tai could fight, the Church didn't feel bad sending him to more dangerous regions of the kingdom. And just because he could fight didn't mean he was invincible. Summer was busy, most Hunters were, so they had me work as his bodyguard."

"You said you had never been a hunter before," Weiss pointed out. "So, that was true? But you still joined the Church."

"I didn't join the Church any more than a town guard escorting a priest home did. They paid me, and between my coin and Summer's, as well as Qrow's, the tribe was able to support itself. It grew, even, and now and again I'd get to go back and check in on everyone." A warm smile that seemed out of place on Raven's face appeared. "It was nice. Kids were fed, people had proper tents. It wasn't such a bad arrangement, honestly."

"I'm sure sleeping with Tai was nice too," Qrow taunted.

All three girls grimaced at the idea while Raven threw an empty bottle at Qrow, sneering as he laughed and ducked.

"Shut up, you swine's ass!"

"I mean you made Yang, didn't you?" Qrow smiled at Yang, then snickered when she gagged. "Seriously though, it was nice. I was pretty good as a Hunter, enough that Ozpin started trusting me with more important jobs. Rae was keeping busy, had you, sunflower, and things seemed to be going pretty well."

"Not that this isn't all really interesting, a-and it is!" Ruby hastily added. "But… There's a point to this, right?"

"I'm getting there, brat. Seriously, you got somewhere to be?" Raven spread her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Look around you. We're hiding away in a skeleton town with the Church breathing down our necks. Besides, I figured you'd want to know more about your mother." Ruby acquiesced, slinking back in her seat and bowing her head.

"Sorry."

"Ozpin kept trying to recruit me. Tai was sent out less and less, spending more time on Patch and in the city, so I didn't need to keep an eye on him as much. I wanted nothing to do with being a Hunter though. If I joined then I couldn't visit the tribe anymore, and even though I had you, Yang, they were still family to me. We grew up with most of them, helped raise some of the kids there. I couldn't just leave them alone."

"You left Yang alone though," Qrow pointed out. "Hypocrite, much?"

"Yang had someone else to care for her, Qrow! Summer was a great mother, wasn't she? And you refused to go back to the tribe and help them!"

"Because what we were doing with them was wrong, Raven. We were hurting people."

"We were doing what we needed to in order to survive! And they were our family! How was I supposed to leave them to die? Maybe you were okay with that but I wasn't! No way in hells was I about to sit by idly and watch our people fade away to nothingness!"

Yang, trembling beside Ruby, blinked back tears. "You left me alone!"

"I left you with Summer! Was she a bad mother?" Yang glared through shimmering eyes. "I thought not. Griffon was dying and no one else was remotely capable enough to lead the tribe. I had to go back," Raven said. "I didn't want to leave the life I'd built, but what else could I do? Someone had to lead them, someone had to keep them safe. I'd gained skills since I'd left, I'd grown stronger. Strong enough that most of the tribes we faced were nothing to me."

"And it's not like Summer is totally innocent in all of this either! It wasn't long before she and Tai had you," Raven pointed angrily at Ruby. "A lot of good I was. He replaced me so easily, had a new child, and moved on within a year. You refused to come back with me, Qrow. My brother, the one person who I had always counted on to be at my side."

"The Church would have provided for us, Raven," Qrow argued.

"The tribe would have died without me!"

"Maybe they were better off dying then!" Qrow shouted back.

Flame kicked up under Raven's feet as she stomped towards Qrow, charring the floorboards in her wake. A hand trembled by one of her swords and veins in her neck pulsed, baring her teeth as she met her rising brother. "What did you say?!"

"The Branwen tribe are killers and thieves, Rae. We were better than that. You were better than that."

"They're our family!"

"You abandoned your family," Qrow pointed out.

"Brother, I'm going to let that slide because of our history. Because you're blood." Raven let go of her weapon and jabbed a finger into Qrow's chest. "But if you ever say that again then that means nothing, do you understand me? I won't hesitate to cut you down."

Raven's flames died down as her anger ebbed, slowly. Qrow nodded, silent, and held his hands up. Satisfied, or at the very least calm, Raven stepped away and growled, raking her fingers through her hair.

"Tai moved on. Summer took my husband, had a child. The tribe needed me and so I stayed with the tribe. Then, just as shit was starting to settle down again, Summer comes by. She never, in all the years we knew each other, ever came to the tribe personally. I figured she'd come to try and kill me or bring me back. Instead," Raven tilted her head back and stared up at the damp ceiling. "Instead she came to warn me. To tell me to try and get you out of the Church, Qrow."

"What?"

"She told me about magic," Raven went on. "Told me that Grimm were attracted to Hunters, to Magi. That the Church knew about it and kept pushing for magic to be used despite that fact. She had learned a lot about Wardens too. She learned that the process they underwent, the markings they were given, it changed them. It made them dangerous, prone to random attacks. Summer herself said that she sometimes felt like someone was watching her, reading her thoughts. It sounded like paranoid bullshit to me at the time, but she seemed certain. She didn't trust herself, kept saying she was afraid she'd hurt you two. She asked me…"

Raven chuckled bitterly and looked away, closing her eyes as her fists clenched at her sides. "She asked me to kill her. I refused. I hated her, but I wasn't about to kill her over what she'd done. I'd moved on." That was patently false. If Raven had moved on, Weiss mused, she wouldn't be still angry about it almost twenty years later. "When I refused to do that, she instead asked that I try to keep you two safe. I failed at that, obviously," she grumbled. "That was the last time I saw Summer. That any of us saw Summer."

"I don't know if she's alive anymore. But she knew that the Church wasn't all it appeared to be. She knew about magic, about Wardens, and I think she was trying to uncover more of the truth. So…" Raven smiled, a hollow, mirthless gesture. "I did what she asked me to, kind of. I couldn't bring myself to kill her but I had no problem with other Wardens. Other Hunters. Sure enough, I began realizing what she said about magic was true. I realized that the Church had to know too, and they used the bullshit excuse of 'negativity' to make everyone keel and obey, scaring everyone into fucking submission like beaten dogs!"

"That's that, then. You wanted to know everything? There it is. I left to save the tribe; Summer ran because of what she knew. She might be alive, she might be dead, I don't know. She's a stubborn bitch so I'd like to think she's survived - I have - but then I was never a Hunter. The Church is everywhere, and if they figured she knew something, something they couldn't hide, they'd have her killed."

The house creaked, floorboards groaning as Raven walked across them. As she sat on the table again it wobbled, legs straining to maintain their integrity. "So…" Raven folded one leg over the other, hands settling on her knee as she frowned. "Any questions?"

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 **Thank you, as always, for reading my little story among a sea of fics. That even one person enjoys my tale is beyond flattering and helps fuel me. Except the next entry, as usual, this coming Friday or the next. Until then, stay awesome and stay safe!**


	53. Chapter 53: Duty and Respite

**Hey there! I hope you wonderful folks like longer chapters. And a wee bit of overdue worldbuilding because uh, that's what you're getting.**

 **And on an unrelated, and far more serious note, please remember to be excellent to one another. There's a lot going in the world right now that kinda sucks, the US especially. It doesn't matter how you look or what your creed or orientation is. We're all people. Be kind to one another, will you? A little love goes a long way, friends!**

* * *

Raven presided over them with a grim satisfaction even as she scowled, arms crossed, removed from the rest of them. Had her story - the revelation of Summer Rose's involvement and her own past - earned her any sympathy? Not from Yang who continued to glower at the woman in the dim room, fervently scratching her blackened arm, leg bouncing as Ruby rubbed her sister's back to soothe her. Not from her brother either as Qrow had risen from his seat, staring down his sibling with a mask of barely restrained disdain.

"So," the bandit repeated. "Any questions?"

Qrow was the first to speak, having been antsier than Yang. "You could've told me all of this, Raven. Maybe then I would've listened to you."

"Would you have?" Raven quipped bitterly, dryly. "You refused to hear me out when I argued I had to save our tribe, our first family. You laughed in my face when I warned you that magic held a darker truth. After all of that would you have believed anything I said? Especially about your precious Summer?"

Qrow scoffed, clicking his tongue before traipsing away from the group. With one more passing glare at Raven he took out his flask and disappeared into the adjacent room.

"Most people don't like to hear the truth. Shakes up that little bubble we live in, makes the world scary. Turns out Remnant really is just a fucking mess," Raven grumbled. She shared a look with Yang and snorted. "Don't look at me like that. What would you rather I have done? Bring you with me to bandits? Summer was a good mother to you. You had Ruby, Tai, a good family."

"Summer didn't give birth to me." Yang's muted retort came out in a hiss, shoulders trembling from a storm of emotions. "It's not the same and you know it. You picked them over me."

"The entire tribe would have died -"

"Fuck them!" Yang shouted. Her voice echoed loudly in the dank house and Weiss cringed, shielding one of her ears. "Who cares if the tribe died? They're murderers and thieves! It's people like you that make us need Hunters and guards."

"Yang." Ruby grabbed her sister's hand. "They're still people."

"The Church is why we need Hunters. And perhaps you should consider who you're condemning before you pass judgment." Using her sheathed sword to gesture, Raven pointed towards the door outside. "The men just outside? Dishonored town guards exiled for refusing to accept a corrupt lord's demands. Vernal? Killed a man who raped her and was to be hung, had I not found her. I won't lie and say that every member of my tribe is some tragic soul. We've ransacked villages, we've killed, and we've stolen; whatever was necessary to survive," Raven acquiesced, stamping the ground with the hilt of her sword. "But, sometimes even good men are made to do evil in order to survive. And, sometimes evil men hide behind masks of righteousness, deceiving everyone around them as they grow fat from other people's sacrifices."

"I'm not claiming to be a saint, Yang, but at least I've been honest. Do you want to know why I've stepped in to save you?" A bitter smile returned to Raven's face, half marred by the oppressive shadows in the room, the other cast in a pale glow from the shuttered windows. "Because you are still my daughter. Because, believe it or not, I still wish to protect you."

"You let Merlot take me, then? Where were you when all of that started, huh?"

"What do you want, an apology? I'm sorry that happened but I can't change the past. I can't be everywhere at once, Yang." Raven took a breath, paused, then laid her sword across her lap. "Had you four not slain him I'd have done so myself, but I'd have taken my time with it. That bastard knew I was searching, knew I was onto him, but I couldn't do anything. He had you by the throat. I needed you to find your sister, to find Schnee," she nodded to Weiss. "Anyone else. And if I had to play the part of the villain? Fine."

Weiss couldn't decide what Raven was after by sharing all of this. Pity? Admiration? She certainly didn't feel the latter, and the former more on Yang's behalf than Raven's. Weiss didn't understand the idea of abandoning one's family. Granted, she recognized her unique position, disowned by her own as she was, yet that didn't change matters. If Raven cared, truly cared like she suggested, then she'd never have left to begin with. Why was she solely responsible for the tribe's survival?

"You shouldn't have left us," Ruby broke in. Sat forward and holding Yang to her side she sat a little taller, silver eyes piercing in the dark. "Yang looked for you, you know. Asked dad a lot when you'd come back. When mom died," she paused, shook her head, and swallowed audibly. "When mom _left_ we both expected you to come back. You coming back here isn't a good reason, it's an excuse."

"What would you have of me, then? To admit I was wrong? To say that I chose poorly?" Raven, rather than fold, bristled at the challenge. She rose from her seat and walked towards the girls, her sword swinging from her clenched fist. "There were children here as well, some without parents. You two had a family, you had Tai. Some of them had nothing. They all would have died if I hadn't come back, if someone hadn't gotten these fools' asses working again." She knelt before them, keeping a few feet of distance. Tossing her hair back, Raven set her sword on the floor between them and scowled. "I don't regret what I did. I may regret not making more of an effort to help you two, but these people yet live because of me. The people I've saved," Raven swept an arm outward. "Live now because I gave them a second lease on life. Don't like it? There's my sword."

It took Weiss a second, all of them, to realize what Raven was offering. Knelt before them with her hands in her lap the woman lowered her head and closed her eyes. Submission. Acceptance of whatever judgement they, or rather, Yang and Ruby placed upon her.

If she thought a gesture like that was welcome, then the bandit was even more of an idiot then Weiss had initially suspected.

Raven's sword clattered away, kicked by Yang's foot. Ruby kept her sibling from throwing herself at her mother, although they did fall to the floor in a heap of tangled limbs, Yang thrashing about as tears finally rolled down her cheeks.

"Don't. Don't you fucking dare!" Yang snapped, yelping as Ruby pulled her grasping hand from Raven's robe. "You don't get to play the victim here!"

"I'm not," Raven responded evenly, staring down the bridge of her nose at the sisters.

"You are. You've made this entire ordeal about you, in fact." Weiss inched closer to the trio, stopping well short when Raven's hand struck out like a coiled serpent and retrieved her sword. "You threw their lives into turmoil, abandoned a family you had, the one you started, for one you left." Bitterness crept into her voice and her throat tightened. "And now you think forcing a girl to kill her own mother is going to make things right?"

Not everyone got to choose their family. Hells, few did. For better or worse family was family, regardless of the relationship one had with them. No matter the distance between them Yang would always be Raven's daughter. Ruby would be Summer's, regardless of whether the woman yet lived. Family by blood, although Weiss acknowledged there was more than one kind of family. Her friends, Ironwood - although he was now dubious - and the Church.

She was still a Schnee despite her father's best attempts to erase her from that. Nothing could change that. Even if she were to die halfway across Remnant in a dark alley as he no doubt wanted, she would die a Schnee.

This wasn't about her though, and it certainly wasn't about Raven. No, this was about the two girls sitting on the floor and locked in an embrace, bodies shivering as they sought comfort not in a woman who at one time could have provided it, but each other. Betrayed, abandoned, lied to, they had no one but each other to count on.

"Weiss…"

Until Ruby lifted her head and smiled, a sobering, weary expression. She lifted her arm and Weiss only hesitated a fraction of a second before hurrying forward, ignoring Raven's distrustful glare as she knelt and leaned into the embrace. Yang hesitated, eased back, before wrapping her bandaged arm around Weiss' shoulders and pulling her in.

She couldn't pretend to know what Raven and Yang's relationship was like; she would be willing to bet neither woman knew what they were either, really. Her own family had abandoned her and any correspondence between her and them was painfully sparse. It was fine. She had family here now, embracing her. Despite no blood relation they considered her to be one of them, and she them. A Schnee without anything to her name could still give herself to her friends, couldn't she? Hadn't she already?

Weiss didn't know how long they sat like that, holding one another, her arm wrapped around Ruby's midsection and the other resting on Yang's shoulders. It was a warm embrace that she never wanted to end. An accepting one.

Even after what she'd done, even if she couldn't remember it, they still welcomed her. The warmth of that burned hotter than any flame that Yang could hope to conjure.

"Nice to see you've all made up."

And leave it to Raven to try and snuff that flame out. Lifting her head to glare at the older woman she scoffed, tossing her messy ponytail back. "You're obnoxious."

"And you're a threat," Raven shot back, rising to her feet and shrugging. "But clearly I'm alone in thinking that. Are we done here? I think I need to go vomit now."

"No, we're not done." Yang hugged Ruby closer before finally releasing her sister and rising to her feet. "We've still gotta talk, Raven. Just you and me."

"Fine. Later though, I'm exhausted from all this," she rolled her wrist and eyes. "Whatever this is."

Weiss joined her friends and rose, welcoming the comfort as Ruby took her hand. "Before you leave, there's one question I still need answered." She looked to Yang for permission. This was her mother, her ordeal. If anyone deserves answers from the woman it was her friend, not Weiss herself. Given a nod of approval Weiss smiled, grateful, then turned her attention back to Raven.

"You mentioned before that I was important, or you insinuated as much. Said that you needed me. Well, the Church, Ozpin, they've all but said the same before. Why? Is it because of my magic?"

While magic was abundant and Magi numerous there were only a few who could use runes. Fewer still were the families like the Schnee who had a lineage of rune wielders.

"Clearly, Wardens do not just maintain barriers. Some, those with my magic, may create them, but they're more akin to mercenaries than anything, I think." Weiss' free hand crept up to the mark on her neck. Cool, silent. The searing pain she'd felt before was absent. "You could have had any Warden capable of creating barriers if you needed runes. So, why me?"

"Because they _were_ Wardens, Schnee. Because in order to reveal what the Church does I need to be able to peel back the veil. Show them that their precious barriers are a lie, that Wardens can't be trusted. I'd hoped to get to you before they did." Raven used her sword and moved Weiss' fingers from her neck, tapped it with the sheath, then slung it across her shoulder. "The Church is quick to sink their fingers around anyone who can use runes, but it's those same people that can remove marks, disable barriers, and if our theory is right, the ones who can finally bring the Church to heel."

"'Our' theory?" Ruby repeated.

"You weren't the first choice, Schnee, but you were the only one we had left. Now that you've got that brand though I can't say I'm keen on working with you. I don't need someone who could snap at any moment."

"Weiss won't attack us again," Yang said. "We trust her, Raven. She trusts me with this thing inside me even though I could do the same thing."

"Weiss is my partner, and my best friend." Ruby smiled and Weiss tried to keep herself from becoming too overtly touched. A simple statement but one that made her chest fill with adoration. "We'll figure out what happened."

"And we'll help her get better, just like how she's going to help me. How she's helped Ruby."

Wait, she'd helped Ruby? Not that she wasn't flattered to hear as much but Weiss didn't know what Yang was referring to.

"Isn't that just adorable." Raven held a hand to her chest and smiled mockingly. "Seriously, keep this up and I really will be sick."

"We're not going to abandon each other," Yang went on. "And once we find Blake we're going to keep helping each other. You know why, mom?" She leaned in and smiled. "Because the four of us are _family_ , and because family doesn't leave each other. We've got the other's backs no matter what."

"Hopefully you realize that too someday," Ruby added. "There's no rule against having one family. Or against how big yours can get."

"Don't try to convince her, Ruby, you heard Raven. _Her_ family is here," Yang sneered. "She's right where she belongs, isn't that right?"

The muscle's in Raven's neck went taut, jaw clenching. The sword on her shoulder shifted and Weiss felt Ruby's hand grip hers just a little tighter and a tingling in her palm told her that magic was being readied. It wasn't necessary. With a disgruntled huff the bandit stormed towards the front door, throwing it open. The wood cracked as it slammed against the wall and the men outside jumped.

"You may spend as long as you need in Plockton to rest, but once you're better you are to leave. I'm through trying to justify myself to you ungracious brats. And when you do go, take your fool of an uncle with you!"

Weiss kept close as they watched Raven march away alone, the bandits lingering by the door just wise enough to know when to keep their distance. That, or too frightened to approach. They shared uneasy looks, peered into the building, then dispersed, heading in the clear opposite direction of their leader.

That had gone moderately well. They had gotten answers, fewer than they'd have liked, but still some. And while most of that had been posturing from a woman too proud to admit her mistakes they had learned some things of value.

Summer Rose was possibly alive. To know that and be given hope must have been the most heartening news Ruby had heard in years. Were it not for the bandit's abrasive nature and Yang's sheer disappointment at the woman who birthed her they might even be celebrating that fact now. It gave them something to work towards now, however; finding Summer Rose was important for more than just Ruby and Yang's happiness, although Weiss wouldn't discount that either. The woman knew things about the Church, maybe even Remnant itself, that few others would.

Weiss couldn't ignore the warnings any longer or write them off as mere coincidences. Ozpin and the Church were in the wrong, and as they shuffled towards the door, still linked hand in hand, she didn't feel nearly as lost as she perhaps should have. It meant Ironwood was likely her enemy, a fact that made her heart wrench painfully, but she wasn't alone. Ruby and Yang were with her. Blake too. Pyrrha, Jaune, Ren, Nora, and the other curious souls she'd met along the way.

She still had family, and unlike a certain obstinate woman she wasn't about to abandon them.

Glad to be rid of the musty, dark house, Weiss smiled as Ruby leaned against her, rolling her eyes when Yang slung an arm around both of their shoulders.

"Yang, are you, um…" She hated to ruin what felt like a nice moment. Friendship reaffirmed, together and without any impending crisis. _Gods I hope I didn't just jinx us._ Weiss looked past Ruby, giving an uneasy smile at Yang. "Are you going to be okay?"

Rather than play coy or crack a joke the blonde nodded, patting Weiss' shoulder. "Eventually, sure. Hard to be upset about what wasn't really there before, ya know?"

"It's okay to not be okay, Yang," Ruby said gently.

"I know, and I'm not. But I will be. Besides, I've got the two awesomest girls here with me, don't I? And we've finally got some fricken time to relax."

"In a town run by bandits," Weiss grumbled.

"Bandits that won't lay a finger on us if they know what's good for them. I say we go explore, find a place that doesn't totally suck, and have some fun."

That sounded like a wonderful idea. An afternoon without some grand conspiracy, attacks, or drama? Weiss dared to think such a thing was possible.

Qrow emerged from the house at last and passed them right by. To Weiss' confusion and disappointment Ruby slipped away from her side and hurried after her uncle.

"Uncle Qrow!" she called, hopping in place when he stopped for her. "Want to come explore with us? It's been ages since we've done something together!"

It pained Weiss to know what the answer was as soon as Qrow's face fell. She hated to see Ruby disappointed. The man rubbed the back of his neck and looked down the road before shaking his head. "Sorry, kiddo, but I've got stuff to do. Can't play right now."

"Don't tell me you're still trusting Ozpin," Yang drawled.

"Not exactly, no. I'm gonna go talk to Rae, see if I can't get more out of her. Besides, you heard her, didn't you?" Qrow held up a finger. "'Our theory', remember? Now, unless we're all expectin' that it's just her and the candlestick fella planning this stuff." A collective shake of their heads said not. "Right. If there's other people working on this stuff then I want to know who. And if she's so adamant about us lending a hand then we need to know who that is."

"If she tells you," Weiss pointed out. "She likely still assumes you're loyal to Ozpin."

Qrow raised an eyebrow, shrugged, and slouched as his hands slid into his pockets. "She can think whatever she wants. If he's messing with you girls then he's as good as the enemy, far as I'm concerned. And if Summer's still alive." He trailed off, lips drawing a thin line. His brow furrowed and he closed his eyes, shook his head, and started back down the road. "Go have fun, girls," he called back with a wave over the shoulder. "I'll catch up with ya later."

Which left the three of them on their own again. Ruby looked disappointed, sure, but Weiss was optimistic, for once, that she could help with that. _Assuming I don't have another 'episode' that is._

This time it was her who held her arm open, smiling invitingly as Ruby hurried back. After a quick hug between them she gestured towards the empty, cluttered road before them, lined with abandoned stalls, rickshaw carts, and buildings left in neglect. It wasn't the most picturesque of scenes but there was a certain serenity to it. A peaceful, calming silence that had been all too absent as of late.

"We still need to find Blake," Yang pointed out, folding her hands behind her head. "I know Raven said she'd do it but I don't exactly want to rely on her."

"We wouldn't even know where to begin looking though," Ruby said. She frowned, plucking at the drawstrings of her shirt. "I hope she's okay."

"We'll find her. And when we do the four of us will figure out what we're doing next. Needless to say, I'm beginning to think that we should spend a little time away from Vale." Weiss smiled at the surprised look on her friends' faces. "But we can cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, how about we try and actually relax for once?"

"Sounds good to me, Weissy!"

Ruby nodded, putting a skip to her step before whirling around, walking backwards and ahead of them. "Can we go swimming? Think there's water around that isn't completely gross?"

Swimming in a canal? Disgusting. A pond wasn't going to be much better between the algae, muck, and whatever was living inside of it. Despite herself Weiss offered a halfhearted sigh and shrugged.

"I suppose there's only one way to find out, isn't there?"

"Last one in the water is a Beowolf's arsehole!"

"Yang!" Ruby cried, turning back around and jogging after her sister. "That's disgusting!"

With a roll of her eyes Weiss began to quicken her pace, smiling as the sisters bickered and playfully swat at one another.

They were owed this by now and she planned on fully enjoying it.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Years of training, of practice and refinement, had enabled her to not just hide but live among the shadows. To the average pickpocket tailing a mark she was a veritable paragon of their art. Without magic she could still slip by guards unnoticed, slink into homes, infiltrate guarded outposts. Unless someone expected her, she was never caught, rarely seen leaving. Without magic to block her path there was little to keep her from a mark.

To sneak through a building was one thing. The way floorboards creaked underfoot meant understanding how to pace oneself, where to step for minimal sound, and how to swiftly hide if too much noise was made. Tiled floors squeaked; dirt floors kicked up dirt. Understanding how to mitigate the noises around you was a painstaking endeavor unto itself.

Prowling through the forest wasn't much easier. Leaves rustled; branches snapped. Take to the trees and limbs would flex and creak not unlike floorboards, signaling your approach. The forest floor, blanketed by leaves and debris, was as safe as walking over shattered glass.

It took a special, excruciating kind of patience and deftness of movement to maintain your concealment.

Ahead, her target moved again. Taking a quick survey of its surroundings the creature slinked through the forest, twisting its body to avoid briars and jutting limbs. Blake waited, counted. Through the foliage she watched and held her breath, let her mark disappear, then held still longer. Once she was positive she'd go undetected she slipped from the bush, stepped over a fallen, molding log, and padded along the forest floor.

As intense as the midafternoon sun might be there was precious little light reaching through the canopies above. Intermittent bursts of light kept the forest from being completely dark. Wind caused leaves to shift, making shadows dance and the light shift, threatening to expose her.

At the base of a pine tree she pressed herself against the trunk and dropped into a squat, pulling her scarf up to cover her mouth and nose. Muffle the sound of her breathing. More than sight, sound would give her away. Animals that lived in the forest knew to listen for irregularities. Crackling leaves. Labored breathing. The gentle hiss of a blade pulled from a sheathe.

Her dagger slid soundlessly from the cloth belt. A blade black as her mane glistened in the poorly light. Testing its edge on a leaf she smiled as it sliced through with ease, no pressure needed. The tip punctured the bark without much force.

One strike. Either to kill or cripple, although the latter meant things would become messy quickly. Injured marks often fought back or fled. Either was going to be inconvenient.

The mark was just ahead now, bent over in a patch of grass. Water dripped from the low hanging leaves of a red maple. Distracted, if only momentarily.

Blake eased herself around the tree. One of the animal's ears swiveled, its head turning to follow. Black eyes stared into the brush, body tensing in anticipation. Dropping to one knee she held her breath again and waited, determined not to ruin things now. For an agonizing time it stared out, not seeing her but not content to look away either. Then, after her calf began to ache from crouching, the deer finally looked away and resumed its grazing.

The dagger left her hand in an instant, whistling as it hurtled towards the deer's neck. Flesh offered little resistance to such a sharp edge. The doe, not recognizing it had been injured, bleated and kicked its legs. Its head snapped to the side and blood oozed from the wound on its side. weakened, it tried to run and flee, legs giving way as its body collapsed in on itself.

The doe had little hope of escaping. With her dagger digging into its side Blake pounced on it in an instant. While the animal writhed beneath her, legs kicking in a desperate bid to knock her away, another dagger was driven into its chest. Gradually the fight left the animal. Breaths became ragged and the body beneath her grew still. Black eyes, more intelligent than most people cared to admit, looked up at her, before the doe laid its head down and shuddered.

"I'm sorry." Blake pulled her daggers free and remained atop the deer, flicking blood away before sheathing them. "I promise you won't go to waste."

Little consolation for a life being snuffed out. Pretty words meant nothing to a dying animal - less so to a person - but she had to offer them. Hunting frivolously had never been something she'd done. Nature supported them. Nature would be on Remnant long after she passed on. Long after mankind and Faunus erased one another in their war, after Grimm wiped them out, whatever came first.

Some good had come out of being in the White Fang. She'd learn to revere the world that supported them, appreciate all it provided. On the whims of the world they would flourish or perish. And unlike a king's mind which could be swayed with reason, or bribery, the world didn't care for a speech or sentiments. You, and the animals within Remnant, lived and died with little cause.

Shadow swallowed the deer and the body was ferried away, transported in an instant. As much as she'd have liked to send herself along too she hesitated. Magic attracted Grimm. Far as she was from the hut there was no reason they would attack Avery and Ilia but still she waited. On the damp forest ground, she sat, closed her eyes, and listened.

The deer hadn't woken that morning and expected to become someone's meal. Blake refused to be caught so unaware.

So, she bid her time. Alone in the forest and eager to feast she sat instead on decaying fauna, ears flicking and swiveling at the slightest of sounds. She batted at the occasional mosquito or fly, cracked an eye open to track a squirrel as it raced through the underbrush, but otherwise she remained still.

In no way would she repay kindness by delivering Grimm to Avery's doorstep. If any lingered nearby she would deal with them here and now.

An hour passed. No howling, no black silhouettes prowling through the forest. Nursing her dry throat with crisp water from her canteen Blake collected herself and began making her way back to the hut. General direction was enough. The markings she'd left on trees served no purpose but to signal she was going the right way. The pattern she left zigzagged, the marks changing from simple slashes to multiple pronged cuts, like a wagon wheel. No one else would follow them and find the hut. She'd made certain of that.

By the time she returned Avery was already well on her way to preparing the doe. A bloodied hide hung from a low post and the creature had been cut apart, a bloodied cleaver resting beside a small basin. Innards sat in the basin and even from the edge of the property Blake could smell them, ripe in the hot sun.

Ilia waved and she returned it, smiling as she went to help by the fire. Avery, without looking up from her bloody work, pointed towards a small table beside her home. "Flank is over there. Carve it up so we can put it in a stew."

That was the way they handled things. Either Blake or Avery went out to hunt. If she were honest, she preferred going; her magic made transporting larger kills easy. Given the choice between fresh venison and a few rodents it was a brainless choice.

With practiced ease she went to work. Opal would be proud of how swiftly she cut apart the meat, how uniform the cuts were. Blake dared to think she could give the elderly woman a run for her money now. _She knows how to make more than just a simple stew._ She felt a somber smile appear and her ears folded back, shaking her head slowly. _She'd outcook anyone in the Fang and you know it._

How was Opal doing, she wondered. Or Brienne? Ilia was safe but their friends still remained under Adam's watch. Saving them now would be all but impossible.

Blake set aside the bloody femur bone, still wrapped in sinew, tendons dangling limply. Not much meat to be had on the leg.

Borderline impossible but she'd still try.

Preparing meat for them was an easy task. While Ilia shucked herbs and tore them into edible pieces Avery finished preparing the deer. "Most of this will sell at a market," she explained, heaving a dripping steak from the carcass. "We only need so much, and I've got to make a living. Hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," Blake said. "So long as we eat, I'm fine."

"Good." Avery smiled, handed the steak to Blake and began cutting again. "There's a box behind the house filled with salt. Set it in there for now, bury it if you can. After that you can take the basin and go dump it away from the house." She glanced up and her smile turned teasing. "Unless you'd like to eat stomach?"

"Tempting, but no. Ilia?"

Ilia grimaced, shuddered, and waved a handful of thyme. "Get rid of it!"

Only too glad to be rid of the putrid organs Blake grabbed the basin and held it at arm's length, burying her nose in her shoulder as she carried it away. Flies already swarmed the entrails and they no doubt crawled with smaller, unseen insects. Once she was a good way from the hut she set the container down and flipped it, wrinkling her nose as the contents wetly slopped out. Dragging the now dripping basin behind her she hurried back to the hut, stomach growling audibly seeing the stew being prepared.

After washing up in a nearby stream they settled in and ate. Ilia from the shadow of the hut - she was still concussed, albeit improving - and Blake and Avery sat comfortably by the dying embers of the fire.

The stew was simple but satisfying. Chunks of venison seared to a golden brown mixed with thyme, rosemary, and sage. Chunks of potato helped make the stew heavier. All taken from the bountiful forest. It wasn't the "professionally" prepared meals that the Church provided its Hunters and somehow that made it all the better. They'd made the meal themselves. Foraged and hunted. Knowing they put the effort in made it taste all the better. After one bowl Blake helped herself to another, helping Ilia get seconds, and smiling bashfully as Avery held her own bowl out expectantly.

They ate in comfortable silence. Once the clay pot was all but empty they relaxed, bellies full and the day waning on. By now the sun was beginning to descend, turning treetops a brilliant orange as its light worked harder to spill over them, like desperate fingers clawing for purchase on rock.

She would love nothing more than to sleep now. Between the meal, the warm sun, and the relative feeling of comfort, Blake felt her eyes begging to close. Ilia looked just as ready as she leaned against the hut, arms folded as she fought to keep her head up.

A lingering question kept her from laying down then and there. Helping Avery collect their bowls she set them on the same table she'd prepared the meal, waiting for the huntress to bury the fire before speaking.

"If you don't mind my asking," Blake began. "Why help us?"

Avery knelt and dipped the bowls in a bucket of water. Grease and scraps of food washed off, floating to the surface and congealing. "Why not?" she asked simply.

"We're complete strangers. We could be dangerous to you." _We are dangerous to you._

They had filled Avery in as much as was reasonable and she knew what housing them meant. Yet still she insisted on hosting them.

"Could be. You could have slit my throat in my sleep too."

"Then why help us?" Blake said. She accepted a clean bowl and handed over another. "Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for what you've done for us, but I don't get why you did. Experience tells me people don't exactly help someone without something to gain from it."

Snorting, Avery smirked up at her. "That's a bit cynical, don't you think?"

"Not cynical if it's true."

The White Fang brought her up to use her. Adam took care of her, helped to provide for her, because she could serve as his personal assassin. The Church accepted her because she was an instrument to attack Merlot with. Her friends - Pyrrha, Jaune, Ren and Nora - attacked her. While they hadn't done the same as of yet Blake expected Weiss and the others would turn on her too.

Avery would have to forgive her if she was skeptical. The woman hadn't done anything to warrant suspicion, beyond saving them anyways, and yet she hadn't felt totally at ease the whole time.

"Avery." Setting aside the last cleaned bowl, Blake reached out, thought better of it, and placed her hand to her chest instead. "If there's something else going on then tell us, please?"

Again, she was given a smile in reply. Yet even with how new they were to one another Blake could tell it was of. Guarded. "I can't just help someone out of the kindness of my heart?"

"We can leave if you're hiding something. We won't forget your kindness -"

"It's not like that. I mean, yes, there's more to it, but it's nothing you have to worry about." Then why not say something? Avery began to walk away and she followed, keeping close. Sighing, Avery stopped and turned, holding her hands up. "Does it matter why I helped? I just did. Can't we leave it at that?"

Avery shuffled her feet, rubbing her arm as she looked away. There was something more to this, obviously, but maybe she was just being paranoid. If Avery had wanted to harm them then she'd have done so already. She wouldn't nurse them back to health just to try and betray them, no one was that stupid. Yet the woman refused to speak about it.

 _You're being paranoid. She's not the enemy._

 _Just like how your friends weren't. Or the White Fang?_

 _You were right about the Church._

 _One for three. Great track record._

"Blake?"

"Hm?"

"You kind of zoned out there," Avery said. "You okay?"

She nodded. Fine, aside from her mind catastrophizing everything. Maybe this was genuinely just someone being helpful. It stood to reason that not everyone on Remnant was a manipulator.

"Fine," she said, offering a small smile. "Sorry for pestering you. Whatever your reasons are, they're your own." She bowed her head. "Thank you for helping us again. I don't know what we'd have done otherwise."

A gentle bap on her head made her flinch, ears perking up. "Cut that out, I don't want anyone groveling to me," Avery teased, then thumbed over her shoulder. "If you want to make it up to me then go dump the water and bring back some fresh stuff. I'm not bathing in leftover stew, are you?"

She hadn't planned on it, no. Collecting the bucket she watched Avery help Ilia back inside the hut to rest, sharing a smile with the woman before she started her descent down to the river.

She was still concerned, unnecessarily so maybe, but she couldn't ignore the kindness done for them either. No Hunters or Wardens had arrived in the two days since they'd been rescued, no Grimm. Avery wasn't going to betray them.

And, if the gods were so kind, neither would Weiss and the others. Barring living with the huntress from now on, an arrangement she was sure none of them exactly wanted, the best course of action would be to find her friends.

Blake dumped the dirty water into the river and watched the oil, shining atop the crystal flow, disappear downstream. After rinsing the bucket out she filled it again, pausing briefly to sit on the rocky shore and relax. The gentle trickling of the water as it sloshed against rocks and slipped through reeds was comforting. Birds nearby called out, their songs merry and cheerful, high notes falling to a dulcet warbling. With the sun kissing her face she tilted her head back and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

Finding the others was going to be a nightmare. That would be future Blake's problem. Now? Ilia needed to recover, and while she did Blake would continue helping out as much as possible.

After everything, even with uncertainty on her mind, their cooperation, hers and Avery's, felt like a long overdue respite from the chaos that had been her life as of late.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Vale City had not begun as the sprawling, glorious bastion of humanity. It's beginnings were far more humbles, as they often were, created in a last ditch effort to prevent mankind from falling to the Grimm.

Years past, generations ago, Humans and Faunus both struggled against the Grimm. Magic, as the writings went, was more primordial, more unwieldy. Magi were far and few between and as such humanity relied on steel to beat back the fell beasts. It was a losing battle. There is a reason that the Church existed now and commanded so much respect. Regardless of one's opinion on it, on its masters, no one could deny the stability which the organization brought to Remnant.

Yet the Church was only a century old, formally, and ages long since gone experienced untold terrors. Magic was unruly, flesh and bone the only weapon to stand against Grimm. People who thought Remnant was dangerous now were ignorant, misguided, or peddling lies. Much of the history prior to the Church of Remnant's creation was obfuscated or warped, manipulated to paint a decidedly rosier picture of the world. Elevate Magi, create a fervent, borderline fanatical reverence of magic. If only people knew just how dangerous magic truly was back then. How magic itself had nearly brought humanity to ruin long before the Grimm ever did.

Wheels rocked as they rolled down a cobbled road and the carriage shook, axels creaking as the vehicle plodded along. Through the thin curtains Hazel watched as the merchant's district gave way to that of nobility. Cluttered buildings grew further and further apart, the pedestrians fewer in number. The road evened out, build from carved pavers, and those who walked the roads wore attire that clearly set them apart. Regal doublets, flowing multi-layered gowns, pleated skirts. Many men and women wore houpleands with billowing sleeves, family crests embroidered on the breast. They carried themselves with dignity, not a speck of dirt beneath their fingernails.

Likely not a hard day's labor in their lifetime either.

Ironic that it was the selfsame class that had saved Remnant all those years ago.

Magic had been risky, although not entirely unreliable. Many could use it but few could command it effectively. Those who could often were held in the highest regard, elevated to positions of social prominence. Wise men and women who helped lead humanity back from the brink.

Hazel drew the curtains opened, nodding to a passing nobleman as they waved. He didn't know their name - he rarely knew any of them - but they recognized his armor and what it meant. For that alone they treated him highly.

Just as those in the Commandery commanded respect so too had the nobles. Capable Magi, they settled in defensible lands with those who followed and created the earliest settlements. Some survived, many more perished. Vale City was one of the former.

With a single capable Magi to guide them the people not only held off the Grimm but flourished. First a village formed, then a town. When the numbers grew a fortress was erected, knights were trained, and the small settlement began to grow and become something greater. Within a single generation the city became a beacon of hope to anyone seeking respite from the Grimm horde. The city had many heroes, many whose names would be recorded in the annals of history, but one stood out among the rest.

Hrogar Caines.

One of the most powerful Magi that Remnant had ever seen and the first ruler of their fair kingdom. Under his guidance and with the aid of a handful of other powerful Magi the city was formed. A small fortress grew into a grand castle, towering over the rest of the city below.

Uphill the cart went. They passed by several others moving past, a procession of priests and their armed escorts. Finely trimmed bushes flanked the roads, breaking occasionally for a stone path that led to the wealthiest of residences in the kingdom. Here, flags flew proudly, fluttering in the wind as they brandished their family's crests for any passerby to see. The families here could trace their lineage back to those few Magi who stood with the first king and helped establish Vale as one of Remnant's four great dominions. As impressive as those homes might be, each large enough to house twenty families within their walls, they all paled in comparison to the castle.

Edos' Cradle loomed ahead at the head of the road. Rather, its walls did, the first of three which separated the castle from the city at large. Vestiges of times long past more than a necessary precaution nowadays each wall was thirty feet thick and sported towers twice the wall's own height. Even now, as his carriage moved along the road, Hazel could make out the guards patrolling the walls. Some would be Magi, many his own men, while others were simply royal guards.

Beyond the gray walls, beyond the moats and the drawbridges, stood the castle itself. A creation of manpower and magic both it stood as it had nearly five hundred years past, a symbol of humanity's determination to not just survive but thrive.

Despite all of his trips to it Hazel felt a familiar swell of pride in his breast.

As the legends went the gods had a hand in building the monumental structure. Ralthor burned the bricks in his kiln, scorching them and leaving them burned red, like metal fresh from the forge. The stained windows which adorned most of the windows, many depicting historical events or figures, were masterpieces from Lummaire, goddess of ice, meticulously crafted by hand by her faithful in honor of the king. Genrei worked the mountain itself which overlooked Forever Fall, creating a perfectly level peak for the castle itself to sit upon. And Edea, in her benevolence, made the trees which provided a natural beauty to the castle tower above all others, their twisting limbs reaching heavensward. The fields of flowers beyond the castle walls were her doing as well, a touching if frivolous showing, a reminder that life here was safe.

Hazel raised a hand as his carriage stopped at the first gatehouse. Two of the kings' guards approached, wearing hauberks beneath leather vests, dyed green with golden twin axes within a laurel wreath crossed along the back, the kingdom's insignia. The men acknowledged him with little more than a nod. A call was made and with a near silent churn the first of the gates lifted.

The reality of the castle's origins were far more mundane than local folklore would have one believe. Countless craftsmen from the kingdom over were brought in to create the bricks and glass. The land itself was ideal to begin with - elevated, defensible, with no fear of being attacked thanks to the cliffs behind the castle. Magic helped, surely, but it was man, not the gods, who created the kingdom's crowning jewel.

And what a jewel it was. Between the first two walls were groves of trees, preened and cut unto uniform shape. Workers toiled here even now to maintain the land, some two hundred feet between the outer and second most wall. Other carriages loitered here to wait for an audience with the king or one of his advisors. They would continue to wait as his own vehicle moved past the processions, waved along by common guards.

Within the second wall were smaller homes. Stone and wooden roofs, the homes here served many of the king's servants. A peculiarity among nobility but one that the original king had insisted upon. Despite the castle's scale and sheer size only a few of those who worked within its walls actually lived there. The rest took up residence in Edea's Breath.

Yet another pretentious name given to what was otherwise just an upscale servant's quarters. Although Hazel supposed he had to commend the king's family for treating its loyal servants better than most others. How many attendants could boast owning their own homes? To serve the king was not just a duty but a blessing.

In his younger days, when he had more time, Hazel rather liked to roam the streets which circled around the castle's inner wall. Those who worked for the crown were often of the kinder variety, hardworking and honest. Considering all their needs were met - food, housing, clothing, not to mention modest stipends - it was no surprise that some families had spent generations serving the king.

Now he hadn't the time nor the inclination to visit. The people here regarded him as something larger than he was. Nobles were polite, almost gratingly so, but the servants thought of him and those of similar rank as paragons. He'd take the artificial graciousness of nobility over the fervent clamor of the servants any day.

Passing through the final gatehouse he was at last granted access to the castle's courtyard. At the end of the road his carriage finally came to a stop, his driver, much to his chagrin, stepped down from the front and opened the door, holding it for him to emerge. Nevermind that he was twice the man's size and at least half his age; he was perfectly capable of opening a door himself. Nonetheless, Hazel uttered his thanks and stepped out, the vehicle rocking as he dismounted, wheels creaking in relief, glad to be rid of his weight.

"I shall wait out here until you are finished, my lord," his driver said. "Should you require me to stay longer I have been given leave to make use of a room on the premises. Please, do not hesitate to inform me if there is anything more I can do."

"Thank you. I don't believe I will be long, however."

He certainly hoped not. Long meetings with the king rarely amounted to anything good, and personal summons even less so. Busy as he was with his duties only the direst of events compelled His Majesty to bring him to the capital. The last time he'd been brought in, Merlot had been running rampant. And the time before that? A city's barrier had failed, and they had needed to prepare for refugees and to defend Vindemia, both of which had been gargantuan undertakings.

"Gods willing the kingdom isn't on fire."

Twin fountains flanked the walkway leading up to a set of granite steps. Marble white as fresh snow spilled water from them, each shaped in the image of Hrogar himself. On the right the first king stood over the back of a fallen Beowolf, sword held aloft as water spilled from the beast's mouth. Flowerbeds enclosed the fountains with stone paths allowing entry; yellow tulips, violet irises, and pink camellias. Lethargic bluebells and bombastic bougainvilleas swayed silently, filling the air with a concoction of scents.

The fountain on the right depicted the king hand-in-hand with a servant. The 'King of the People' as he was affectionately referred to as. Always making time for the citizens of the city, of anyone within his kingdom if time could be made. A more ideal ruler there was not. Rumor had it that the king had died from overworking himself, tending to too many of his subjects.

It was a trait that his family seemed to maintain all these years later.

Climbing the steps to the front door he grabbed the knocker, an iron Beowolf head, and knocked three times. Beyond the thick doors he couldn't hear much beyond the echoing thud, and none of servants working in the gardens moved to assist him.

So, Hazel waited. Clad head to toe in his decorative armor he stood patiently, shifting his weight and rubbing at his broad chin. Gilded gold, the High Commander's armor had been refitted for him upon his promotion. It was heavy even by his standards, cumbersome, and wholly impractical for combat. Yet custom dictated that he wore it when in the king's presence, bothersome as it was.

Thankfully he didn't need to wait long. Within minutes the door opened, and a familiar young woman greeted him, offering a polite smile that Hazel returned easily.

"Ah, Lord Commander!" So many titles. Perhaps once he found the time for it he'd reduce them, just a bit. At least to a point where he didn't have to second guess if it was him that was being spoken to or someone else. "So glad that you've arrived," the woman said as she pushed the door open further. Hazel pressed his hand against it and helped. "My thanks. I trust the journey here wasn't too difficult?"

"Not at all. A little stuffy," Hazel admitted. "But hardly unpleasant. It is good to see you again, Gretchen."

"And you, dear brother." He knew it was coming and Hazel still almost fell back when Grentchen threw herself at him. An awkward hug was shared, and she laughed, kissing his cheek before stepping back. "You look uncomfortable, brother. Must you always wear that armor when you visit?"

"I do when His Majesty wishes to see me. Customs."

"Bah." Gretchen waved a hand dismissively and waved him in, waiting for the door to close before leading him away. "You and your droll customs. Who is going to punish you if you don't wear that?"

"It's tradition," Hazel said. "My comfort is less important than following the precedent set by my forebears. As High Commander I represent not only myself but the entirety of Vale's Commandery. If I showed up looking like a common knight -"

"As if anyone would mistake you for a common knight! You're here often enough that the staff know who you are, brother. Not to mention you clearly have better hygiene practices than some of our own." Grentchen's face pinched and she waved in front of her face.

It was probably a bad idea to mention he hadn't had a proper bath in over a week. Worse still was how long he sometimes went without washing whatsoever. Not by choice but because work kept him far too busy to fret over something so frivolous. Deciding it was better to keep that secret to himself Hazel merely nodded, smiling to himself as they walked along.

Per usual the castle itself was abuzz with activity. Servants hurried about their daily duties, cleaning and maintaining the rooms and halls, greeting visitors. Some rushed by to deliver meals or help transport documents or goods brought in for storage. With his cumbersome armor Hazel had to press against the walls more than once to allow people to pass by, each time earning a teasing smile from his younger sibling, as if to say 'I told you so.'

" _Believe me, dear sister, I'm no more a fan of this armor than you."_

While the castle itself still managed to captivate him to this day the interior was nowhere near as breathtaking. Paintings of former kings and nobles, tapestries, vintage weapons, all that and more adorned the walls as they passed through the hallways. To him it was no different than the countless homes of nobility he had visited over the years, just on a larger scale. He had long since stopped paying them little mind and instead listened to Gretchen's excitable chatter as they made their way to the innermost reaches.

She had been, unsurprisingly, rather busy as of late. Most servants were but few held quite the same duties as Gretchen. Behind the bright, innocent, freckled face of his sister was a shrewd woman whose insight had earned her a place in the king's retinue. It helped that she was familiar in high places - him - but Hazel was positive she'd earned the right on her own.

He couldn't be prouder. Although the particulars of her duties eluded even him she clearly did her job well, maintaining her position for the last twelve years. She might dress like any other servant, roam the halls like the rest, but Hazel knew she was so much more than that.

"And then I needed to visit Lord Hammond in Gordes. Do you know what he said to me?!"

Hazel blinked, looking at the back of his sister and clearing his throat. "Sorry, did you say something?"

"Hazel! You're the worst!" Gretchen stopped and slapped his chest. "Ack, damn you!"

"I didn't make you slap plate mail," he tutted.

"You're wearing it! I can't smack you like that!" Was that supposed to be an incentive for him to remove the armor? Gretchen huffed, continuing down the hall as she shook out her hand. "It doesn't matter anyways. He folded when I told him His Majesty personally sent me."

"Hm. You mean to tell me he was not afraid of a little girl?"

"I'm almost thirty! And I am not little, Hazel. You're just freakishly big!"

"I prefer to think I'm sturdy," Hazel laughed.

"You're a jerk!" He laughed again, patting Gretchen's back when she growled.

Together they arrived at the king's hall. Past visitations told him the room which lay beyond the twin oak doors was spacious, bright thanks to tall arched open-air windows, and decorated with all manner of memorabilia; old suits of armor polished to look new, a dozen of Vale's banners hanging from the vaulted ceiling, and at the head of the throne room were the king and queen's thrones. The guards at the door stood at attention at once, saluted, yet neither moved to open the doors for them.

"I need to tell you something before we go in, Hazel. You're not the only one here today," Gretchen warned.

"Who else is visiting? Don't tell me I'll be meeting with some haughty aristocrats. I'm not sure I've the patience for them today."

"Not quite, although I'd prefer them if I'm honest." Gretchen crept closer and rose onto her toes, cupping a hand by her mouth. "It's the Church. His Majesty wants to talk about you-know-what, and the Church sent someone as a representative. I tried to convince him to keep them out…"

"But doing so would be seen as a sleight and arouse suspicion." Hazel rolled his eyes, then groaned, rubbing at his face. "Wonderful. Do you know who it is? Who can I expect inside?"

Gretchen shook her head. "I've never met her before. She's…" His sister paused, frowned. "Weird. Be careful what you say."

"That goes without saying, sister. Thank you for your help."

Someone from the Church? Was he to deal with a Hunter or Warden then? Assuming they were here about events in Galloway, and there really was little other reason for their visit, he'd have to assume the latter.

Fantastic. He'd always hated the robed bastards more than the rest.

"Edos help me." Sighing, Hazel placed his hands on the great doors and pushed, stepping through as they swung open. Natural light spilled into the foyer and he stopped in the doorway, frowning as the king and his visitor stopped their conversation. The former moved from the table and smiled, spreading his arms in greeting as he approached.

"Hazel, so good to see you. Were it more under auspicious circumstances."

Not just a courtesy call then. Hazel's eyes drifted from the king to the woman at the table. Not one he knew, which was troubling. He liked to think he knew everyone the Church employed, everyone they kept among their ranks. Not her, however.

 _Just who are you?_

/+/+/+/+/+/

Blake squinted through the dim light, brushing her bangs from her eyes as she gave her eyes a second to adjust. Ilia continued to sleep undisturbed in the lone bed inside of the hut. Avery, the gracious hostess she had been, allowed her friend to continue sleeping there until she'd recovered. Herself and Blake had made use of two chairs. Crude, but suitable enough.

Her own chair squeaked as she shifted, peeling off her blanket and glancing around the small space.

Where was Avery?

Silent as can be she stood, setting the blanket over her chair and creeping over to the round dining table. Her daggers were still there, bound inside of her belt. Not stolen then, although that didn't keep her mind from jumping to conclusions.

Avery had been nothing but helpful since they were found. Nursed back to health, fed, and given shelter when they didn't deserve it, the woman had displayed a level of altruism that she hadn't really seen before. While Blake supposed people could be good for the sake of good itself - Ruby came to mind - she counted that as an exception, not the rule.

It left her feeling disgusting as she strapped her weapons to her waist, pulling up her scarf and slipping out of the hut. She had no reason to think Avery meant them harm yet her mind refused to let her believe otherwise.

Why else would she slip out at night unannounced? Why take them in for no apparent reason? Even after they came clean about who they were she still agreed to keep them housed and fed.

People didn't just do that. Something more was at play; she was sure of it.

Blake scoured the immediate area around the hut. She checked the table where they had prepared their meal earlier in the day, behind the house where Avery had created a small herb garden. She wasn't among the drying racks where hides hung, stripped bare and ready for sale. Nor was Avery anywhere in the clearing surrounding the hut itself.

Above, the moon burned bright, its light uninhibited by any clouds. A sea of stars lit up the sky and turned Vale's countryside a washed out, paler version of itself. Grass which was vibrant green by day now resembled a sickly, paler shade, glistening with moisture. Trees stood in shadow and only the very tops of them were visible, the rest cloaked in darkness. Even with her enhanced vision Blake couldn't hope to spot Avery among them. Nor could her ears discern anything beyond the chirping of crickets, the gentle rustling of leaves on the wind, or the occasional call of a nocturnal animal.

Where else could she have gone? As her nerves continued to harry her she left the hut behind and treaded one of two paths leading away from the home. Oak trees, thick enough that her arms couldn't hope to wrap around them fully, were replaced with spindly birches. The ground sloped away from her and she could see more with the sparser foliage above.

A snake ran from her as she walked down the path, its slender body writhing beneath fallen leaves. She stepped over roots that sprouted out of the packed earth, reaching out to catch herself on a nearby tree as rocks under her boots rolled, nearly causing her to slip.

Down she went, following the twisting path. Running water reached her ears long before she saw it. The gentle lap of the river against the banks and the more resounding crash as it slapped against stones, sloshing over them and spilling over the backs. The ground grew softer and Blake used what precious little moonlight there was to navigate the sodden ground, avoiding divots and finding more solid footing. The trees thinned further, and she was able to see the river now, a moving, pearlescent body, like a larger serpent made of gemstone carving its way through the land, twisting and turning.

If Avery had gone into the forests then finding her wouldn't just be difficult, it would be foolish. Grimm could be prowling, or Hunters. Honestly, even coming here to the river was an idiotic thing to do.

Blake knew she wouldn't be able to sleep without knowing where Avery had gone. If there was something more to their hostess, then she needed to know. If they were in imminent danger as she feared then she needed to take Ilia, recovered or not, and leave.

Keeping to the tree line she moved along the riverbanks, ears swiveling any time she heard anything besides the running water, amber eyes piercing the veil of darkness.

 _What if she's made a deal with the Church? With Adam? She knows who we are now so she'd be able to find someone. We were such idiots to reveal ourselves!_ She had wanted to trust Avery, desperate for kinship after the betrayal she'd experienced. In what she could only consider an influence of Ruby she'd divulged her identity to a total stranger, trusting Avery not to betray them.

 _Except you don't trust her. You wouldn't be out here in the middle of the night searching if you did._

Blake stopped. What she thought was a rock in the middle of the river moved, just barely. On reflex one of her hands inched towards a dagger as she kept her eyes on the silhouette, straining to make out who, or what it was.

Grimm? A Hunter? Something else entirely?

Avery. She felt idiotic when the moonlight caught the woman and illuminated her. Blake felt her cheeks grow warm and she closed her eyes, smacked her forehead and cursed at herself.

Avery hadn't bathed earlier with her and Ilia. She'd claimed to be embarrassed, which was fair; she and Ilia were complete strangers. Nothing wrong with a little modesty. And here she was skulking around in the dark while Avery tried to enjoy some much deserved private time.

 _You idiot._ Blake almost wanted to laugh at herself. Shaking her head she ran a hand through her hair, sighed, and started back towards the trail. She was hardly a voyeur and Avery was owed at least a little time to herself after all she'd done.

Instead of going back however Blake paused, glancing back one last time. She should stay if only to guarantee Avery's safety, right? Grimm could still show up and the woman wasn't a Magi and likely didn't have her bow with her. She'd be completely defenseless if something were to attack her.

Avery moved downstream, oblivious to Blake's presence. For a moment she dove under water and Blake inched back into the trees, ashamed to be watching and dreading being spotted. She'd stay for a while, just long enough to ensure Avery's wellbeing.

She had no intention of watching Avery, yet when the woman resurfaced Blake found herself unable to look away. It wasn't because the woman was immensely beautiful and she had suddenly become enraptured. Nor was it because she thought Avery might be in any kind of danger.

The woman turned and lifted her hair from her back and that's when Blake saw them. Right by Avery's shoulder blades were two blackened stumps, hardly discernible if not for the moonlight and the woman's comparatively pale skin. A few feathers hung from the stumps, useless and drenched.

"Oh."

* * *

 **Thanks once again for reading, you lovely folks!**


	54. Chapter 54: A Fresh Start

**Le gasp, I am a day late! Forgiveness, readers. I have failed ye!**

 **My already shaky at best schedule has been ruined.**

 **I shall hang my head in shame. In the meantime, however, why not enjoy this chapter?**

* * *

The High Commander of Vale's royal knights, head of the Commandery, had a swathe of responsibilities. Oversee the financial institutions which supplied them, oversee the training of recruits, and meet with nobility who sought to entreat their aid in maintaining order within their holds. He made personal visits to their numerous forts throughout the kingdom, conducted raids on bandit camps who grew too bold or too problematic to ignore, and above all else, served as one of the king's blades in his hour of need.

Yet there was another duty that he and he alone was tasked with too; know every member of the Church. From the Initiates to the Archbishop he was made to memorize names, faces, their magics, their origins. Hells, given the dossiers provided it wasn't an exaggeration to say he knew what their favorite meals were.

For any one man to remember the hundreds upon hundreds of individuals which made up Vale's branch of the Church of Remnant - clergymen, priestesses, Initiates, Hunters - was impossible, and so those of the lower ranks he often forgot, only to revisit if the need arose. Clergymen were simply mouthpieces and of little import, so they too fell to the wayside. It was namely the Hunters and Wardens, the instructors and, of course, Ozpin himself that Hazel deemed worthwhile.

So, to meet a woman in the King's grand hall, one important enough to gain audience with His Majesty, yet nondescript enough that he didn't recognize her whatsoever, was something of a puzzlement.

The ease with which the woman moved about the room spoke of confidence. One passing glance made her appear more like a concubine than a woman of high standing, and that was not to say she dressed poorly. No, the flowing and layered purple gown that she wore, a brooch of a silver snake over her right shoulder, and the bangles of pure gold on either wrist was tasteful, simple yet elegant. As she strode across the room to greet them her hair, golden yellow like stalks of wheat, bobbed, bound in a tidy bun, bangs and longer, untied locks cascading down her neck.

"And so the guest of honor has finally arrived." The woman spoke in a soft tone, polite, and yet Hazel felt an inexplicable chill run through him. With a smile that suggested warmth she gazed upon him, her icy blue eyes lacking any affection her tone carried. Mechanically, Hazel extended a hand and bowed as it was taken.

"The honor is mine, my lady. Although I'm afraid we've not met before?"

"I should think not," the woman said, lips curling upward. "It's rare that I'm allowed out. My duties often keep me too busy for cordial visits."

"But this is not a cordial visit, now is it?" The King, Uldor Caines, smiled as he approached. "Forgive my interruption but we do have a schedule to keep. Hazel, allow me to introduce you to Lady Salem. She is one of Ozpin's aides, and a woman who, as I've been told, is an expert in the matters we'll be discussing today."

"You flatter me, Your Majesty. I merely study the material, nothing more."

Hazel arched an eyebrow at Uldor. _And why do I not know of this woman?_ The king shook his head subtly, maintaining a practiced smile while Salem removed her hand from his own. Later then, when the woman wasn't present. _Was she sent here from another kingdom? Has she newly been brought into Ozpin's employ?_

Whatever the case there were answers desperately needed.

"I assume you're speaking about the events in Galloway?" Hazel asked. No use in trying to interrogate the woman there and now; he might as well focus on the task at hand.

"The very same. Come, I'll appraise you of the situation."

Salem followed behind the King, smiling sidelong at the man. Already greatly disliking the woman, Hazel kept on her heels, sorely wishing he'd brought his weapons with him. Not that he expected the Church to try anything as bold as assassinate the king but more of the comfort they brought. _Perhaps I need a vacation_ , he mused, chiding himself immediately for the idea.

Who would oversee his duties? He had subordinates, sure, but their typical workload was paltry compared to his own. Even taking so much as a day off would undoubtedly lead to more headaches than it was worth.

Laid out across a table was a map, one Hazel immediately recognized as depicting Galloway and the surrounding area. Much of it was blank, flanked by the ocean as the city was, and the land beyond the city's walls was either relegated to farmlands or forests. It wasn't a place Hazel frequented often despite the city claiming some of the kingdom's largest ports. His duties meant he never left the kingdom, and the city was protected so well by natural and manmade defenses that the need for him and his knights was all but unheard of.

Until recently. Uldor moved across the table, his squared jaw locked as he silently ran a hand over the canvas. At the city's perimeter there were a multitude of green figurines set out representing soldiers. Others in a slate grey depicted Hunters, mixed in among the standard squadrons. Further away from the walls, in alarmingly sizable clusters, were figures of pure black.

"Grimm." Hazel scowled, splaying his hands on the table as he assessed the display. "I thought that there were no sightings. What changed? Why have they appeared now?"

"Unknown, and ultimately irrelevant. They're outside the city and we may need to send more soldiers to help secure the walls. I had hoped that you may be able to send a few squads of your own as well, Hazel. As matters stand, they are holding the walls just fine, and I don't doubt that they could continue to do so."

"But we all know what magic leads to, do we not?" Salem picked up one of the Grimm figurines, inspecting it as a child might a lackluster toy. "They will hold for a time but given the presence of Magi there will be more of them. Of those we deployed only a handful of them are what we would deem veterans, the rest are either freshly graduated or retired. We contacted those closest to the city and bade them to rush to its defense."

"Yet it's not enough." Hazel frowned, leveling his eyes on Salem. "If I may speak plainly, sire?"

"By all means."

"It is concerning that the Church is involved in this matter at all. It was through your negligence that your Wardens were able to infiltrate the city at all. And, need I remind you; it is your blasted insistence on secrecy that is going to damn these people if they aren't provided aid. Frankly, I don't believe you're competent enough to be trusted with Galloway's defense, not after your blunder."

"A critique that is not unfounded. Yes, I'll admit that we fell woefully short in monitoring Arthur Watts." Salem set the piece down and sighed, her youthful, pale brow furrowing. "We had suspicions for some time that he'd become a risk, yet without proof of the matter we couldn't confront him. We thought that by letting him continue, he'd make a mistake and incriminate himself. Our intention was never -"

"Intentions be damned, woman. Your lack of foresight has put an entire city at risk not weeks after a Grimm outbreak, and has resulted in the disappearance of several of your own!" The table groaned under Hazel's fist, his armor scraping loudly against itself. "You'll have to forgive me if I'm not entirely keen on trusting you and yours whatsoever. Not after all the trouble your ineptitude has caused us!"

"Hazel," Uldor said.

"Trust? Shall we discuss that?" Salem folded her hands, tilting her head as she studied Hazel.

She didn't appear the least bit upset by him, nor the least bit remorseful for what had happened. Rather than become indignant, defensive, or confrontational in any way she acknowledged him the way a mother might a rowdy child; patiently understanding. The woman's calm demeanor only agitated him further. How could she pretend to be so indifferent? So aloof? This was the Church's doing after all. And here he was, yet again, being made to pick up the pieces.

"We made a mistake. Arthur Watts and his followers conducted their business right beneath our noses and the fault there lies with only ourselves. However, for someone who is so quick to villainize us, commander, you and yours left those girls to fend for themselves. If we are so dangerous then why not protect them?" Salem sighed. "And then there's the matter of your dubious comrades."

Hazel ground his teeth, stepping back from the table and exhaling. Now was not the time to argue, much as he was inclined to. "Your subordinates' betrayal is not on us, Hunter. And I'm afraid I don't know who you're referring to."

"I think you do, High Commander." She tapped her temple, smiling. "Or do you believe yourself to be so discreet? I'm referring to Raven Branwen and Roman Torchwick, or are we still calling him 'Lord Bisset'?" Salem shook her head. "Let us drop pretenses, commander. We have both made mistakes, we are both hardly as righteous as we'd like to present ourselves to be. But do not for one moment pretend that the Church and we alone are at fault here." She frowned. "Your 'associates' have taken some of our own, not to mention slaughtered Wardens in their wake."

"They kidnapped two young women!"

"And they would have been dealt with by our own accords. We may be unable to enforce common law, commander, but the punishment of Magi, particularly our own, falls under our jurisdiction. Or have you forgotten such a rudimentary fact?"

"Enough." Uldor's voice boomed, echoing off the bare walls. Hazel swallowed his rebuttal, closing his eyes and willing himself to calm. The sound of the king's boots padding across the tiled floor followed and he listened as his liege paced. "We are not here to accuse one another of malfeasance, nor I did not bring the two of you here to squabble. I was under the impression that we were all adults and capable of civil discourse. Was I mistaken?"

"No, Your Majesty," Salem answered, bowing her head. "Forgive me, I spoke out of turn."

"Apologies, sire, I forgot myself," Hazel said.

"Allow me to make things perfectly clear." Uldor stopped at the head of the table, glancing between Hazel and Salem before jabbing at the map. "One of my cities is under siege by those damnable creatures. My people, _our_ people, are at risk, and they need aid. I do not care whose negligence allowed this to happen, and we are not here to discuss some of our more questionable alliances. That said, as a show of good faith between allies."

The King placed a hand to his chest. "Salem. It was on my orders that we sought to entreat with Raven and Roman. I am of the mind that enlisting the aid of our enemies and striking a treaty with them is more productive than slaughtering one another. I am aware that the decision has not been a popular one, not among your organization nor my own court, and I am not here to justify my decision either. Merely acknowledge that it was my choice, not Hazel's."

"To say that the Archbishop is displeased by your decision would be making light of his concerns, Your Majesty." Salem held up a hand before Hazel could speak. "But we merely wish to be informed why it is so, nothing more. We have a difficult history with Ms. Branwen."

"As I'm aware. I'll meet with the Archbishop soon enough and share all with him, so that there may be no questions among allies. And Hazel," Uldor turned to him, brow creasing beneath his silver circlet. "The Church alone is not guilty of negligence. I did not think I needed to tell you to provide a protective detail to someone who we knew was at risk, but here we are. All parties here are at fault, myself included." He sighed. "But we are not here to point fingers, nor are we here to make excuses for ourselves. Our only concern today, in this moment, is organizing the defense of Galloway. More than the token force currently there."

"Now then, if I may?" Both Hazel and Salem nodded, remaining silent. "I have requested more Hunters be dispatched in the city's defense. However, given magic's propensity to make our problems infinitely worse, I wish to enlist some of your knights as well. I would like for you to gather whoever you have in the city at present and send them with Ozpin's forces. Waystones are being prepared as we speak," Uldor explained. "And once ready, the combined forces shall teleport to Galloway and bolster the forces there."

"The volume of Grimm will grow, of that we can be certain, but there is always a limit. The purpose of the reinforcements is to give those there now a much-earned reprieve and hold the walls. They are to all remain there until the final beast is slain and will not leave until we are certain Galloway is safe. Am I clear?"

Hazel stomped his boot while Salem bowed. "Yes, your Majesty. "

"Good. Salem? You have my blessing then. Please have Ozpin put together a group as soon as he's able and have them meet Hazel's men by the main gates. Hazel? I would ask that you remain a moment longer. I wish to discuss these partnerships of yours."

"Understood, sire."

Uldor stepped back from the table again, squaring his shoulders as he nodded. "Excellent. Lady Salem, thank you for coming in Ozpin's stead. One of my men will escort you to the exit, and I've already arranged for a carriage to return you to the cathedral."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Salem bowed again, smiling as she rose. "Rest assured, we will send some of our most promising Hunters in the city's defense."

Hazel felt the same unpleasant chill when she turned on him, keeping his jaw locked as Salem strode to meet him. Despite being a full head and a half taller and twice as broad there was something decidedly unpleasant about her. Why was a woman so young so highly regarded by Ozpin? The more troubling point was why did he not know her? A man in his position did not like to be surprised. The fact that she seemed so comfortable despite being thrust into this meeting, however brief it had been, didn't help his suspicions.

As he watched Salem leave his trepidation about her remained. She was like Ozpin in that regard; some people had an aura about them that made it appear like they knew more than they let on. It was why he never had trusted the Archbishop, and why, despite their fleeting time together, he'd already decided he didn't trust Salem.

Everyone had their secrets, but few people held secrets that could be so dangerous.

Left alone with the king, Hazel watched the man walk to the throne at the head of the room. One for him, the other empty, as it had been for several years. With no attendants present it was only the two of them inside the spacious hall, silent save for the rustling of curtains as the wind slipped through opened windows.

Uldor sank into his throne, releasing a loud sigh and sinking into the stiff seat. His shoulders slumped and he rubbed at his face, peering up as Hazel approached.

"I know you dislike them, Hazel, but we have to work with them."

"Dislike is putting it mildly, Uldor."

"Regardless, they are our allies in this, however reluctant that might be." The king, waving a hand dismissively, folded one leg over the other and frowned. "Tell me: what news do you have?"

Before answering Hazel glanced towards the doors, towards the windows. The room was sealed despite appearances, courtesy of the court's Magi. Still, a man in his line of work didn't live as long as he had without some measure of caution. Satisfied that they were safe, he shook his head. "None yet, I'm afraid. Raven is stubborn as always and has yet to respond to my messages. Roman has gone silent as well, and if the charlatan isn't dead then he's potentially gone rogue."

"When allying yourself with snakes there is always a risk to be bitten." Hazel hummed in agreement. A sad thing that fit with everyone they were involved with nowadays. _It was so much simpler when we could just do the damned work ourselves. Damn the Church, insisting they get their fingers in everything._ "You've confirmed their locations, at least?"

"I have. Or rather, I know that Raven has them, wherever they've gone to. From what my scouts tell me it appears that her brother, Qrow, has gone with them as well."

Uldor sat up a little taller, earnest curiosity plain. "Qrow Branwen? Has he defected?"

"Unknown, but it's safe to assume, given everything that has happened."

Even if Salem told the truth and the kidnappings weren't their doing, the Church still allowed Yang Xiao Long and Ruby Rose to be stolen away. That aside, the former's experimentation, the latter's subsequent strife, all of it laid at the feet of the Church. It wouldn't surprise Hazel in the slightest if Qrow had finally decided enough was enough, trading his allegiance to Ozpin for the safety of his family.

It would certainly be easier for them to have a man like Qrow on their side. Anyone with intimate knowledge of how the Church operated behind closed doors would prove invaluable.

"We'll work under the pretense that he is with us now, or at the very least, likeminded. See if you can't confirm their location, Hazel. I doubt that I'll be able to meet with them now. A travesty if you ask me, being unable to thank the four young women who did such a service to our kingdom."

Hazel couldn't help but smile. "Pardon my saying, sire, but I don't imagine they're too disappointed. I know some of them don't much care for politics."

"Yes, well, unfortunately politics is the game we are forced to play, dear friend. Just as we are made to cooperate with the Church so too must we abide by the rules of the court, our duties, and maintain appearances." Uldor rolled his eyes. "Gods know I do that more than anyone."

"The Church," Hazel redirected before the king could begin to complain. Again. "Do you trust them?"

"I acknowledge that they seek the same thing we do: safety for Remnant. Whether I trust them or not doesn't change that we share a common goal." Uldor leaned forward, clasping his hands together in his lap. "But no, I do not trust them, nor do I trust that woman, Salem. She is more like Ozpin than I care to admit." He regarded Hazel curiously. "You did not seem to know her." The Commander shook his head. "Troubling. I'll have someone else look into it. You have other duties."

"I'll depart for Galloway at once, sire."

"No, you won't." Uldor smiled, a small, knowing smirk that Hazel knew all too well. He groaned.

"Uldor, if this is one of your schemes -"

"I want you to find where those girls have gone, Hazel. If they're with Raven as you suspect, then finding them shouldn't be too hard. Once you do, secure them passage out of the kingdom. I don't want Ozpin to be able to use them, am I understood? After all they've done for us, for Vale, the last thing I'm going to do is allow that organization to sink their fingers into them."

Well that was a surprise. Not that Hazel minded it one bit; all along their aim had been to do just that, keep the girls from becoming too involved. Having them leave the kingdom would certainly accomplish that, although only temporarily. The Church existed in every kingdom after all, their reach further than any king, queen, or warlord.

"I'll see to it. But where do you intend to send them…?"

"I hear Mistral is nice this time of year. Warm weather, wonderful food, beautiful scenery." Uldor chuckled, laying his head on one of his hands. "And, from what I understand, you have more associates there, do you not?"

Hazel almost denied the claims, instead smiling to himself and shaking his head. "You and your spies. Why do I try to keep anything from you?"

Chuckling, Uldor's head turned slightly, eyeing the back of his seat before smiling at him. "I ask myself that as well, Hazel. See to it that these girls reach Mistral safely. Send word to your allies abroad, have them prepared to receive them. I'll pen a message for the western provinces, let them know that I have guests arriving on their shores. In the meantime -"

"Find them and ensure their safety. I think I can manage that much."

"Wonderful. I'll inform Ozpin that we've received reports of issues along the Vacuan border, and that I dispatched you to settle them. That should absolve you of any suspicion, if for a time. Send men you can trust and make certain they're aware of the situation."

Hazel bowed. "By your will, my liege."

"See it done then. Edos guide you, friend."

Bowing once more, Hazel turned on his heel and marched for the door. With one hand on the handle he glanced back, smiling in amusement. From behind the throne a woman emerged, shrouded in a dark cloak with platinum hair spilling out of the hood. Uldor greeted her silently, raising a hand before meeting Hazel's gaze and shooing him out.

 _Explains why he was so keen to keep the meeting brief._ He refrained from a taunting remark and shut the twin doors behind himself, shaking his head as he left. Most men didn't mix pleasure and business. Most men weren't king of Vale, and with no one to tell Uldor otherwise who was going to stop him? Hazel chuckled, glancing out into the courtyard as he walked above it, watching as children of some of the servants played among the gardens. _I don't imagine that the throne will be empty for much longer._

Gretchen was among them, growling like some absurd monster as she chased the children about. Hazel's smile grew, pausing briefly to watch his sister.

His service to the crown had bought her a chance to be more than their humble beginnings should have allowed, yet she'd achieved so much on her own too since they arrived at the castle. She was happy here, happier than he could ever have expected her to be, and that the king valued her so much spoke more highly of her efforts.

 _He'd better not be sleeping with her too. I'm not above smacking you, Uldor._ Gretchen must have felt she was being watched for she turned and smiled up at him, waving as she held a squirming boy under one arm. Hazel waved back and laughed as the child broke free, watching his sister resume chasing after him and his friends.

He'd find those girls and he'd ensure Ozpin didn't get his way. Anything that jeopardized his kingdom, his liege, and his sister would be denied, he'd make damned sure of that.

The High Commander had many duties after all. Ensuring the peace of his kingdom was but one of them.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Ilia sat rigid in her seat, hands gripping the edge of the wooden chair until her knuckles went white. The inspection was slow, studious, and Blake had to admit she was grateful Avery had some idea of what to look for. Her friend had been concussed yet evidently it wasn't a serious one, and after a few days rest in a dark house Ilia seemed ready to move again.

"You're certain you're not feeling nauseous anymore?" Avery's fingers tugged at Ilia's eyelids, leaning in to examine her eyes. "No headaches?"

"I'm fine."

"Sensitivity to the light?"

"I'm fine," Ilia reiterated, batting one of Avery's hands away. "It's nothing I can't handle, human. Quit touching my face."

Blake cringed. She hadn't told Ilia and she hadn't confronted Avery either since last night. It was none of her business why their hostess chose to hide what she was. Revealing it would make Ilia treat her more kindly, sure, but it wasn't her secret to give. Her story to tell. While Avery went about applying fresh bandages Blake's eyes fixated on her back again, only now noticing the slight bumps beneath her shirt. Whatever story was behind the injuries wasn't a pleasant one.

The examination ended soon thereafter. Satisfied that Ilia was healed, or at least not liable to collapse after a few steps, Avery stepped back from the freckled girl, sporting a slightly apologetic smile.

"Sorry, I just wanted to make sure you were okay to travel." She turned to Blake while bunching up soiled bandages in her hands. "You two are sure you want to leave today? I don't mind putting you up another day or two."

"Thank you, Avery, but no. I have some friends who are expecting me." _At least I hope they are._ "And I have a lot I'll need to discuss with them. Thank you though, honestly. I'm not sure we'd have survived without your help."

The huntress' cheeks went rosy pink and she looked away, giving Blake an askew glance and bashful smile. "I only try to do right by people. It's the least we can do, right?"

"Shame the rest of your human friends don't feel the same way," Ilia said.

"Ilia!"

"What? Are humans all good because one of them decided on a whim to help us?" Ilia scowled, both as she grabbed her head and looked at Avery. "Elves side with them too! They're basically just pointy eared humans, after all. And Dimurans are no better."

"Ilia, please," Blake urged, eyes flicking nervously between her friend and Avery. "Avery isn't trying to suggest that, she -"

"No, it's okay, Blake. I get it. I'm sorry for bothering you, Ilia." The worst part was Avery seemed genuinely apologetic too. As if she'd done anything wrong, Faunus or otherwise! "And you're right, my actions don't make everything okay, but I hope you're at least willing to believe some of them are genuinely good people." She bowed her head. "I'll let you two relax. Excuse me."

"Avery, wait." Blake rose to stop the woman and frowned as Avery slipped out of her fingers, watching the huntress go without a word. As the door creaked shut and left her alone with Ilia again she stared at her empty hand, breath held.

"I'm not saying I'm ungrateful she saved us, Blake." Ilia rose too, slowly, nursing the side of her head with a wince. "But one act of kindness doesn't make everything better."

That wasn't it though! "Ilia."

"You know how they treat us! You saw it again when you went to the city, didn't you? How can you just forgive them so easily after that?"

Ilia had it wrong. It wasn't her story to tell, Blake knew that. People had every right to keep their secrets and for whatever reason Avery decided to conceal who she was, what she was, that was her right. Whether it made sense to her or not was irrelevant. She didn't need to know the story, but she did need to make sure Ilia understood. Waiting until Ilia had finished slipping on her poncho, courtesy again of Avery, she grabbed her friend's hand and pulled her towards the door.

"H-Hey, what are you doing?!"

Even without outing Avery she could get Ilia to apologize or at least thank her. That wasn't so much to ask, right? Squinting against the mid morning sun she searched immediately outside the hut. Not by the tanning racks, nor the tables where they prepared meats. Had she gone into the forest?

No, she spotted Avery at the edge of the clearing, sitting in the grass as she prepared arrows. With her back to them Blake watched for a moment, pursed her lips, then tugged Ilia's arm and made her follow.

"Blake," Ilia hissed. "Stop it! I don't want to talk to her!"

"I don't care. You're going to apologize."

"For what?!"

Blake stopped briefly and turned back on Ilia. Her ears flattened, eyes narrowing as she strained to keep her voice low. "Ilia, I get it. I know what they've done to us, to you. But if we go thinking that every single one of them is out to kill us or stab us in the backs then we're no better than they are." She swallowed and lowered her head. "We're no better than Adam."

"You didn't look exactly ready to trust her either, you know!"

True, albeit for different reasons. Trusting someone, especially a human you didn't know, was intimidating. Yet coming off a flagrant betrayal by people who she trusted, friends, made her loathe to trust just about anyone, and she'd managed.

"Look, just trust me on this, okay? She isn't our enemy here." Blake squeezed Ilia's hand, offering the smallest of smiles to hide her own impatience. "Just humor me, okay?"

Ilia groaned, pulling at Blake's hand. She pulled right back, making it clear where she stood on things. They stared at one another, neither willing to give the other any ground. Then Ilia frowned, scowled, and turned her head away, giving one final tug before huffing.

Avery smiled uncertainly at them, bow slung over one shoulder, her quiver over the other. "I figured you two would just be leaving?"

"We will be, but Ilia has something she wants to say first." Blake pulled her friend alongside her, slipping an arm around her shoulders to make her stay put. "Right, Ilia?"

"If this is about before I'm fine, honest. I'm just a stranger, after all."

 _You're one of us. You don't deserve this._ Blake stared at Avery, wondering why in the world she wouldn't just reveal herself. They were all Faunus, they were kin. Was it because one was a Hunter and the other in the White Fang? Clearly their allegiances didn't matter much, not if two enemies could remain friends. _Just tell her, Avery. She'll understand once you do. I will too._

Avery's smile waned and her expression turned furtive. Rubbing one of her arms she lowered her head, chewing at her lip as she shuffled in place. Only then did Blake realize she'd been staring a bit too much, letting her expression relax. "Avery?"

"Blake? Was that you?" The huntress looked up and smiled, a weak gesture. "Last night by the river, was that you?"

Ilia questioned her silently, tugging at Blake's shirt for attention. "It was," Blake admitted. No use in trying to play coy or deny anything.

"I see."

Somehow having herself outed like that seemed to make Avery only sadder. Why? Shouldn't she be happy that she'd found someone like her? People who wouldn't judge her? Ilia was wary but only because she thought Avery was human. If she'd just share her story, what she was.

"Blake, can we just go? Whatever this is," Ilia nodded towards Avery. "She obviously doesn't want to talk about it. Come on."

She resisted Ilia's tug again, releasing her friend to instead approach Avery. Without a word she reached out and threw her arms around the other girl, pulled her in close, keeping her hands low and away from the shoulders. At first Avery tried to shrug her off, breath hitching in a startled gasp. Blake doubled down and closed her eyes, tightening her hug and hesitantly pat their hostesses' back.

"It's okay," she whispered. "You have friends. We won't tell anyone."

"I…" Avery's bow dropped to the ground. Blake didn't pay it any mind and smiled when a set of arms wrapped around her in turn. "You promise?"

"I promise," Blake nodded. "Thank you, for everything."

"Blake!" Ilia's restlessness was beginning to wear on her. When her friend came forward Blake released the hug, taking Ilia's hand again and shaking her head. "Are you done? Can we go now?"

"Not until you apologize. We can go once you do."

"That's really not necessary," Avery said, smiling sadly with a shake of her head. "I understand."

"Someone showed me kindness before too. They vouched for me, showed me compassion when I didn't deserve it. They're the reason I'm alive now, Ilia. The reason I was even able to see you again." Blake gestured to Avery. "They were human. The ones I was traveling with, you remember them don't you? The girl with the red cloak, that was her. She kept them from having me executed when I was brought to the city."

"Blake, I don't -"

"Her name is Ruby. She's a friend, just like Weiss is, and just like Yang." Friends she doubted. Friends who, unlike Pyrrha, Jaune, Ren and Nora, she'd been through more than one harrowing experience with.

She had to trust them still otherwise she wasn't any better than Ilia was. Paranoid, jumping at shadows at every turn, quick to condemn without knowing anything.

"Excuse me?" Avery held out a hand then drew it back, seeming uncertain. She bit the inside of her cheek before looking to Blake with a hesitant desperation. "Did you say Yang? Tall girl, blonde? Black scales?"

Blake's eyes widened. "You know her?"

"Do I? She saved me!" Avery's voice rose to a pitch. "She… She saved me," she repeated quietly. "And I chased her away. Are you going to see her? Do you know where she is?"

"We are, yes. I'm not sure where we'll find her though," she admitted.

"Can you please tell her I'm sorry then? And that she's a good person, and…" Avery paused, wiping at her eyes before giggling. "And that she has wonderful friends."

Easily done. Blake nodded, although now she was more inclined to stay than ever. How did Avery and Yang know each other? What was Avery sorry for?

"One more thing!" This time Avery turned to Ilia, stepping closer and taking her friend's hands. Ilia let out a startled yelp and Blake kept her in place. "You're not with the White Fang anymore, right? Tell me you're not."

"N-No, I'm not! Neither of us are!"

Surprise registered for only a second on Avery's face before a relieved smile appeared instead. "Good. Please, keep fighting? You're right: Faunus are treated horribly. We deserve better." She caught herself, blinking before clearing her throat. " _You_ deserve better."

Ilia stared, puzzled. Blake could only stand by and wait for Ilia to ask, or Avery to come clean, hoping for one or both. If they were leaving then Avery deserved to be thanked properly, although _what_ she was shouldn't change that.

It shouldn't, but it did, and frustrated as she was with Ilia she couldn't blame her friend either.

Birds took off from a nearby tree, screeching as they fled into the sky. On reflex Blake drew a dagger and moved around the pair, ready as she stared into the treeline. Grimm? Had Hunters found them?

So much for not being paranoid.

She stared into the forests and held her breath, ears picking up the faintest sounds. Behind her, Avery retrieved her bow and notched an arrow while Ilia drew her sword, taking up a position beside Blake herself.

"What is it?"

"Not sure," Blake whispered back. Potentially nothing, likely a problem.

There! Among the trees she saw a figure coming nearer, concealed inside of a ratty cloak. Not stark white, too dark for that. Blake's fingers tightened around the dagger, watching as the figure came closer still. She couldn't see anyone else with them as she scanned the treeline but that didn't mean they were alone. A scout? An awfully dumb one of so.

From the trees another bird emerged, screeching as it flew overhead. Then it doubled back, circling and screeching irritably. One of her ears folded and Blake glared up at it, hissing. Avery drew the arrow back and took aim.

"Found them! Found them!"

The bird's screeching shout made Avery yelp in surprise and her arrow flew well off course. Blake watched it sail away and disappear into the brush some several yards away. The cloaked figure continued their approach and she relaxed her stance, even going so far as to roll her eyes when the stranger's cloak caught on bramble and tugged them back.

"Fuck!" They tugged on the ashen grey cloak, cursing again before tearing the fabric free. Out they came, storming into the clearing and throwing back their hood.

"Vernal?!"

"Do you have any fucking idea how hard it's been to find you?!" Vernal looked down at herself and growled, plucking a small twig from her shirt and dusting herself down. "Even with Raven's stupid fucking bird tracking you I had to scour half that fucking forest! This shit's not my job, dammit!"

"A human?" Ilia uncoiled her sword and tried to pull Blake away, giving her a confused look when shrugged off.

"Good to see you too, Vernal," Blake lied. Why, of everyone Raven could have sent, did it have to be her?

"Fuck off, whiskers. I've had a day." Vernal narrowed her eyes at Ilia when she noticed the girl staring, bristling and marching towards them. "Got a problem, freckles? Go on, give me a reason to kick your ass!"

Ilia raised her sword and Vernal lifted a hand, wind surging at her palm. Avery notched another arrow and took aim, leveling a barbed arrowhead at Vernal's chest.

"Stop!" Blake stood between Vernal and Ilia, hands held out. "We're all on the same side here! Don't you dare bring Grimm here by doing something stupid!"

"Out of my way, Blake. I want to teach this one a lesson!"

"Move, Blake. I don't trust her."

 _You don't trust anyone besides me, Ilia._ Blake groaned, rolling her eyes before throwing her hands up. She swat Ilia's hand, wagged a finger in her face, then went back to Vernal and pushed her hand aside.

"Stop," she repeated, firmer this time.

"Listen here, whiskers. I just trekked through that fucking jungle to find your sorry ass, so don't you fucking lecture me, got it? Do you have any idea how much of a pain – "

"Whine! Whine!" The raven descended and circled Vernal, screeching as she began to swat at the bird. "Vernal whines! Vernal whines! Baby! Child!"

"Oi! Cut it out, you flying rat!"

Beside herself, Blake shook her head and gave Avery an apologetic smile. To Ilia she only shrugged, waving for her friend to sheathe her weapon, her own dagger following suit.

Well, they knew how to find the others now, hopefully. On the bright side they wouldn't have to scour Vale's wilderness in a blind search. But did it have to be Vernal she sent? It couldn't have been, oh, literally anyone else?

Vernal continued shouting and swatting at the raven, going red in the face. Ilia just watched, befuddled by the display, and Blake patted her friend's shoulder, nodding to Avery then tilting her head towards the cabin. The huntress nodded back and headed back, waving to them and mouthing 'thank you' along the way.

They could get back. It wouldn't be long until she and the others were reunited. So long as Ilia and the new arrival didn't kill each other first.

That the whole 'not hating humans' thing just became a million times more difficult.

/+/+/+/+/+/

A day of levity after so much stress had done wonders for Weiss' mind. She still had concerns as did they all, and more questions than ever, but for a time she'd been able to breathe and simply be.

It wasn't that Plockton had much to offer her, Ruby, and Yang in the way of entertainment. Even before the Branwen tribe had moved in and begun their meager restoration efforts the town was a sorry sight. Shabby homes pressed together like soldiers made to stand abreast, homes of rotting wood and crusted tin roofs and windows so caked in dirt and dust that they were impossible to see through. What few roads had been finished with pavers had long since been claimed back by nature and weeds split stone, turning the gray pathways green.

They had managed, somehow. Mostly they had explored the more remote recesses of Plockton's streets. It was sizable for a town but paltry compared to the likes of the capital. The Branwen tribe claimed perhaps a third of the buildings for themselves, choosing to stay well away from the ruined plaza, from where Merlot's monstrous rampage had caused irreparable damage and rendered some dozen buildings unfit for habitation.

Instead they explored old shops, ventured beyond the town's borders and admired some of the more pleasant growth. Beds of daisies and sunflowers grew rampant and turned the town's southernmost perimeter into a blindingly beautiful wash of color. On some homes vines crawled up the walls, sprouting flowers of deep purple, blue, and curious pink.

To be reminded that the town had once been filled with people was sobering and yet they managed to make a day out of it. So long as they avoided the homes, avoided any painful reminders of what once had been - beyond the obvious abandoned town itself - it was relaxing.

A shame then that their relaxation had to be tinged with doubt. No one spoke of what had transpired between them, how Weiss had attacked Yang and couldn't recall it, but she knew it was on their minds; it was all she could think about for most of the day. Neither Ruby nor Yang brought it up and she refused to be the one to do so. Maybe they didn't want to talk about it? Weiss didn't either if she was honest. The last thing she wanted to do was consider herself a threat to her friends. After all they had been through it was cosmically cruel that she might be too dangerous to be around.

So, when Qrow came to retrieve her the following morning it came as something of a relief to be taken away. Neither sister showed her any animosity even then, going so far as to wish her well and demand she be back soon. Ruby had even hugged her before she could leave. The phantom warmth clung to Weiss as a painful reminder and she closed her eyes, her arms tightening across her chest.

She wished Qrow would say _something_ to her as they left. Instead he moved along the ruined streets in silence, slouched over with his hands in his trouser pockets. More than once Weiss attempted to initiate conversation with the man only for her voice to fail her.

 _He doesn't have his sword with him, at least. Although I don't suppose that matters much, not when he can render my magic useless._ It didn't help matters that he had to lead them right through the tribe too. There were plenty of ways out of Plockton but no, he just had to parade her to the main road.

 _This is humiliating._ People were staring, smiling at her, conversing among themselves as though she was some kind of spectacle. In a way she was: a Hunter being led along like cattle, save for a rope around her neck.

No one tried to stop either of them. Once they left the town behind Qrow finally signaled for her to stop, gesturing to a stack of abandoned crates along the roadside. "Take a seat, kiddo."

"I'd rather stand, if it's all the same to you."

"Take a seat," Qrow repeated, firmer this time. Weiss bowed her head and brushed dirt off a crate before sitting on the edge, nervously chewing on her lip as she was stared down. "Look, I'm gonna keep this brief, so listen up, 'kay? I don't really like doing this kinda stuff."

"And that 'stuff' is what, exactly?" Weiss leaned back when Qrow reached towards her, cringing. He grabbed something from beside her head and she blanched as a mouse squeaked, suspended by its tail.

"Having to lay down the law. I'm not really that type of guy." Qrow flung the rodent and watched it disappear into the tall grass. "But we've got a problem with you, kid, and we've got to do something about that. I know we talked to you already about it," he stepped closer, leaning down and tapping at his temple. "But I want you to think really hard on this, ok? Do you seriously not remember what happened back in Galloway?"

"No, I don't. I've told you before, I don't remember any of it!" Weiss shook her head, holding her hands up before dropping them in her lap. "We had been fighting, we bested Watts, and we had just finished dousing the flames. After that…"

What? Her memory was blank. She knew she and Goodwitch had salvaged the manor and they had begun to celebrate their victory. Had she been struck by debris? That couldn't be it; she had no head trauma and that would have rendered her immobile. She wouldn't have been able to attack Yang if that had been the case.

"Great. Just great." Qrow slicked back his hair and groaned. "Okay, has this stuff ever happened before? Ever have, I don't know, lapses in your memory? Black outs, anything like that?"

"Haven't we already established what caused this? Your sister said so herself, didn't she?"

"Rae says a lot of things. Some of it I believe, most of it I think is total shit." Qrow shrugged. "I like to make sure. So what you said before is still the case? This stuff never happened before you got that mark?"

"The only thing I can think of are random headaches that I would get. A small headache is a far cry from, well, whatever happened to me." Weiss shifted uncomfortably, nursing one of her temples. Was she somehow made unstable? Was there a complication with her mark? A mistake due to the hastened process? "I'm sure there's an explanation for it."

"Yeah, and the only one we got is the one my sister is peddling. Neither of us are exactly keen on that being true, are we?" Qrow removed his flask, popped the cork and took a swig. "Listen, Weiss. I knew you for a decent bit before this crap happened, I know what happened isn't you."

"Then why is everyone so worried about -"

"Because that's the problem. This ain't you, kid, but you did it. Which means that the mark Oz gave you is doing something to your head. And whatever that is apparently keeps you from remembering it too."

Weiss hung her head, hands kneading at her lap. If they knew she hadn't done it intentionally then that was comforting, somewhat. Ultimately, however, it didn't mean much if they couldn't fix things. _That makes me a constant threat. If I can snap at any moment, attack one of them, I can't be trusted. I shouldn't even be around them._

"Listen," Qrow said as he crouched before her. "I like ya, kid. My nieces like you, and I don't want to make them leave a friend behind. But with that thing on you right now you're dangerous. We don't know what sets it off or how to keep it from making you go nuts. I talked with Rae." He rolled his eyes. "Or she talked _at_ me, mostly, but we came to a decision."

"Wait," Weiss said, fear creeping into her voice. "Please, don't make me stay here. I'll try and figure out what's happening, I'll find a way to stop it. I'll let you carry my weapon; you can bind my hands!"

"Woah there, kid, relax. Let me finish, yeah?" Weiss settled back and took a deep breath, nodding quickly. "Sheesh, you're gonna stress me out doing that. No one's making you stay here, and no one is gonna make you split up from the girls either, okay? That isn't what this is about. Well, not exactly."

"What is this, then?"

"This is me telling you what wherever you kids are going, I'm going. At least until we can get that thing sorted out." Qrow reached out and peeled back her collar, tapping the mark with a frown. "I don't know enough about it; I never got offered the thing, never cared enough to ask. And even if what Rae says is true, that Summer knew it was dangerous, she doesn't actually know much about it either." He pushed himself back to his feet. "So, I'm sticking with you. Without your magic or your weapon, you're not exactly much of a threat."

Most people weren't, to be fair. Weiss tried not to take offense to that and mostly succeeded.

"Until we figure out how we're doing things though we're gonna hang here, ok? There's still that broody friend of yours we need to find, not to mention it's only been two days since the whole shitshow in Galloway. We all need some rest before we go setting out on another big adventure."

Weiss nodded again, placing a hand over her racing heart as she exhaled. This hadn't turned out nearly as catastrophic as she'd feared. Having Qrow along was unexpected, maybe even a little undesirable, but hardly the worst thing to happen as of late.

"Great. Glad we got that out of the way," he cracked his back audibly, making Weiss wince, and rubbed at his stubble. "Sorry if it worried ya, dragging you out here, but I didn't want any of those idiots overhearing this. We're trying to be careful about who hears this stuff, ya know?"

"Understood. And I wasn't worried." Qrow raised an eyebrow. "Much. And Qrow? Thank you for sharing this with me. I've been… Concerned about what might happen."

"Aha, you _were_ worried," Qrow drawled, grinning.

 _So you're where Yang gets it from. Wonderful._ "I was concerned about whether or not I had a place with them anymore. I'm glad to see those concerns were unfounded." Weiss frowned, rising from the crate and dusting herself off. "They are unfounded, right? Ruby and Yang want me to stay with them?"

"Why're ya asking me? Did you not talk to them about it?"

"No," she admitted. "I was hesitant to bring it up."

"Welp, you know where they are. Head on back and go ask them." Seeing her face fall Qrow reached out and patted her back. "Come on kid, try bein' a little optimistic, will ya? You're bumming me out here."

"I attacked her, Qrow. I tried to kill her!" Weiss shook her head and shuddered. "How could they still want to be my friend?"

"As I recall you and Ruby made friends with an ex-White Fang assassin, didn't you? Plus you all somehow, against all odds, made my sister actually like you." He snorted and laughed curtly. "Hells, she doesn't even like me, and I'm her godsdamned brother. You all are either the most forgiving kids I've ever met or the most naive."

She would acquiesce that Ruby might be naive but only her. Blake and Yang had seen enough of the world to know better. _And you've been just as coddled as Ruby has until recently._ Her mind jeered at her and she huffed. _None of us are naive. Maybe we're just good judges of character. Although we did blindly trust Ozpin for years._

They were human, and Faunus. They were prone to make mistakes.

"Get goin'. Go talk to 'em, ask them what they think." Qrow circled around the crates, smiling knowingly. "Trust me, Weiss, sometimes what we think is gonna happen is way worse than what actually does. Our mind's like to be cruel like that."

"You aren't coming back with me…?"

"Nope." Qrow leaned down and grabbed something heavy, dragging it out from between crates. He laid his greatsword over one shoulder. "I've got patrol duty and gotta get started soon. You know the way back, don'tcha?"

Weiss took one glance back towards the town, not two-hundred feet away, before frowning at Qrow. "Did you take me out here just so you could get your sword?"

"I didn't want to make two trips." Qrow laughed as she glowered at him, turning and waving his shoulder as he made to leave. "Go on, ice queen, go talk to your friends. They'll understand, trust me; Tai's a better dad than Rae gives him credit for."

The nerve! So Qrow took her out of town just to avoid a second trip? She nearly had a heart attack! If she wasn't certain attacking him would give the completely wrong impression, she had half a mind of freezing him in place. Instead she took a page out of Ruby's book and stuck her tongue out at his back, huffing and turning on her heel, storming back into town.

Again people watched her, albeit with less rapturous attention than before. Whatever they had thought was bound to happen clearly hadn't and they regarded her with only passing curiosity. Or maybe they were scrutinizing her every movement and watching her like a hawk stalking its prey.

Weiss didn't know. Her heart was beginning to hammer again as she doubled back the way they had come. It wasn't that she didn't trust Qrow's assessment of his nieces; Weiss liked to think Yang and Ruby would welcome her back with open arms. Yet she couldn't shake the feeling that they had been on edge since then. Afraid to be around her alone. Ruby was probably too nice to say anything and Yang too considerate of her sister to confront her.

When she arrived at their temporary lodgings, a single-story home with peeling paint and a crumbling chimney, she lingered by the steps for a time, mulling over how to approach the subject. After failing to find any delicate way to approach "So, I tried to kill you…" she took a deep breath, reached for the door and pulled it open.

Ruby and Yang were just as she'd left them, sat in the middle of the floor going through books. The yellowing, charred, or otherwise ruined ones made a pile beside the fireplace and those that were salvageable made up a small stack to either side of them.

"Weiss!" Ruby jumped to her feet and hurried over, smiling as she stopped short. "Welcome back! We're just about done going through everything."

Trying not to read too much into the distance between them she smiled back, nodding. "Wonderful. Have you found anything worthwhile?"

"Well, it's hard to know what Blake likes," Yang said, reading the backs of two books, tossing one behind her and setting the other aside. "I'm betting she's totally into romance though! Ruby thinks she's more of an adventure girl."

"Everyone loves adventure stories!" Ruby said. "Who doesn't like a story where the hero slays the monster and saves the day? Or people hunting for treasure? It's exciting!"

"Sure, sure, but we've had plenty of adventure for one a lifetime already. I bet Blakey just wants to unwind." Yang gasped, grabbing a book titled 'In Your Arms' and waggling at them. "Like this! Let's see." One look at the back cover and Yang began to snicker, peeling open the pages. "Oh yeah, I bet she'll love this one!"

"Yang!"

Ruby dropped back down and got to work again, stealing Yang's selection and setting it aside. The elder sister took it right back and the pair quickly devolved into a tug of war over the book. Weiss wanted to laugh but she couldn't bring herself to, or even smile. They seemed so normal, so nonchalant about everything. That didn't mean everything was okay though. _Ruby suppresses things. Yang would fake it for Ruby's sake._

Uncertain, she took a step forward, pausing and instead busying her hands with some of her hair. She still didn't know how to broach the subject or even where to begin. Should she just apologize? Again? Promise she'd try to remember?

"Weiss?" Ruby smiled, then frowned when she noticed her hesitation. "What's wrong? Are you okay? Did Uncle Qrow say something bad?"

"No, we had a perfectly fine conversation."

"Was it one of those creeps outside?" Yang's eyes flicked to the door before offering a comforting smile. "I can to talk to 'em if they're bothering you, Weiss. I've been looking for an excuse to pummel some of those assholes anyways."

"No, that isn't it!" Weiss groaned, rubbed her temples, then exhaled. "You two aren't making this easy on me."

"Making what easy?" Ruby asked.

"This! Us! It's like you two are ignoring everything that's happened! What I did!" Weiss felt her eyes begin to prickle and her breathing came unevenly. "I attacked you, Yang. I tried to kill you! I could still try! I'm not safe!" Ruby rose back to her feet, as did Yang. Weiss wrapped her arms around herself. "I'm a threat to you and yet you're acting like nothing's changed. How can you be okay with this?"

"Weiss." She flinched when Ruby grabbed her, making a fitful effort to wipe tears from her cheeks. When she was hugged, she almost pushed Ruby away. "Weiss, it's because we know that wasn't you. You're not our enemy."

"But I attacked you!" Weiss nearly wailed. "I tried to kill Yang!"

"To be fair I sorta tried to kill you too when we first met." Yang chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck as she stood beside Ruby. "And Blake tried to kill me, and she probably tried to kill you. Look, my point is that it's, like, obligatory for us to attack each other at this point. It's like a rite of passage."

"That's not funny, you dolt."

"Am I wrong though? Weiss, we know you wouldn't have done that. Just like you guys forgave me for what I did at Holbrook, I forgive you for what happened." Yang placed a hand on her arm and smiled warmly. "You're our friend, Weiss, okay? Whatever happened was cuz of that thing Ozpin gave you, it wasn't you."

"I know my best friend better than anyone, and I know you'd never try to hurt us," Ruby chimed in. "Weiss, we love you, okay? What happened was scary, and…" She bit her lip, sharing a quick look with Yang before sighing. "Maybe we're a little worried, okay? I'm worried Yang might have trouble too, but I know who you two are. And I know that if one of us slips, the others will catch us. Because that's what friends do."

"Even Blake would probably tell you you're being an idiot." Yang grunted, sticking her tongue out at Ruby.

"Be nice!" Weiss giggled and Ruby smiled, pulling her into a hug. "She's right though. We've been through a lot, haven't we? No way is this going to be what ruins our friendship."

"We gotta kick the Church's ass still, right? Plus, if what Raven is saying is true then Summer might still be out there." Yang's arms wrapped around them both and they were pulled into a tighter embrace. "If we do find her then you've gotta meet her, Weiss! I bet you'd love her!"

Weiss didn't doubt that one bit. From the precious few stories Ruby had shared of the woman, and what little she'd gleaned since then, Summer Rose must be the world's greatest mother. Not that she had great metrics to work from; her own mother wasn't bad but was perpetually bedridden, her memories of Willow Schnee were foggy at best, and Raven was, well, Raven.

Not exactly stiff competition.

She sniffled, smiling as he hid her face against Ruby's shoulder. "You two are absolute idiots…"

"Yep! But we're the coolest idiots you've ever met," Yang said.

"I don't know. Jaune has his moments."

Yang gasped, tightening her grip and sighing dramatically. "Do my ears deceive me? Am I outdone by that beanpole?"

"Hey, Jaune is nice!" Ruby quipped. "And he's just a little thin."

"He's a twig, Rubes. Boy's gotta eat more." Yang tilted her head then snickered. "Ren too. Nora's way bigger than both of 'em!"

Weiss laughed, lifting her head and poking Yang in the side. "I think she's stronger than you as well, Yang. You're slacking."

"What, no way! I could take her easily! I bet I'd win six, no, eight out of ten times!"

"So you acknowledge she could beat you?"

"Ooooh, I bet Pyrrha could beat you too!" Ruby taunted. Weiss nodded, trying to seem serious as she wiped her face dry. "She's, like, really, really good at fighting, Yang."

Offended, Yang stepped away from them and placed a hand to her chest, gawking at Ruby and Weiss both. "Are you girls honestly suggesting I'm not the most badass girl you know?"

Weiss tapped her chin and hummed. "Well, I don't know. Blake does have some impressive skills as well."

"Blake?" Yang scoffed, waving dismissively. "Please, she wishes she was half as awesome as me! I'm so awesome, in fact." She held out a palm and ignited a small flame. "I'm on fire!"

Weiss groaned. "Yang, please."

"Wait, wait!" Yang narrowed her eyes and grew the flame. "I guess you could say I'm… Firing up!"

"Yang!" Ruby cried. "Stop!"

Laughing, Yang extinguished the fire, winking and tossing her hair back. "Fine, fine, I get it. I'm too hot for you two. I figured you'd be de-lighted when I put the flames out." They both deadpanned at the blonde. "What? Quit smoldering at me, will ya?"

"Yang!" Weiss shouted, grabbing the nearest book and thwacking Yang on the arm. "Stop, you're ruining the moment!"

"Hey, easy there, Weissy! Take a page outta Ruby's book!" Ruby grabbed a book and Yang squealed, bolting past them and towards the door. "Uh oh, looks like I'm in trouble! Leaf me alone!"

"That one didn't even make sense!"

* * *

 **And there we go! I'm sure everything is going to go perfectly smoothly from hereon out. Look, they even got a day off! Hooray!**

 **As usual, thank you so much for reading, and please, be excellent to each other. The world is crazy and a little bit of love goes a long way!**


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